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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.

de·vel·op·ment / diˈveləpmənt /

Noun: The process of developing or being developed; a complex issue, with many different and sometimes contentious definitions. A basic perspective equates development with economic growth. The United Nations Development Programme uses a more detailed definition- according to them development is 'to lead long and healthy lives, to be knowledgeable, to have access to the resources needed for a decent standard of living and to be able to participate in the life of the community;’… development [is therefore linked to] empowerment.

(Volunteering Options, adapted from: http://www.volunteeringoptions.org/VolunteeringDevelopment/WhatisDevelopment/tabid/78/Default.aspx)

The Concept

As you might have guessed from the lengthy definition above, development is not a straightforward concept. Development is largely seen as the solution to poverty, so how one defines poverty shapes their definition of development. 

“The world defines poverty as a lack of something like economic resources; therefore, its solution” – development – “is more of what is lacking” – such as money or resources – “If the Bible reflects that poverty is a result of broken relationships, and if we seek to overcome all forms of human poverty, then we must focus on relationships. This redefines poverty and its solution” – development – “Since poverty is a result of broken relationships, the solution” – development – “is restored or reconciled relationships.” (Food for the Hungry Canada, Poverty Revolution Boot Camp Workbook, [FH Canada, 2011] p. 15)

While relationships are still complex, and we are talking about four different types of relationships (with God, self, others, and creation), having a relational perspective simplifies things a bit.  While not everyone is a development professional – someone who is trained to engage in complex social, economic and political systems – relationships are something we were all made for, which means we all have a place in working to restore broken ones. Therefore, despite the complexity of the concept of development, we can all be a part of the solution to poverty.

The Challenge