#ee2014

Muraho! Today has been a very challenging and emotional day for all of us on the team.  We ventured off the compound and learned more about Rwanda’s history. I will try my best to convey the intense experience and spiritual confusion this day has brought so bear with me.

Last night we were slammed with an epic thunderstorm with ridiculous rain, which pounded the roof and refreshed the dusty compound. I woke up feeling very rested after my first long sleep since Vancouver and the comforting lullaby of crazy weather. On the schedule today was camp preparation with our Rwandan friends and then a trip to Kigali Genocide Memorial. We met our fellow leaders on the basketball court where we played some games to get to know each other better. A photo scavenger hunt had us running all over the compound and in my group’s case, arguing over where to go next. After that we made team cheers, which either raised team spirit or ended in giggles due to lack of preparation. The point in which my group really clicked was figuring out some games to play with the kids. We taught them Duck-Duck-Goose and Ninja and they shared a Rwandan name game.  By the end we were all laughing and having a hilarious time. Turns out language barriers can be obscenely funny.

After lunch we all packed up into the bus that took us to somewhere that I personally was not prepared for. You hear about memorials and how sad they are but until you really experience one like this, I don’t believe you can ever know their true value.

The journey starts with pictures and written facts of the horrible reality of the genocide. It started from the beginnings of a united Rwanda until hate split their country, followed by the stories of survivors and restoration. This part was tragic but more of an educational experience for me. We then moved into different rooms one by one, each holding their own exhibit of heartbreak. The first room had bones of some of the victims along with a few items like a child’s shoe and a cross necklace. For me this was where my heart started breaking. Another room was filled with pictures of children who had been killed. The family of these children had brought their pictures in and given some description of the child like their name, age, behavior, last words, and how they died. One girl was described as a daddy’s girl. Another boy’s last words were “Mummy, where should I run to?” Another boy of only 3 years old was forced to watch his mother be killed before he was murdered. This room was one of the hardest and most impactful for me but also what broke my heart completely. Outside the building were more mass graves than I ever believed could be in one place but there they were, reinforcing the reality of what happened. 

When we had been through the whole memorial we all sat on the steps in front of the building in silence. There were tears and anger and so much heartbreak, I don’t think any of us really knew what to say. Christa said later that God wants to break our hearts for what breaks His, and I can say He did that for me today.

The contrast between the crazy, joyful morning and the emotional rollercoaster of the afternoon was exhausting and mind-boggling. The reality of our new friends’ history made me realize how unimaginably hard their lives have been and I appreciate that they have such joy and forgiveness, despite circumstances. Everywhere we go in Kigali we get smiles and waves. Our friends’ laughter and dancing shows such a rich, spiritual peace and we now realize how incredible their faith is. I have definitely learned from this experience that we as humans are not capable of such forgiveness and peace but only through God can we achieve it.  I would like to end with a verse that was brought up in our debrief meeting:

“And now, isn’t it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has guided you closer to God? You’re more alive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible. Looked at from any angle, you’ve come out of this with purity of heart.” - 2 Corinthians 7: 11-13

Murakoze (Thank You) for all your prayers and support!

Muraho (hello) family and friends from Rwanda!

Today you have the privilege of reading my blog post from Rwanda! I will try my best to not bore you to tears. By the way, it is me, Isobel, writing this.

It may only be our second day in Rwanda but it feels like we have been here forever. The people are so welcoming and have included us like we are family; they even remember our names! However, I am still struggling with saying/remembering some of their Kinyarwandan names. 

This morning, we went to a church service put on here at the compound for the secondary school students. It is the end of their 2nd term, so they received awards and report cards. Even though we may have been a tad late, the service was fantastic! Worship was amazing, as they sang songs we knew in both English and Kinyarwanda. Luckily, someone was there to translate so we were able to enjoy both the preaching and the presentation of awards.

After church we had some spare time before lunch. The food has been amazing and I always look forward to the fresh avocado (there is even an avocado tree right outside our rooms)!

When we were done lunch the Canadian team played some group games. I would have to say that Cowboy, Chicken, Conqueror was probably the most exciting. There may have been some pushing and shoving involved!

This afternoon the clouds were pretty dark and we even heard some thunder! Us Vancouverites were very hopeful that it was going to rain, but unfortunately it didn’t. We sat on the hill overlooking the beautiful Rwandan landscape (it isn’t called Land of the 1000 hills for nothing!) and watched our “movie.” This included the thunder, some birds (maybe hawks?) flying around and dive-bombing each other and a wonderful soundtrack (courtesy of Christa’s iPhone).

Although my time in Rwanda has been very short, I already feel like I have learned so much. I have learned not to be controlled by time, but to go with the flow. It is actually easier than it sounds as most of us enjoy the relaxed pace of things here in Rwanda. I have also realized that us Westerners focus on all our accomplishments, while Rwandans focus on building relationships and community. I am really looking forward to getting to know my team members and deepening our relationships during the camps. I know that by the end of this trip, we will all have gained many new friends and a better understanding of Rwanda. According to Claire, a lady I met yesterday, I am already 50% Rwandan!!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, I miss you all!

Love,

Isobel

 p.s. Happy belated birthday Dad! I thought of you yesterday and hope you and Mom are having a good time at Auntie Margaret’s.