So, my squad arrived in Rwanda on June 28th. We took two planes and arrived with four less squad mates than when we arrived in Ethiopia. It’s safe to say that Ethiopia was a rough month for our squad, especially one team that witnessed some traumatizing riots and violence. Each person had their reasons for going back to America, but I was a little heartbroken because we had gotten to month 9 with our whole squad of 48! It’s an achievement because many people go home on the World Race, so many of us had a dream of us all finishing together, but that won’t be the case.
Anyway, the next five days were debrief, which means our coaches, squad mentor, and previous alumni-squad leaders came out to have one-on-ones, cool God-experiences, and some talks and worship to process our race and go into our tenth month strong. I enjoyed hanging out with squad mates, relaxing, downloading songs on spotify, went to the movies to see The Incredibles 2 (for a second time)! I saw it right before we left Ethiopia for about $3 and then this time in Rwanda in 3D for about $5. I LOVE THAT MOVIE–I’m impressed with how it seems to be made for twenty-somethings to watch because we were kids when the first one came out. I certainly had the feels watching Mr. Incredible be a great dad. We stayed at a hotel for debrief that had an unbelievably beautiful view of the city of Kigali and a great pool to swim in. I’m thankful for a cool place with great internet (literally the best on the entire race).
On July 3rd, my team went to our host’s home. Pastor Innocent and his pastor wife Vanencia have three sons that are 10, 13, and 14. The home has four rooms. There’s the main room which is the living space with a small dining table. Then there’s three more rooms. The sons stay in one room, four of us girls stay in one room, and two in the other room. That room has a “bathroom” connected. There’s a toilet and a concrete area where we can bathe with a bucket but no running water, so the water is carried inside to flush the toilet and bathe. There’s only a curtain for the bathroom. All four rooms share the same roof, no ceilings, so you can hear everyone. We have mattresses with mosquito nets and it’s cozy. Our hosts stay in a building very close, connected to the church (the husband’s church). They have hosted 13 teams before us, so they’re quite experienced. They showed us the church on-site which is Innocent’s church and his wife has a church across town which we visited the next day. Meals are as follows; breakfast of bread and margarine with either Nescafé insta-coffee or tea with sugar and that’s immediately when we get up. (Getting ready to leave doesn’t take much time here.) Lunch is around 2-3pm and it’s either noodles or rice, and a red broth with meat (no meat for me), some vegetables, and French fries. Sometimes there might be some surprise pineapple during a meal time. During other times there’s tea and bread set out. Dinner is served between 9 and 10 pm, and it is food similar to lunch. It’s definitely a different schedule for me. On the fourth, we discussed the schedule in more detail and learned about the prayer requests and needs to be praying for. The church has about six months to purchase the church or they’ll lose the property along with all the investments made to improve it. Also they need about $85 per month to pay for the 45 minutes per week on the radio to preach and invite people. It’s been a really great way that people have come to be members of this church. Venenia also asked for our help with reaching out for donations as well as helping her to set up a website and make a video.
To get to this church, m team walked across town and took a “bus.” Took about 1-1 1/2 hours to get where we were going one way. The preferred mode of transportation for the locals and apparently the former teams was to ride motorcycles, but that’s not allowed for us anymore. It was surprising and unfortunate for our hosts. At home, I’ve played cards with the boy and I’ve been showing off the kinyarwanda I learned on the plane coming into Rwanda. I’ve learned more from the family and they’re so tickled when I try to speak it.
On the fifth, after breakfast, we walked to the bus station then took a bus to the area of town where the church is and then walked there. We split into two groups; one stayed back to teach children and myself and two others went for home visits with a church member. The first was a sweet woman named Shantell and she had a baby who has Malaria. We got to talk to her about Jesus and the Holy Spirit and pray for her. It was a powerful time. Then we went to to a home where a pastor lives and they wanted a sort of short sermon to encourage the family, then we talked and prayed with a woman who works at a store—she felt shame for selling beer but we encouraged her not to feel shame and to ask God for a new job. Then we had our long walk, bus ride, and more walking. Lunch around 3:00 then time to lay down and rest and then team time at 5:30 and we are sharing our testimonies with each other one at a time. The next day we worshipped at home, talked about prayer requests, and wrote down three things we are thankful for from every country and shared a few with each other. Then we had testimony time again. Then lunch and trekked to the church where a service started immediately and Lauren gave a message. Their worship was fun and they wanted us to dance with them. Some of us got into it at certain times. There was an old lady who took me by the hands and danced. After that service I had about two hours to write a sermon for the next service at 5ish. Ended up actually starting around 6:30 and not many people came. I preached about God’s love, how we should love him back, and that love is an action that requires some sacrifice, that we have to come to God in our brokenness and sin to be made into something better. Then we got home somewhat late, had dinner and I took a “bucket shower.” July 7th was our rest day so we went to the hotel we stayed at for debrief and found more than half the squad there. It was also the monthly market with lots of booths. I got yummy handmade food and a candle for my host. I called my best friend and hung out relaxing and downloading music on Spotify. Then we got home at night, had dinner and went to bed. Yesterday, the 8th was Sunday–our first Sunday service. There were about 100 people there. We left home at 8am, and attended church from 9-1:30! Four and a half hours–the longest service I’ve ever been to in my life. A lot of different things happen in that time. An hour or more of dancing and worship broken up into intervals. My teammate Mallory preached on different parts and gifts within the church. The pastor preached on Peter’s chains breaking in the prison and made an entire renactment with lots of impromptu actors. There were long times of loud consistent prayer with music. I was made to dance up front, and tried to make the best of it. They also make us sit in the very front row (not my comfort zone) and everyone dances within about 1-4 feet of me. Everything that happened was incredibly loud so I had stuffed tissue in my ears. Also, there were times of calling people up to be prayed for. I didn’t know this was happening. I was currently wrestling with tiredness, hunger, the loudness, the discomfort of being in the very front, listening to the translator doing his best, and sort of straightened up when I heard, “who wants to be married in the next year?” LOL, I raised my hand because ya know, I wanna be engaged within the next year, why not. But myself and about ten others had a whole thing and a prayer to be married. Anyway, after the service, we all were so tired and rested the whole day. Today, our other rest day, I sewed a couple little things, listened to my spotify playlists, and played Angry Birds then headed off to a cafe. At this cafe, I’ve watched videos, did my Uganda VISA application, messaged friends, and now I’m writing this blog. The sun sets at 6:30 so I’m sure we will leave any minute.
I can’t believe I’ll be back in America NEXT MONTH! I’ve got it all planned out. Hang out in Louisiana, visiting friends and having coffee dates with more distant friends who want to hear about this year. Then around September 13th, drive to Georgia, hike the Appalachian Trail from the trailhead to the North Carolina border. Then, go to Project Searchlight (a post-race thing) from September 24-29th. Then go home for a few days, and drive to Fort Collins, Colorado to look for a home and possibly a job. Then move away and start grad school on October 22nd!! Time is gonna go by so fast. Just 7 weeks between the time I get to America and when I start grad school. BUT I’M PUMPED.
^^View from the hotel^^
^^View from my bed^^
