Being in Rwanda is such a blessing. Why do I say that? I mean have seen Hotel Rwanda and Sometime In April and I have hear the history of the country and of the genocide. Well for one reason it's nice to see that the changes that have happened in Rwanda.
One example is that Rwanda is now one of the safest if not the safes country in Africa. For another I have seen and in still some ways still see the hurt and the shame that covered the nation. The scars are still there and may be there forever.
But while I'm here I get to be a part of the healing. Yet is was nearly 20 years ago but healing may take a life time. I get to be apart of the healing that loves people for who they are and not what tribe they come from. I get to be apart of a healing of love. And pray that this love is something that this generation will know rather than the hate their parents knew. I get to influence in love and joy. That is something so amazing to be apart of!
Once we got out of the van, after getting home from the memorial, we came across two little girls. The older one was caring a large bag on her head. The younger had a smaller bag on her head and was carrying two other backs in her hands. Liz helped the older one by carrying the bag for her and I helped the younger by carrying the two bags in her arms. We offered to carry them all they way to their house. Hey were so excited that Mazungus wanted to help and go with them. We got to love on them and after spending time at the memorial it felt really good to just love on some kids and help them.
We thought that they lived just down the hill but once we got down the hill and rounded a corner or two we saw what must have been the wilderness that Jesus spent 40 days in…and we immediately regretted giving our water to our teammates so that we could carry the bags better. On the way to their house we crossed a madly flowing river (well maybe it was more like a hop over a barley moving creek), wade through the swamp (more like a tiny swamp like area that was below our path), and hiked up a mountain that looked like Everest (the mountain in Guatemala is still worse) till we reached the village where they lived. Several people stopped what they were doing to come see the Mazungus that were walking with these two girls. During the walk Liz started singing with her girl and I played a hand game with mine. One thing that racer's learn the fastest on the race is that Love speaks all languages and that's what happened here. The girls were smiling all the way home and even showed us off to some of their friends. When we did reach their home the family came running to meet us. The grandmother was smiling one of the largest and most thankful smiles I've ever seen. She was so happy that we showed up and kept hugging Liz. All the kids surrounded us so I spent a few minutes playing with them. Knowing African culture, we were sure to stay less than 5 minutes, otherwise they would have us inside for tea or a full on meal and we wanted to get home. The kids tried to come with us but we told them bye and headed out.
Love. Love surrounded that family that day and it surrounded us also. I knew that God was smiling down on us and it was a blessing to them and I think a bigger one to us. Adventure and love, in the form of helping two kids carrying bags. What will your adventure of love look like? Keep your eyes open because it's coming! When it happens comment here and tell me about it!
