Back at Kibogora ... with FRIENDS!!!

Painting by Anna Green 

We are back in Rwanda for the fall.  This is a special trip for us because we have friends with us!!!  We couldn't be more thrilled!  Everyone has a buddy to hang out with and we keep each other from feeling homesick....and lean in when we are.


 We have been at Kibogora nearly 2 weeks and we are settling into a familiar, do-able routine.  Joel spends his days at the hospital and his free time teaching Levi science.  Ryan spends the days working on things that need to be done around the mission and the mission office.  Ryan also teaches Levi geometry.  Heather teaches the elementary students, Olivia, Lauren & Sophie.  I am teaching the middle schoolers - Loki, Anna & Levi.  (although with Heather teaching Levi his Spanish, I am left to walk him through only reading & writing).

All 6 kids have been superstars in every way.  The flights were long and exhausting and nobody complained.  We have carted them to friends' homes here in Kibogora where they have been expected to politely sit for hours while the adults chat.  They have attended the meeting of the elderly where the poorest and oldest in the community gather to receive bread, & porridge and listen to pastors speak in the Kinyarwanda language for hours.... I affectionately refer to this as "the oldies party."  Some of the oldies dance when they sing and several of our kids were pulled onto the dance floor and they smiled and swayed along even though they were uncomfortable with the attention... we were also seated in the front, as guests, facing the oldies... in chairs while they were all seated on mats on the floor.  So much attention in every direction, everywhere we go.  They sit through the church services that are difficult to understand.  They run errands for us to get more tomatoes or sugar or an umbrella, or a myriad of other items, from the local shops... trying to communicate in Kinyarwanda and English.  They shake everyone's hands, as is the cultural greeting expectation.  They walk with us to the nearest town when we go - and it has been toasty in the afternoons - whew!  We return red-faced and thirsty! And that is just our free time!  The kids are champs.  They also go to school every day.  They are studying hard to keep up with their classmates in America and Heather & I are thrilled that the internet is up and running!

We are at the 2 week mark - and traditionally this is break down day.  Fortunately I had my break down last week when I realized how tough it was going to be to teach 3 middle schoolers with 3 different curriculums, 5 subjects each and no internet to communicate with teachers back home.  Today my two girls had break downs - and one of the days last week Levi did too.  It's a lot to absorb.  And everyone misses home, friends and everything familiar.  But we are coming out of the fog.  It always passes!  Jesus reminds us why we are here each time Joel is called in to operate on somebody or when he comes home, scrubs covered in blood, with a story about how "she wouldn't have made it without an operation."  Relieving suffering one person at a time has to be enough.  It keeps things in perspective for all of us.

Some of the fun things that keep us laughing include feeding our pet chameleons the flies in the garden, swimming at Kumbya, Friday nights pizza nights, taco Tuesdays and camp fires after dinner - prepared by Loki & Levi.  I did bring a fall candle to burn in our house - and that makes me feel like I'm not completely missing apples & pumpkins and crunchy leaves :)