Every morning, you get up a little bit after seven to get
ready for the day. You’re either in a
tent in the living room or sharing a bed and a bugnet with a teammate,
depending on the sleeping arrangement shuffle of the night before.
ready for the day. You’re either in a
tent in the living room or sharing a bed and a bugnet with a teammate,
depending on the sleeping arrangement shuffle of the night before.
[This month’s toilet.
As Amanda says, “It’s simply medieval.”]
As Amanda says, “It’s simply medieval.”]
Choose a Katanga for the day. You have accepted the social norms of simply
wrapping cloth around yourself instead of wearing real clothes… it’s really not
a bad alternative in a culture where women rarely wear pants.
wrapping cloth around yourself instead of wearing real clothes… it’s really not
a bad alternative in a culture where women rarely wear pants.
Start towards the school, stopping to hug the kids that race to you every time
you pass. Tolerate all of the other stares and shouts of “Mzungu!!” Smile and wave, if you’re feeling
generous.
you pass. Tolerate all of the other stares and shouts of “Mzungu!!” Smile and wave, if you’re feeling
generous.
Walk the mile and a half to the school.
Pray for energy, patience, and love as you walk into the
classrooms. Lead the kids in all the
familiar songs from Sparks – My God Is So Big, Jesus Loves Me, This Little
Light of Mine… repeat 2.5 times [the three-year-olds don’t really count as a
class, more as a UFC champion ring].
classrooms. Lead the kids in all the
familiar songs from Sparks – My God Is So Big, Jesus Loves Me, This Little
Light of Mine… repeat 2.5 times [the three-year-olds don’t really count as a
class, more as a UFC champion ring].
Walk back home quickly to beat the rain. Try not to slip in the mud. Unsuccessfully.
Spend the time remaining until lunch with your teammates,
listening to the rain that is inevitably pouring outside by now. Play Scategories or read a book or write
some emails or do some laundry or take a nap, depending on how the kids were
that morning. Praise Jesus, yet again,
for bringing you to Rwanda in the beginning of rainy season – you live in a
house with couches and you love these
rainy, thundery afternoons.
listening to the rain that is inevitably pouring outside by now. Play Scategories or read a book or write
some emails or do some laundry or take a nap, depending on how the kids were
that morning. Praise Jesus, yet again,
for bringing you to Rwanda in the beginning of rainy season – you live in a
house with couches and you love these
rainy, thundery afternoons.
After lunch, sit down with Agnes and Jackie, two of the
teachers from the school. Go over the
English homework that you assigned them the night before and try to engage them
in conversation to help teach them more English.
teachers from the school. Go over the
English homework that you assigned them the night before and try to engage them
in conversation to help teach them more English.
Have your evening tea – milk tea and bread/”medium fat
spread,” but we’ll call it margarine to make it sound more palatable – and wait
for Pastor John to arrive.
spread,” but we’ll call it margarine to make it sound more palatable – and wait
for Pastor John to arrive.
Pile into a mini-bus and go to the “crusade” in a
neighboring village.
neighboring village.
More kids follow you. At least this one has a good sense of humor — his shirt says “mzungu,” which means “white person.”
Climb up the large red dirt hill and hike through plants and
elephant grass until you reach the church – a small little mud building with an
open doorway and one window.
elephant grass until you reach the church – a small little mud building with an
open doorway and one window.
Dance and worship with the congregation and the choir sings
and one lady absolutely wails on a massive drum with some incredibly impressive
rhythm.
and one lady absolutely wails on a massive drum with some incredibly impressive
rhythm.
Get up and preach.
You have a rough idea of what you’ll probably say, but you’re never
really all that sure until you’re standing in front of a church with only your
Bible in your hands and the translator by your side.
You have a rough idea of what you’ll probably say, but you’re never
really all that sure until you’re standing in front of a church with only your
Bible in your hands and the translator by your side.
Traipse back down the hillside, this time followed by a
large herd of children fighting to hold your hand. Sing songs with them, seeing as that is your
first impulse around children these days.
large herd of children fighting to hold your hand. Sing songs with them, seeing as that is your
first impulse around children these days.
Wait on the side of the road for a mini-bus [or any vehicle,
really] to stop and pick you up. Some
nights, catch the mini-bus. Other
nights, hitchhike with Pastor John and pile into the back of someone’s pick-up
truck.
really] to stop and pick you up. Some
nights, catch the mini-bus. Other
nights, hitchhike with Pastor John and pile into the back of someone’s pick-up
truck.
Get home and eat dinner by nine o’clock. Have some team time, then maybe do some yoga
with Sylvie and your teammates. Or just
go to bed. It’s been a long day.
with Sylvie and your teammates. Or just
go to bed. It’s been a long day.
Photo Credit: Pretty much all of my teammates, specifically Daniela, Rachel, and Amanda. Boom.
