Alien Fruit, Monster Rain and other Grand Adventures

Our crazy adventures continue here in our Rwanda home.  It's been only two weeks, but the experiences are one that are building great memories we will treasure always.

This morning I wasn't feeling 100%, so I sent Kim to the market with a detailed list.  In Canada, he always came back with a "bonus" item (usually something unique or unidentifiable).  

Here in Rwanda, he did not disappoint.  The fruit was large (think misshapen basketball size), heavy, slightly prickly and close to lime green.  Naomi and I decided to crack it open for lunch.  Cautiously we cut into the "alien" fruit.  The texture was brain-like, rubbery and like nothing I've seen before.  Pods encased in stringy material each held a large seed.  When you pull the pods out of their melon shell, they are rubbery (like calamari). This is the edible part.  It tastes kind of like a chewy banana.  Not bad really, just an adventure getting to it!  It's part of our lunch today--fruit salad, pumpkin muffins and sliced Gouda cheese.  

Food has been interesting.  No Walmart just down the street.  We have the local market each Wednesday.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are available for a good price.  There's a few stores, we can get flour, tomato paste and superglue (odd combination, I know).   Eggs, fanta (pop) and rice MAY be available.  The rest of our needs (cleaning supplies, milk, meat, cheese and toilet paper) have to come with a trip to the city.  

We've been enjoying steady heat (27-30) during the day.  The evenings are pleasantly cool, usually making it very comfortable to sleep.  On days it's peaked 30, we've noticed thunderstorms popping up.  It's usually around 2 or 3 in the afternoon we are quickly scrambling to grab our clothes off the line.  The rain usually only lasts 10-15 minutes, then it's back to the warmth and comfortable humidity.  

Last Saturday we had a "monster rain".  The skies darkened quickly and the wind (we hadn't experienced that here yet) picked up.  When the rain came, it was so loud, poor little Ethan sobbed on our bed that he wanted to leave the country and go to a place it didn't rain.  Once we gave him earmuffs and a game, he calmed down.  As the rain poured, the wind drove it into our home through the windows and vents.  Water flooded in from under the door.  Because of the concrete, it's no big deal, we just squeegee the water back out.  Every building had water, but no damage, just a squeegee to the floor and it was taken care of. This was a good taste of the rainy season to come.

We are feeling settled in our mission house and look forward to visitors whenever God opens the doors.  We've been so impressed by the generosity of the people and amazed at how hard-working and happy they are.  The staff here at the home are truly a blessing and we are already growing to love and appreciate them dearly. 

We love receiving the encouraging emails and messages.  Thank you for reminding us that we are not forgotten!

Prayer request for this week:

--favour for the last bit of visa (hopefully today we can get it submitted)

--health for everyone

--continued ease in adjustment for the kids

 

The Beauty of Church

It was Sunday today.  Climbing the hill to church, I felt weary, it had been a long week of learning so many new things.  We are still getting used the different sounds at night, the warmth of the days and the new routine.  

As people streamed into the church, I was impressed by the reverence and focus. Instead of visiting with their neighbours, individuals would come in, sit and take a few moments to collect themselves. When praise and worship began, the focus was completely on God.  The singing, dancing and praise that came from each person was so pure it brought tears to my eyes.  It felt as though every burden had been left at the door, so when the congregation came in, they were ready to put 100% of themselves into worshipping and praising God.  It was more than action,  it was the underlying attitude that was shifted.

Hmm, how often have I came to church with the hope that church would lift my spirits and give me something to carry me through the week?  What I saw today was people coming in with an attitude of "what can I give?" as opposed to "what can I get?".  If this was our attitude every time we went to church, can you imagine the difference?

Back to today . . .the main focus was thanksgiving.  This is a regular part of Sunday service--counting your blessings, sharing what God has done and giving Him glory.  Interspersed through is also songs of praise, singing, dancing, and so much enthusiasm!  

What brought a smile to my face was the youth choir--the mamas and girls from our home.  They sing with all their heart and dance beautifully.  In the middle of the choir is one mama--Epiphany (a dear, 75 year old mama).  She sings and dances with the energy of a young woman, totally in love with her Saviour.  Oh have I a lot to learn. 

When it comes to tithes and offerings, young and old are encouraged to give--joyfully.  For new believers, it may be a new concept, but nevertheless encouraged.

Last week, Pastor Ed (the director we took over for) preached.  This week, it was Kim's turn.  As he preached about faith, it was great to see how the congregation accepted his message.  We pray that they will take to heart the importance of having faith and trust in God.

We kept a quiet day today, reading, resting, playing a few games.  We want to guard this day of rest and make sure that we honour God by setting this day aside as a holy day.  This is not to sound religious, but setting a boundary in making sure that we are taking care of ourselves, as a family, so that as we pour out, we can be filled.

Thank you for your prayers.

This week, please pray specifically for:

--Speedy applications for the birth certificates, we get them notarized and sent to Canada

--Favour as we return to the visa office (no more surprises) so that we can get our 2-year missionary visas without further delay.

--Wisdom in shopping and cooking for me (Renae), to find a healthy balance so the teens are not always hungry

--Continued clarity as we learn the day-to-day running of the property and the culture.

Contrasts, Needs and Reality

Rwanda is a beautiful country with amazing people.  However, the extreme need is everywhere.  As a family coming here to serve, it's very easy to get overwhelmed if we don't keep in mind the job we were sent here to do.

Last night, as we were coming home from the city, we stopped to get fuel & airtime for our cell phone.  Beside us was the busy highway, people walking everywhere and a young man in a wheel chair, about 1/4 into the busy road. As he was propelling the old chair forward, the rubber came off the wheels.  He froze.  A couple people came over to help, and got the rubber back on, but in the fixing, the entire wheel came off!  Buses, cars and trucks speed by, honking, and he's there, stuck.  These two men help get the wheel on (while dozens continue to walk by), and they leave him.  He just sat, head down, in the busy road, not moving.   As we watched, a sense of helplessness washed over us.  It was late, we didn't have much money with us, there was really nothing we could do to make a difference in this person's life.

We were told to prepare for this.  The extreme needs are everywhere here.  Reality is, we can't help them all, we can't impact many, but we can focus on the job God brought here for and make an impact on those we are to help--the orphans in our compound, the students at this Bible School.

A couple nights ago, we decided to celebrate Naomi's birthday a day late and Joel's birthday 2 days early.  We baked a cake and they decided it would be fun to share it with the kids at family night.  A few nights a week, we have "family night" with the orphans.  This often is a time for the mamas and Rwandan parents to deal with problems, work on character, etc.  We have decided it would be a time to pour into the children.  

After a successful story time with the kids in the summer (they still remember the stories of Moshe I told them), we decided to continue with this tradition.  This time, reading stories of Christian heroes through history who made a difference for Christ.  Our ultimate goal?  To teach these precious kids that their Source is God, their key is God's Word and their help in time of need, is Christ alone.  

This is our primary calling--to be the hands and feet of Jesus to these children for however long we have them (as the government continues to slowly shut down the orphanages).  

When the children are cared for, we will continue to reach out to the community through the Bible School, teaching ESL, encouraging and building into these young people.  So much is happening right now, it is exciting to see God at work!  

We are now on our own, as the former director has returned to America.  The task in front of us feels overwhelming, the learning curve, high, but the God who called us here has promised to never leave us or forsake us and give us wisdom as we ask.  All we can do is trust in Him.

Please pray:

Wisdom as we manage--with budgeting/finances, staff

Clarity through transition--the Bible College is only in it's second week

Understanding as we try to learn this very different culture

Health & Protection for our family 

Market Day Fun

Buses slowed, people pointed and we kept walking.  I am not sure what the village crowd thought of the four strange white people following a local mama into the crowded morning market.  Children shyly greeted us, faces beaming as we shook their hands.  Heads turned and whispers of "mzungu" echoed through the crowd.  

Just off the road and up the hill, vendors were setting up their displays of fabric, clothes and shoes.  We crossed through and wove our way uphill, between the buildings to the food market.  The hillls were steep--and crowded!  Worn tarps covered the ground with produce and baskets piled high. In order get to the vendor with the best prices, we needed to squeeze through an already crowded area (tighter than shoulder to shoulder).  First on the list, carrots.  While negotiating the price, I had a man trying to sell me zucchini--300RWF ($.50) each, or, great price, 3 for 1000RWF!  I didn't buy the zucchini.  The carrots were sold by the bin--stuffed in, overflowing.  The same with the tomatoes.  I chose carefully and soon had a bagful of vegetables for under $3.  We bought bananas ($.15 each), mangos (small ones for $.15 each) and guava.  Onions, 3 bunches for $.50 (100RWF each) and beans, a large container for $4.  People pressed in at all sides and smaller children eyed my purse, hoping for a coin or two to drop.  Larger bills (of $9) were discouraged, as most did not have sufficient change.  

Once we were done our shopping, we followed Mama JoJo as she finished her purchases.  It was interesting to watch the bartering, facial expressions and bantering.  Each item is carefully selected, weighed out and packed in a worn shopping bag.  After squeezing once again through the tight crowd with a rather extreme pungent odour (keep in mind no deodorant or perfume is worn), we managed to get back down to the main road.  The crowd was thicker, as it was approaching 8 am now.  One item left on the list--meat!

With slightly trembling knees, we approached the butcher shop.  The room was tiny, with a large counter.  A part of a cow was hanging with some other unidentifiable pieces of meat (or hide?).  Flies were everywhere and the stomach was spread on the table.  The butcher would chop, weigh and toss the meat on the floor (I couldn't see back to tell if a bin was there).  The chopping was a bit over zealous and bits of meat flew everywhere.  The smells . . .well, let's just say fresh air was a welcome relief.

The walk back to the property was filled with laughter and visiting with friends from everywhere. We were introduced all around.  Hands were shaken or held and pleasantries exchanged.  Once at the home, the produce unpacked and bags stowed until the next market day.  Hands were thoroughly washed and a quiet, open living room in the mission house was a welcome relief.  

Learning, Living, Experiencing

We have not been here a week, but in a way, it seems like a lifetime--in a good way.  Our new world is so far removed from anything familiar.  We knew there would be differences, so this is not entirely unexpected.  Overall, the family is adjusting well.  The kids are connecting with the orphans here and getting settled in the mission house.  

I have to be honest in saying that I really feel for them.  The gravity of what they've given up weighs on me.  They are living "one day at a time" and trying not to focus on what was left behind.  Please pray for clear communication and a quick adaptability for each of them.  They are maintaining incredible attitudes and doing very well in connecting with this new world around them.

For me, cooking is a new challenge.  We are looking carefully at what is available and trying to prepare meals based on that.  Beans, fresh fruit, vegetables and potatoes are readily available, but meat Is pricey, so I've been trying to cook with less meat.  We are all feeling a bit hungrier, but hopefully will adapt soon.  Anything prepared ahead of time costs extra (bread, etc), so it's back to cooking from scratch.  Shopping is fun, too, as you need to visit several shops/markets to find the best prices on things. It's a good learning curve.

Small tasks (like repairing a pig pen) that would be so easy at home, take extra time here because the cost of the wood and finding the right tools.  It's amazing what is taken for granted, isn't it? Oh well, this is Africa (TIA).

We are taking a crash course in "missionary survival" and "running an orphanage 101".  I think I am learning a bit about Kigali and can (maybe) find my way around . . .with a good map.  It's a start.  Learning the ins and outs of running the home feels overwhelming, but Kim and the teens are learning right along side, so it helps tremendously.  Only a couple more days of training and the former director leaves.  Wow!  Thankfully, we can do ALL things through Christ who gives us strength!!

We are seeing small miracles daily.  For example, the missing crate (that is probably unlabelled) is supposed to have arrived in Kigali!  As well, I just found out I can get the birth certificates needed (ours were rejected) shipped right here--for a big price;).  Even the fine threads of communication are being woven between us and the staff here.  

These differences are good, they are expected and they are welcome.  When we chose to step out in faith, we knew that everything familiar would be stripped away and we would be brought on a journey of relying on God in an entirely new way.  It is different, it is good!

Welcome to Rwanda

As I write, the frogs, crickets and night sounds play a symphony.  I am tired, but not exhausted (it's 8:30 pm), the kids are all in bed and all is quiet in the missions house.  It's been a busy 2 days in Rwanda, but we are managing quite well.

The traveling went incredibly smooth.  I was amazed how the younger ones settled into the pace at the airport and enjoyed their plane rides.  When we arrived in Rwanda, we were tired, but functioning.  A delay came when we discovered a crate missing.  Kim has been back to the airport to file a claim and we remain cautiously optimistic.  

The next day, we headed into the city to start the missionary visa application.  There has been some hiccups, so please pray that everything comes together quickly.  

When we arrived back at the home, our kids quickly connected with the children here, especially Joel and Ethan.  They immediately made some new friends and it's been hard to keep him here at the house.  

The teens have been doing well, too.  The uprooting was much more shocking for them, when they had to go from regularly connecting to friends to sketchy Internet.  

Despite the drastic chances, we know God as a plan and we are in good hands. The worries of the missing luggage, visas and all that needs be learned pales in comparison to what can do (and has done).  

On a side note, Nathan was ecstatic to find a keyboard at the church!

I have to sign off, the chorus outside and a bit of jet leg are lulling me to sleep. Please pray for:

Paperwork for visas, that we would have favour

Missing luggage, that it would somehow be returned

Clear understanding as we work with the former director and gain an understanding of everything

Thank you for your prayers and goodnight from Rwanda!

Go

It's once again the middle of the night as I begin to blog.  This time, it's not stress, worry or details keeping me up.  Instead, it's been time with my parents, downloading a few things and the fact that we will be leaving in under an hour for the airport that keeps me from sleep.

The last 48 hours have flown by in a blur--details, packing, repacking, moving, etc kept us all going from morning to night.  Even leaving Lethbridge was later than planned.  It was a scramble to get to the church, run a couple errands and then . . .rest.  After driving up out of the coulees, it felt as though the pressure of being ready stayed behind.  The closer we drove to Calgary, the more relaxed I became.  Whatever was left behind, stays, whatever forgotten, isn't necessary.  Any details remaining, will be fine and taken care of in due time.

We arrived at our hotel and were warmly welcomed.  The staff was quick to accommodate and family was waiting for one last farewell.  It was great to have the Director of Victory Missions come by for a final prayer, encouragement and send-off.  We swam, talked, hugged, prayed and whispered "see you in a little while" to family.  Now, I wait quietly before we wake the kids and meet the shuttle to get us to the airport by 3 am.  

How do I feel?  The goodbyes are hard, but not as painful as I imagined.  I am sure the loneliness will hit later, but for now, there's peace and a quiet resolution that we are firmly pointed in the direction God would have us go.  The reality of Rwanda is here and there's a love and anticipation growing stronger as each hour passes.  I feel like we are cresting a hill after a long hike uphill.  We are tired, but nearing the top where the adrenalin kicks in and the fatigue lifts when you see a destination point ahead.

 

The airports, flights and customs lie ahead, but I am not worried, God will give me the grace and strength I need just for this moment.  We know we are surrounded by love, support, prayers and encouragement.  Thank you, you are making this path much easier for our family.  Here's what the next 36 hours look like:

Flight from Calgary to Montreal 6:00 am departure (4 1/2 hrs)

Layover close to 7 hours

Montreal to Brussels, 7:30 pm departure (8 hours)

Layover 2 hours

Brussels to Kigali, 10:40 am departure (7 1/2 hours)

Arrival in Rwanda:  7:55 pm (11 am Alberta time) Thursday.

Friday morning, we dive right into what needs to be done for paperwork and visas.  

Prayer Requests:

1. traveling mercies on the family--that we would sleep when we need to and that the younger ones especially would be at peace.  

2. no trouble with customs, etc.  may God continue to make our path straight!