It's the final count down...

Just a quick update as it's not long since I last blogged but I'm never sure when I'll next have internet access...

Life continues to be quiet, but we're making the most of our time and finding things to keep us occupied.  On Saturday we had our last teaching sessions at Compassion.  I can't say I'll miss it, but it's been a good experience and interesting to have some involvement.  I think one of the most useful things I taught was that the UK was made up of 4 countries, not just England!!  We tried to play some games with them as a fun way to end our time, but trying to explain a game to over 200 children through a translator isn't the easiest task.  Add balloons to that and you have chaos!  On Sunday we went to 2 services, the second of which is probably the best church we've been to so far.  Shame we only have 1 Sunday left here!  We've also been visiting some of the staff and people we know here for tea and dinner.  More juice and jam labelling today.

I continue to have mixed feelings about staying here and going home, but I think that's normal and just part of the process of coming to the end of an experience like this.  I don't know what to expect from life at home, and worry about not fitting back in but also about fitting back in too well.  There must be a balance somewhere, and I expect I will find it in time (this goes back to the comfortably uncomfortable idea).  Meanwhile I'm enjoying my time left in Rwanda and being with the team - I'm going to miss them a lot!

Thanks for prayers about sleep and bites - both have slightly improved, which is good. :)

Safari!

Yesterday we went on a safari!  15 of us packed into the van and left Cyakabiri at 4.30am to drive to Akagera National Park in the east of Rwanda.  The landscape over in the east is so different compared to to the rest of the country - flatter and drier rather than lush, green hills.  It's one thing to see these animals in the zoo, but to see impala, buffalo, zebra and giraffes wandering across the African savannah is something else!  We were allowed to get out of the van near the giraffes - amazing!  We also saw monkeys, another type of antelope, lots of birds and a hippo's bum.  It was an experience I'll never forget (the whole day, not just the hippo!).  (Photos to follow once I get home)

As if that wasn't enough wildlife for one day, I had 2 lizards fall onto my bag about a foot from my head during the night - I don't know who got more of a fright - me or them!  Thank goodness for mosquito nets.

The night before safari we watched The Lion King on dvd.  I'd forgotten what a great film it is and couldn't help but cry most of the way through (that opening scene... even more spectacular when you're actually watching it in Africa!).

Not much else has happened since I last blogged.  Life is quiet here but we're able to find things to do on the days where nothing is planned for us.  I feel more settled this week - happy to be here, adjusting to the thought of coming home but not thinking too much about all that it brings.

Prayer points

- I've been sleeping really badly for the past couple of weeks and seem to be getting into a bad habit of staying awake or not being able to stay asleep.

- I have about 50-60 new bites on my legs, feet, hands, tummy and neck and they're driving me crazy!  It's so hard not to scratch and very frustrating as I don't know where they're coming from or how to stop them.  It's definitely contributing to my lack of sleep.  I know that part of being here is dealing with stuff like insect bites, but it would be so good not to have to put up with it (or at least not as many) for my last 2 weeks in Rwanda!

Descent

Last week we finished our month of traveling around Rwanda and returned to Cyakabiri, which was our base for the first 2 months.  In many ways it felt like coming home and it's been good to see our friends here again and to get back into jobs we know we're good at, like labeling juice and jam!  Since coming back we've also visited a rice plantation (or lice, as Rwandans say!) and a cassava flour production plant, renovated a kitchen garden, taught another 2 lessons at Compassion (it never goes well but it's not awful either) and survived an 8 hour session at church/ a CD launch at a local high school (and that was with leaving early!).  I realised this week how terrible I am at languages (including English) when we sat in on a German lesson and I could hardly remember a thing, despite studying it for 5 years .  To be fair I did leave school 9 years ago and haven't used it since, but it doesn't excuse my appalling knowledge of English grammar.  We constantly meet people here who can speak at least 2 or 3 languages, compared to us who can only really speak one.  The highlight of the past week was gate-crashing a wedding last weekend, held in the conference hall just beside our compound.  We heard lots of cars driving past so went out to have a look and ended up being invited in, despite being in our jeans, pyjamas and hoodies!  We sat near the back with all the children who'd sneaked in and enjoyed the traditional dancing, acrobatics, 12 piece wedding cake and indoor fireworks!  It was a surreal evening.  A low point of the week was witnessing a crash between a car and a motorbike taxi.  Everyone survived but the 2 people on the bike were potentially quite injured so were bundled into a passing car and rushed off to hospital.  I felt very grateful for the NHS and ambulance service we have at home, but wonder what will happen to the driver of the motorbike.  It looked as if he might have broken his leg but I'm pretty sure he won't be receiving any sick pay or benefits while he's off work.

I've been feeling a bit all over the place this week and can't figure out what's going on in my head.  My time in Rwanda has been both amazing and challenging, and I really want to enjoy the remaining 3 weeks of being here.  I'm very aware of time running out and I know I'm starting to prepare myself in my head for going home.  (I'm managing to resist starting to pack/ sort my things out... just!)  As much as it will be good to go home, I'm also beginning to feel quite nervous about it.  There are a lot of uncertainties about life after Rwanda and I find it hard not to worry about it all.  I suppose I'm putting too much pressure on myself and just need to relax and take each day as it comes!

Prayer points
- That I would stop over-thinking and just enjoy!
- Thanks for continued good health and great relationships on the team
- That the next 3 weeks wouldn't go too quickly!

Cooking kitchen in the chicken

Sometimes it's reassuring to know that it's not just me who struggles with languages.  We were recently with a Rwandese friend who was praying and gave thanks for those cooking in the chicken.  Experiencing a different culture can be challenging at times - like being asked if you are a boy or a girl, why you're not married at 27, and curious people touching your arm in the street to see if your skin is real.  We often get followed or surrounded in our van, which can be both funny and intimidating. I now know what animals in the zoo must feel like!

Our time in Kigeme has been pretty mixed.  I've survived 3 mornings of teaching in the local high school and a morning of teaching in a nursery school.  I have a new found respect for all teachers and am even more convinced that I will never be a teacher.  On Saturday we went to 'Super Star' - the Rwandan version of X Factor, minus Simon Cowell.  The music definitely wasn't to my taste, but it was great for people watching and good fun to be out and about.  The 10 acts tour round the country and people vote by text, with the winner announced in August.  We also took part in another umuganda/ community day where we helped to collect and move bricks for building a church.  I only just managed to carry my 4 bricks back up the hill, puffing and wheezing behind a lady carrying 17 bricks... on her head!  Even the small children could carry more than me.  Another humbling experience!  We've also visited a hydroelectricity place (taking the shortcut down a very steep hill to get there - I definitely don't have my dad's genes as my legs were like jelly by the time I got to the bottom), played basketball with some high shool kids (who took it far too seriously!) and have taken Sunday School with about 2 mintues notice.

Yesterday we visited a 68 year old lady who has been helped by RDIS.  She lives with 3 of her 9 children, and 1 grandchild in a small mud and wood built house.  They have almost nothing - a hoe, 1 mattress, a mat for the floor, a bench and a few jerry cans and that's about it.  She doesn't have a kitchen so cooks down in the valley by her old house and then brings the food back up the hill to eat.  She earns a little bit of moeny by digging in the fields for other people, but is unable to send her bright, 3rd youngest child to boarding school for a better education and can't afford health insurance for the 5 of them.  This costs around 3pounds each per year.  She is old and doesn't have good health, with possible high blood pressure/ heart problems.  It's unlikely that she will receive much more help from the church or community as there are so many others in similar or worse situations.  I felt really upset while we were there and after leaving. It's so unfair that we could just get into our van and drive off, leaving this lady stuck there living in poverty.  Where is the fairness in your place of birth having such an impact of your life?  I feel overwhelmed by the need that we saw there and the knowledge that there are so many others like her.  And I'm not sure how to respond.  Ok, there's the instant reaction of feeling sad, upset and angry but where do I go from there?  How do I remember to pray for the people I've met?  How can I practically make a difference - like with the money I fundraised?  What can I do when I get home to continue to support RDIS and Rwanda, and relate to others what I've seen here?  How can I use this expereince to change me attitudes towards life, spending, career choices, priorities etc?  And to change my day to day living?

On a lighter note, we return to Cyakabiri tomorrow and are all looking forward to seeing familiar people and places.  This month of travelling has been a really mixed experience, but it has been great to see more of Rwanda and do different things.  Hard to believe this is our lst month here!

Prayer requests:

- for the lady we met and all those living in similar situations

- thanks for my foot getting better

- that we have a great last month in Rwanda