So we arrived safely in Kigeme on Sunday after another epic journey through Nyongwe forest.
During the rest of our time in Cyangugu...
- we visited some local schools where we did praise and worship with the kids (I say kids, one of the schools was 250 teenage boys). We did a short play on the prodigal son, some singing (still no where near as good as they are!) and joined in with the dancing. All a bit scary, but good fun.
- Worked in e tree nursery
- Sat by the river and looked across to the Congo on the other side. Lake Kivu is beautiful and it was so nice to be beside water again.
- Visited a lady supported by RDIS. She prayed for a roof for her house and had her prayers answered when the church decided to support her and help put a roof on her house. Certainly challenged me over what I pray for - God can answer big and small prayers.
- I bought some more fabric from the market - the fabric here is amazing, so colourful!
- I felt challenged over my attitudes towards difficult people and how I deal with others. I want to be a kind and gentle person and instead feel like I'm too cynical and serious.
- We took part in umuganda (the Saturday community day) - it's amazing to see a community come together for the morning. We were moving stones/ rocks to be used for the foundation for a new church building as their existing building has been condemned. All those hours spent moving delivery boxes in the shop have finally paid off! It was good to get involved and show that white girls can work hard!
- We stayed in a lovely house with sofas, which I definitely appreciated.
We're staying in Nyamagabe in Kigeme Diocese. It's certainly colder than Cyangugu (although today is very hot). The guesthouse isn't as nice, but is still fine - we are always looked after and welcomed wherever we go. So far we've looked round some projects, including a really inspiring community who grow crops together and split the profits/ food. I feel challenged to do more work in the community when I get home. This morning we were teaching in a local high school (a lesson on conjunctions, hope you're proud mum!) and will be teaching again tomorrow and Friday. I was feeling sick with nerves beforehand but thankfully we weren't teaching on our own, which made a massive difference. We also had a rat in the dining room of the guesthouse the other night, which was both horrible and very entertaining!
Prayer points would be:
- For a good time in Kigeme. We're here till the 7th June, then go back to Cyakabiri for the last month.
- I have a swollen foot - possibly an infection or allergic reaction to an insect bite. Either way it's not very pleasant and would be good if it went back to normal.
- I've been thinking more about my character and who I want to be (or rather who God wants me to be). I feel I need to change but am not sure how to.
- On a similar note, I'd like to be better at choosing to make myself heard and seen. But also looking for those who also feel unseen and unheard.
Thanks again to those who read the blog - I really appreciate it! If you were thinking of writing to me, I'd say best not to post anything after this week as it takes about a month for me to get anything, and I only have just over 5 weeks left here. Hope all is well at home - I hear it's been hot! xx
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI feel bad that I haven't posted you anything, though I did plan to! Sorry!
It has stopped being hot here, I have just finished 9 days in a row at work and for the next 2 days when i'm off it's meant to.... rain! However, I will be making my way out on my bike none the less as it will cheer me up immensely.
There is not much news from here, I haven't really seen anyone, except one night I had dinner with Katie and Lynsey and I had tapas for the first time at Ashton Lane, which was nice, but we had rather too much wine and I found out that Lynz has a special spot for elastic bands and a weird phobia of slugs even if they're across the street.... :-s Thanks for leaving her in our care, you can have her back soon enough!
It sounds like you're having an awesome time, but don't think too much as I like you just the way you are! As for feeling challenged by difficult people... well you know that everyone has strengths and also weaknesses, I know that I am not good at keeping my cool if I am challenged by certain people, but I know other people who find themselves in the same situation deal with it in an entirely different way and sometimes I wish I was more like them. But then you will undoubtedly find that those people are not good in other situations. Don't be down heartened by comparing yourself to other people or thinking that just because one situation makes you uncomfortable you need to improve vast areas of your personality, if we were all the same then there would be no challenges in life at all and it would be pretty boring... just saying! :-)
Enjoy the rest of your trip and I'm looking forward to seeing photos and all this material you keep talking about!
K x
"I want to be a kind and gentle person and instead feel like I'm too cynical and serious." - I want to be like that too - getting lots of practice; work has picked up - got 116 hours in two weeks, and 300+ in the next two months.
ReplyDeleteHow hot is very hot in Rwanda? UK sweating at 25+ degrees.
Great to speak at the weekend,
Love
Andy
Hey missus!! Another good blog, thanks. Haha, the rat, euch...I had one on my bed once...also scary but NOT entertaining!! Singing to 250 teenage boys...yeah, I reckon that's out of your comfort zone!!
ReplyDeleteYes the weather's been great here. It got cooler but has been nice again the past couple of days. It's so nice to feel the sunshine on your face. We've booked a holiday to Madeira for the end of June so can't wait for some more sunshine then :-)
Today I met up with a woman who's moving to Uganda for 3 years ...in Dobbies in Stirling, I was wishing you were there! She's wanting to help at DP which is exciting. I also caught up with Sarah Turnbull for a wee bit which was lovely. They're off to Uganda soon which is also mega exciting.
Character...hmm, that's not easy but good that you're continuing to desire to be who God wants you to be even if it's uncomfortable sometimes.
Lots of love,
Gill x
Hi Katie, Good to chat this evening. Remember the Dominican Republic builders who called you Transform Team people 'He shes' because you could do manual work? I'm amazed Rwandan children can carry more bricks on their heads than you can carry in a sack! Astonished that a man can carry 20 bricks at a time on his head. Uphill! You can never compete with that because you haven't grown up being trained to carry loads on your head. Maybe that lack of training is just unbelievable to the people around you. Maybe they laugh thinking why would anyone carry things in their arms. So even if you seem feeble by comparison with Rwandans, at least you girls are joining in and helping with a building that will benefit the people you leave behind.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that your bites and swollen foot are improving. Glad you're all thinking about various projects you've seen. I reckon teaching massed teenage boys rates as one of the scariest exploits yet. Scarier than a rat in the dining room even. Loved that the other girls are happy to talk to the classes while you do the blackboard stuff. Teamwork. Aren't you glad your writing is neat! It's so good to know that you girls have become more than a team...you're friends.
Dad has packed his stuff for an Expotition into some remote hills. It looks like he'll be away for a loooong time but he says he'll be back Tuesday evening. I might suggest he could carry more if he carried some of it on his head. Then again, perhaps not!
See you soon...with the Sultana Bran and milk but don't expect chips. You're being spoiled!
Lots of love, Mum xxx