Rwanda 2018 | Days 4 & 5

I had really high hopes of making more progress on the Rwanda 2018 recaps before we left for Rwanda 2019 (heck, even before I went back to school) but clearly, that didn’t happen. I’d really like to focus any free time (what even is that?) I have this fall to get the recaps (2018 & 2019) done so I’m not losing my mind the week before we leave next summer. Ha!

Wednesday | July 18th

Day 4:

As usual, we started the day with breakfast together at 7:00am, this time with a new friend, Richard, who joined us from Kigali to assist Joel with translating for the pastors’ seminar. Breakfast is always one of my favorite meals in Rwanda because we have fresh fruit like bananas, pineapple, mangos, and typically eggs and toast as well. Yum!

One vehicle went straight to the school to get started on finishing the first bookcase, kicking off the Pastors’ seminar, and assisting with the kids’ lunches, while the other went to the bakery to pick up fresh loaves of bread for the kids and joined up later. They had to go to three different bakeries to find enough bread for the students!

Many pastors here do not have formal training, and as a result their churches are being closed by the government due to lack of qualifications. Formal training such as these pastors’ seminars can be an effective tool in ensuring these pastors can keep their churches open by receiving certificates that they have completed training by qualified pastors or teachers. Joel worked with the pastors all day, discussing everything from church discipline to sermon preparation.

I sang songs with the children while waiting on the rest of the team to get there. Once they arrived, the guys started helping Cory with the bookshelves and the girls helped prepare breakfast for the kids. Of course Baker wanted to help, so I would hand a cup to her, she would hand it to Crystal, and I would take the full cup from Crystal and put it on the tray. I love her heart and desire to help. I pray she never loses this.

We started to pass out the cups and Baker was really fussy and needed a break so we headed to our midday spot (the back of the Prado) to let her eat a snack and rest for a little while.

After she was feeling better, we headed back in with the kids.

While the ladies were serving bread and porridge to all the kids, the guys had completed the first bookcase and were waiting on the next load of lumber to start the second set so they joined us in the main hall, everyone minus Joel. We were happy to see Haven and Nak arrive, friends of the ministry who were working on a film for RCRI outlining sponsorship and its effectiveness.

We had a time of singing “I’m a toaster” (one of the kids favorite songs), dancing, and being silly with the kids.

Even Baker enjoyed watching the kids. And can I just say how much of a baby my girl looks like here. It makes me sad that my baby has grown so much in a year.

In October 2017, we dubbed this little girl as “the general” because she bossed those little children around like nobody’s business.

Jordan and Sarah doing their thing. They are an incredible pair and were a vital part of our team.

Once the students went home for lunch, we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and ate lunch. When Joel finished the seminar, we were all invited to the church to share a huge meal with the pastors, which turned out to be a fun time of fellowship. We enjoyed a traditional lunch of rice, potatoes, meat, and sauce with Cokes and Fanta.

After lunch, Jordan, Joel, Keneth, and myself along with Haven and Nak left the church to take shoes and clothes to the man with big feet that I mentioned in the last post.

While we were delivering the shoes, Cory, Jamie, Crystal, Sarah, and Baker went back to the school to resume working on the bookshelves.

This is probably one of my top five favorite Rwanda moments and best told by my cousin, Jordan. He also blogs and shared about it recently. I feel like the redemption in this story, starting with our shoes being stolen the year prior and then blessing a man with the same shoes speaks mountains to God’s glory. Also, to watch my cousin literally take the shoes off his feet with no hesitation when the other pairs didn’t fit was a powerful sight and something we could all learn from.

He was a very happy man with shoes that fit!

When we got back to the school Crystal and Sarah were keeping Baker occupied in the car. They had wiped her down and Crystal was giving her lotion to put on herself- whatever works to keep her entertained! I’m so thankful for the help of these two ladies.

I saw this hand drawing while checking on the progress of the bookshelves and we all laughed at the scary drawing of a “pig”.

Progress was being made on the second bookcase and Sarah was re-lacing Jordan’s shoes since he had given his pair away.

After a few minutes of playing with Jordan and the kids, Baker got overly tired and had a complete meltdown in floor of a classroom. Between the tears and the dirt on the floor, she looked like a dusty kid.

She was so pitifully tired.

Nak and Haven started trying to get video of all the kids in front of the school. Baker was too tired to continue and we were interrupting some of the filming that was going on, so we called it a day.

Every year, I am amazed at the progress of the school. On Cory’s first trip, there was no school building- the children met in the church behind the school. My first trip one year later they had the first building built (the pink one below) and every year, there is more progress.

The picture on the left was our first team in 2014. There were about 75 kids who attended Nyabihu Christian Academy at the time and the picture on the right was 2018. Many additions to the physical school and there are almost 400 kids at the school.

Once all the kids were lined up in front of the school, we jumped in for a quick picture then headed to the car. Well, some of us did and others drew a crowd.

Baker was asleep before everyone got loaded up. A little boy had fallen and busted his head on a rock so Nak and Haven loaded him in their car to go to the hospital. We followed them to make sure they were good before heading back to Musanze.

We stopped at one of our favorite lookout spots for pictures since I wasn’t with Cory and the group that had stopped earlier in the week. Pictures will never do this place justice.

The day before, Cory had stopped and gotten some tree tomatoes and Keneth was sitting in the back of the truck squeezing one to ripen it up when it exploded all over him and the truck. Unknowing of the events from the day before, I noticed what looked like blood all over the back of the truck when I was getting out that evening. Apparently, Keneth had missed a few spots but before he cleaned it up, it looked like a murder scene with blood splattered all over the window.

I realize stories like this probably aren’t funny to anyone who wasn’t there but remembering these moments always brings a smile to my face.

We stopped at the MTN shopping center in Musanze before going home to look for a dress for Harriet and Aline and a few other gifts tennis shoes for Cory. Tennis shoes in Rwanda are pretty sweet (the styles and the prices) and Cory LOVES looking for new kicks. I even found a pair for myself for like $20!

As we were finishing up our shopping, Joel was carrying Baker–when I tried to get her so he could look at jerseys, she had a complete meltdown. She didn’t want me or Cory and reached and cried for her Jojo. Of course, he took her back and finished his shopping carrying our rotten girl! Besides exposing Baker to a life different than the one she has here, I adore the relationships that form for her on this trip.

As we were walking out of the MTN Center, we saw the prettiest sunset over the volcano. 

We returned home, following the slowest learning driver (their cars are marked with a huge “L” on the back windshield) ever who was swerving all over the road, for another incredibly delicious full spread of dinner and devotion lead by Jordan and Sarah. While looking through Jordan’s Bible, Sarah found a wedding prayer that our Nana had placed in his Bible and we all collectedly 😳. We all knew the plans coming at some point during the trip and thought this about ruined the whole surprise!

Each day, as Baker became adjusted to the time change, she did better than the day before but bed time was still a little difficult. After taking her away from Uncle Keneth (again with the relationships), she cried for her “pone” and more time with Uncle Keneth for a few minutes until we got her to lay down and she was out within a few minutes.

Thursday | July 19th

Day 5:

The power was out the night before so I woke up early Thursday morning for a hot shower and found these two snoozing sweetly. I could just kiss that belly peeking out!

Breakfast was at 7:00 and the power went out again while we were eating. This is a very normal occurrence in Rwanda and life just keeps moving on without a second thought. After breakfast, Cory, Joel, Baker, and myself headed to the store to get bread, peanut butter, and water for the day while the rest of the team headed to the school.

Jamie and Cory wasted no time getting back to work on the bookcases, leaving Jordan and Joel to continue assisting the men lay block on the new school addition. Sarah, Crystal, and I helped the ladies at the school prepare breakfast for the kids.

Baker didn’t sleep on the way to the school so I was worried it would be a long day and the morning was a little rough. She wanted to be held by Crystal (and only Crystal) but Crystal needed a break.

I have always been amazed by the women in Rwanda. They are tough and strong and work so incredibly hard to provide for their families, often with a baby on their back. The two ladies who work in the kitchen are no different and so. incredibly. powerful. To be honest,  we probably slow them down.

Just as they started serving, I had to take Baker to our usual spot for a break and a snack. She was fussy so we played monkeys for a little while.

Joel was working on laying blocks on the “scaffold” while Jordan and Nak were moving blocks from where they were made (in front of the sign) to over where the new room is being built.

Kenny, as usual, was running ragged trying to coordinate construction and filming, shopping for the next day, translating this and that, scheduling visits, purchasing materials, filming, helping with construction, shepherding kids, and facilitating any and everything we did. Yeah, he’s that awesome. All the time.

Cory and Jamie finished the second bookshelf and started on a cabinet for the cups in the kitchen. I finally got Baker to fall asleep on my chest so I sat down with her and let her nap. While she napped, Crystal helped Haven make sandwiches for the workers and teachers. They used the bread we bought but needed a little more so she and Nak went and bought more and got waters for them. Around lunch, Sarah, Crystal, and I served the sandwiches and water to the workers and teachers.

After that, we made ourselves lunch and then the guys wanted to work for another hour or so before going on home visits.

We were playing with Baker in front of the school and she got a little fussy so she and I walked over to see the baby cow near the playground.

She wanted to swing and there was a class meeting behind the school that would laugh at anything (and everything) she did. I showed her she could push the merry go round and she was doing okay until she tripped and fell and it dragged her about half way around. She was covered in dirt but was ok. As I headed back to clean her up, the guys were cleaning up and getting ready for home visits.

Since the houses were pretty far apart, we drove and took Harriet, Jean Pierre, and Desire with us in the cars. I had the privilege of riding beside JP.

We headed to Harriet’s house first and she held my hand all the way from the car to her house. Her mother greeted us and welcomed us in to her home. We had a time of catching up and her mother told us that Harriet’s father hadn’t been back home in a few years. She also told us she had a new baby, which makes three girls for her. They had moved since the last home visit we did (but had the same furniture) and said the home belonged to someone they knew so they weren’t paying rent but she wanted to find a home of her own. She said Harriet needed a new uniform and school books (notebooks). We gave Harriet the bag of school supplies we bought for her, the new dress we found the night before at the market, and a the letter from the kids at church (Hope drew hers!).

We are family. Separated by 7500 miles but I love her daughter as much as she loves mine.

Mama Harriette was the only Rwandan, other than Keneth and Ben, that Baker would let hold her. She went straight to Mama Harriette and check out that big ‘ole grin.

This sweet girl. I adore her and love getting to visit her while we are in Rwanda.

After leaving Harriet’s house, she rode with us to rest of the home visits. Back at the main road to the village, we waited on Keneth to buy food for Desire. A blind man who hangs out at the end of the road came up begging for money and immediately a crowd was attracted. Cory doesn’t mind the crowd but I don’t like being surrounded by so many people. One man was asking how to enroll his 4 year old daughter at the school and there was another man who was speaking pretty good English and translating between him and Cory.

Mama Harriet came up and gave us a bag of tree tomatoes (which she sells) and we gave one to JP. Before I even realized it, he had eaten the whole thing and was asking how to open the door to throw out the stem. We headed to JP’s house next (since he had asked the day before) and on the way JP impressed the heck out of me with his English. He told me he loved when Cory, Baker, and I came and it made him happy to see us. I told him we loved coming to see him. He also told me I had good hair and that he likes long hair. Unfortunately, when we arrived to his house his parents weren’t home. He’s told us before that his dad is a pastor. We had a little toy for him and a care package (we also gave one to Harriet) and since his parents weren’t home, the door was locked so we dropped his toy and care package in through the window so he wouldn’t have to carry it around. Instead of staying at his house, he went with us too.

Man, this picture would be print worthy of our girls if it wasn’t for the fella in the back.

Harriette jumped in like she knew exactly what to do. We were meant to be family, y’all.

Our next visit was to a young man named Desire who just lost his mother. Kenny took some food to him and his aunt who is now caring for him. He lives in the refugee camp and the door was locked so we weren’t sure if it was really their house but they broke the lock and we didn’t ask any questions. We gave his family the food and letters from the kids.

The children love seeing themselves and discovered they could see their reflections in the car.

Jordan found his Passion Fruits Quartet from last year and ended up walking back to the school with them.

On the way to drop the JP and Harriette back off, Cory slammed on the breaks and jumped out of the car. Divine ran up to him and gave him the tightest hug. Divine is a little girl that Cory connected with his first trip in 2013 and he hadn’t seen her the whole trip. As you can tell by the look on his face, he was thrilled to see her before we left Nyabihu.

Baker was a bit tired. And a little in denial.

Our last stop of the day was to Aline’s house to give her the new skirt and shirt Joel got her. She was fetching water so Joel and Keneth had someone show them where she was so they could help her return with the jugs.

While they were gone (and it was a good 45 minutes or so) we waited outside Aline’s home and played with a few of the kids.

This little fella (like most young children in Rwanda) was pretty scared of us to begin with but Cory slowly gained his trust and he eventually crawled up in his lap.

A few young men hung out with us for a little while and one boy told us he was 15 and went to the Catholic school, which was why his English was so good. He told us he had correspondents in Colorado, told us their names, then asked if we knew them. This actually happens quite often in Rwanda- people don’t realize how big the US is and assume we all know each other.

Joel carried the jugs all the way back for Aline and was sweating when he got back. He talked about how rough it was carrying the heavy jug on the small path– the children here really are incredible.

The shirt was little small but Aline said she had a shirt that would go nicely with the skirt and jacket.

Our following…

Cory had already taken Baker back to the truck and when we got to the truck, he showed me that he had found Daniella, a child our friend Nick had connected with in the earlier days of our trips to Rwanda. We thought she had moved to the Congo (her mother did) but she’s been at the school the whole time. It’s so incredibly cool that we’ve gotten to see so many of these kids grow up!

One of my favorite views…

On the way home, Baker was pretty fussy because it was after 5:00. We made it home and cleaned up for dinner. They had made us peanut sauce and cabbage at our request but no chapati. Boo! Cory was feeling very run down by then, so we tried to get to bed earlier. I had to make the certificates for the pastors and Cory had to get the footage off his memory card (I think I mentioned that he forgot all the memory cards and had to purchase two at the airport? Yeah, two wasn’t enough!) Baker went down pretty easy but it was still after 10 before we got to sleep.

The day was a lot of work and we were all tired, but home visits make these trip so much more than just a “mission trip” where we go work and then go home. We make connections and build relationships that last forever. It never gets old when a little boy like Jean Pierre that you’ve watched grow up, so full of spirit and life, tell you he loves you and it makes him happy to see you, in English that he learned in this school. My cup was so, so full and I went to bed with a full heart.