Rwanda is the land of a thousand hills and smiles, or so the billboards say. I would have to agree-it is breathtakingly beautiful and what amazing smiles the people have. Everywhere you look you see green hills, and Kigali is built on top and in the valley (of course, this means lots of walking up steep hills everyday as we walk most places). Words cannot describe how picturesque and beautiful it is-I am amazed every day when I look down the road and the city below. There are bright green yards and red roads and roofs all over dot the landscape.
So, obviously, I agree with the above statement, but I would need to add something to the statement. This is a land of joy and restoration. What horrors these people went through as friends’ brutally murdered friends. As husbands killed their wives because they weren’t of the same people group…I could not imagine the atrocities that they went through, but the effects are not visibly seen today (they are there, but it is not outwardly seen). People are always smiling; the kids are running up to us and giving us hugs in church-what joy. What joy when they worship, what joy when they preach, and what joy when they are just being. They have something that they can teach us, and I pray I can take a little bit of them home with me.
In other news, I bet you all are wondering where I am living! I am living in a small house with cement walls and floors. The six of us (as my squad leader Joni is living with us this month), are in a small room that barely fits our 3 bunk beds and backpacks. But, praise God-we have beds and mosquito nets! We do have running water, but it has yet to work so we have to take bucket showers. Our host does heat up water for us so we do have hot bucket showers-the first hot showers consecutively since I have left home (I think I have had 2 other hot showers this year). Moses (my host) has a little girl and a newborn, and there are a lot of other kids/teens/young adults living here. They bend over backwards to bless us.
As of so far, this is my favourite month. It is the most challenging in many ways (Ie: ministry) but the people make up for it. Africa is how I remember it-full of joyous people full of laughter and smiles. People who want to bless those we meet. Kids who yell out “Mozungu (sp?)” at us when we walk (Ie: white person). It is wonderful, and I am loving every moment of it. God has blessed us this month between the weather (coolest month other than the two weeks of cool weather in Cambodia), a house, three meals a day, couches (real couches that are squishy and so very comfortable-my rear end appreciates it!), and people who care for us. God has shown us his favour, and I am very grateful for that!
