New Rwanda

New video by Bridge to Rwanda. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwRgLnVI2so

Rwanda Goes English!

So, just the other day it was announced and in the newspapers that Rwandan schools have FINALLY gone English, meaning they are no longer going to teach in French, but require all schools to teach in English! This may not sound like a big deal, but i promise you it is!! For people in Rwanda, only knowing French and Kinyrwanda can be somewhat paralyzing when it comes to communicating with the rest of the world. For instance, if someone were to go just north to Uganda and/or Kenya where almost all nationals speak English fluently, already they struggle to communicate! The language of business, science, and the rest of the world is English, not french. In my opinion, this is the best thing for Rwanda. I am so excited to see the country continue to take steps towards development and prosperity. It is always one step at a time and for Rwanda this decision is a big one and will really turn the country around when it happens!! I am so excited!

Sureyman's Family!

I didn't have room in my newsletter to tell you much about Sureyman's family. Sureyman is a boy about 15 years old. He was one of my players from my boys soccer team I coached on Sundays. The entire time I coached him he never asked me for anything. If anything, he was always helpful and courteous. He was one of my favorite players because he ALWAYS gave his best and always had a smile on his face. Over time, he just grew on me. I came to rely on him to lead the team and translate for me if need me. I also felt as a coach he was a player I could trust and would keep the team in line if needed. Like I said, he never asked me for anything until one day I could tell he was in distress. He is a very bright kid and loves school. The day I noticed he was distressed, he told me his brother had lost his job and now he wasn't sure if he would still be able to go to school. After some thought, I volunteered to help him and have been thus since. Unfortunately, his brother is still without a job, but over time have in some senses taken in their family and helped them when they need it. I think my biggest motivation behind helping them is that I just trust them. I am confident that anything I give them is going to what it should and is absolutely being spent wisely. God has also shown me that they are for Him and deeply love him. I think God has also broken my heart for them because their parents threw them out because they were too old to take care of them, which happens often here. One of my biggest goals for my time back in Rwanda was to help get Sureyman in a good school. Like I said, he is really bright, but unfortunately, he was going to a school far away from his brothers and that was not one that would provide the education he needs to survive in Rwanda. Just yesterday, I met with Sureyman and his two brothers. We had a tradition African meal at a restaurant called Karibu. We also talked through getting him into school and he has already applied to a school right down the street from his home that is considered one of the best Rwandan schools in the country.

Six Bags, Eighteen Hours, and a Few Hundred Dollars Later...

Six bags, eighteen hours, and a few hundred dollars later all donated supplies, soccer balls, pumps, goalie gloves, cleats, socks, jerseys, baby clothes, food, donated laptops, books, shoes, school supplies, and more made it to Rwanda. I think I packed a half a bag for me and the rest was all the donations people have so generously given to me to take back to Rwanda. It was amazing what people donated. A wonderful lady named Virginia donated an entire bag of baby clothes that went to my friend Grace at Amahorro Imani for the women she knows and works with, as well as two other girls I know who have new born babies. Carroll Indoor Sports Center donated TWO bags full of used soccer balls. Imagine deflating all of them!! As well as at least twenty NEW MLS jerseys. Pictured the kids faces when they saw them!!! Most of the balls and jerseys either went to my friend and fellow soccer coach Kyle or George who runs the Saturday soccer camp for "street" kids and youth. There was even about twelve soccer balls that were color coed to share the gospel donated by a Myersville Baptist local youth group that also went to George and Kyle to use for evangelism. I think overall I brought back with me at least FORTY SOCCER BALLS!!! All of which will go to good use. In my opinion, it is just so worth it to bring all of that stuff back. I guess, one of my favorite parts about doing what I do, is being the person who gets to hand that stuff out or get the right equipment to the person who needs it most. I often will pray over the stuff and ask God who I should give it to, for him to place a person on my heart. I also believe that bringing all of that back with my as luggage is the absolute cheapest way to do it. My mom can tell you... mailing packages is expensive. The only other option would be to send a container, which often takes six months and is an absolute headache to try to get out of customs! Also, don't forget the hefty taxes they throw on top of the already $6,000 container you paid for. So, in my opinion, spending a week packing, hulling, and paying for all of the luggage that I brought back with me is just worth it. It is so worth it to see people's faces and to know the donations are going to the people who need it most. Thank you for being apart of making that happen!!!!

Salsa Lessons.

So, pretty hilarious. My roommate Amy started taking Salsa lessons a few months ago. So, when I returned of course I joined her. For the last two weeks, every Thursday, Amy, myself, and a few others go to Salsa lessons at this place called Torerro for an hour and half. We have three Rwandan teachers. Other then feeling like I have two left feet, I also get accused of not throwing enough hip into it and forgetting the steps. It is definitely humbling to learn something new, especially when it comes to dancing. Who wants to look like they are bad, I mean come on!! Either way it is really fun and after we go hang out with friends at a place that has "Salsa night." I call it applying your new found skills, where you take what you learned in the lesson and actually dance at a place that hosts a night for it. The only difference is you have about ten times as many people watching you and if you mess up... well... it's not just you that knows, ha.

Futsal, Futsal, and More Futsal!

Since I had been gone, one of the neatest developments was the Futsal league. Right before I left, I connected my friend Kyle with Gad, who was a Rwandan interested in creating a Futsal league for Rwanda. Now, you may be wondering if I am just misspelling futsal to mean football. Actually no. They are the same game but different. Futsal is a game similar to football (soccer for us Americans). It was developed in Brazil by taking a deflated football (soccer ball) and stuffing it with socks. Genius! Obviously, there are always deflated are broken balls around that no one wants, so the Brazilians utilized what they had and created a new game called Futsal. The game has now become known world wide and has its own international league. The game is also great for developing skills! Because the ball never bounces off the ground, players are forced to play with their feet and pass. Unlike in Rwanda, where players like to just kick the ball and pass uncontrollably. Playing Futsal is the best thing a player can do to help build their technical skills. So.... it is amazing that the game has now come to Rwanda! While I was gone, Kyle and Gad created a league. They started playing every Saturday at Eco Belge, the Belgium school in town. They took kids that we were already investing in from Saturday soccer camp and my own personal teams and just started teaching them the rules and how to play futsal. Just a few weeks ago they had a big tournament, where teams were able to compete against one another and receive a trophy if they one. The players really, really wanted to win and get the trophy even if it was a $10 plastic one. It means so much to them to win. Also, what is exciting, is that Kyle has also started up a girls league that plays every Friday. Just last Friday, I was able to go and play and coach!

Family of Five.

During my time in Rwanda, my little family of one (me) has grown to a family of five. First, there is my sweet puppie Colby. We found her on the street at about six weeks old. A few kids who live behind our neighborhood were playing with her. She looked tired and ragged. So, to keep the kids from complaining I paid them off for $2USD and took her home.
Then there is the Sureyman family. Sureyman is one of my boy soccer players. He is about 15 years old and an amazing kid. When he was just on my team he was always so thankful and helpful. If I needed anything, translation included, I would always go to Sureyman. Over the course of the year that he was on my soccer team, he never asked me for anything, that was until he was desperate. So about eight months ago I began to take him and his two other brother in as my own. Their parents are still alive, but too old to take care of them. Usually when that happens they throw them out of the house, which is what happened to Sureyman and his brothers. They were left to fend for themselves. I didn't know this at first, but over time and through conversations with him I learned more about his situation and God just broke my heart for them. So, I kind of took them in and began assisting Sureyman with school fees and their family with money for food. The below picture is a picture of Sureyman's older brother who I had just met for the first time in August. I had talked to him on the phone and through e-mail for several months, but in August we finally met. He said he had to meet me because Sureyman kept telling him that I was like his mom. They really are like family.

Oh My Gosh He is Going to Eat Me!

Through the generosity of Kids Across Africa, I was able to go see the famous Silverback Gorillas! It was amazing, but not without a little mud and sweat. In order to get to the Gorillas we first had to hike for about two hours up the side of a volcano/ mountain. It was no easy task. It was straight up and if you have not worked out very much, like myself, you definitely could feel it! So... we hiked and when we finally reached the top we were met up with the Gorilla trackers who stay near the Gorillas at all times to protect them against poachers and any other people who many want to hurt them.
We walked about a 100 yards in before we saw him! He was the daddy of them all and he let us know. He grunted at us and let us know that he was protecting his clan. All I could to do to not turn and run was grab on to my dear friend John Wilder. I think I might have even covered my mouth from letting anything come out as he walked within a few inches of my legs. If he wanted to bite me, grab me, or hurt me he could have and probably would have done it in a matter of seconds.
A few minutes passed before yet again he passed by us as he went back into the brush and back with his group. After he went back into the group we were able to get closer to the eighteen other gorillas, but before we did a curious little one year old baby pounced out to greet us. Once he saw that we were definitely not other gorillas he jetted back into the bushes.
When we finally reached the other gorillas it was a sight to see and they did not seem to mind at all that we were there. We saw one gorillas climbing a tree in hopes of claiming a good piece of bark for his mid-day lunch during what the guides called their "social hour." At times the gorilla would throw down a few pieces to the other eager gorillas below. At the bottom of the tree there were mommas and new born babies, mommas without babies, and lots of little one to three year old babies.
They all were sitting around eating almost anything they could get their hands on that was green. While we were diligently taking pictures, we would often witnessed a gorilla fight, literally. When one gorillas of higher status wanted something from another of lower status, the high status gorillas would just walk over and just take it right out of the hands of the gorillas. The lower status gorillas would grow and make awful noises out of protest.
After a few minutes of fighting they woulc calm down and continue eating. We also witnessed little babies wrestling. Often the older babies picking and pushing around the younger ones.... interestingly enough just like humans.
Who would have thought?! Overall, it was a great experience even though at one point I really thought the main male silverback was going to eat me or at least take part of me with him. It was just an amazing experience. Thank you Kids Across Africa!

The House Next Door.

We have lived in our house for about seven months now and have lived next to a huge abandoned house. The house, according to locals, was abandoned by a Belgium business man right when the genocide began. Currently the house is still unfinished, is falling apart, and has bullet holes all over its exterior. It is some times hard to look at it because it is a sure sign of what life was like during the genocide and most international workers response to the beginning of the war. So many people just picked up and left. In the movie, Shaking Hands with the Devil, you see exactly that. You see many, many white people and upper class Rwandans pushing, shoving, and hurrying to get on the last few planes out of Rwanda. It is so sad to see because people who do not necessarily fit that description also try to get on the planes, but you see militia push them away and deny their right of passage away from the all the fighting and killing. So, this house just reminds me of the genocide. It also reminds me European wealth because it is this large, expensive house amongst more modest houses. When I would tell people about the house they would often ask if anyone lived in it even though it is unfinished. Based on what I know, I would always tell them that people do live there. I often see people going in and out of the unlocked, vacant gate. Also, at times we even see people upstairs during the day. I was told that the homeless and those who need a space to work often reside there during the day. To me this house was a sign of the past like I said, but also just emptiness, death, and abandonment. That was until the other day when I was laying in my bed. As I lay there in silence people began to sing. From where, I had no clue, but it sounded like it was coming from the abandoned house. Then I began to hear drums and the sounds of people dancing. I just layed there thing this may just be a one day event and then quickly drifted off to sleep. Then the following day I came home from town. As I walked up my steps I began to hear the same familiar singing from the day before. It was joy to my ears. It was beautiful and a reminder of life in Rwanda. So, instead of walking into my house and occupying myself with what I should clean up in my house or eat from the pantry, I walked out my gate and in the direction of the abandoned house. The gate was wide open and there were people sitting on top of the fence around the house. They waved at me and welcomed me in. As I walked in people began to smile and sign louder. As I took steps onto the driveway and closer to what was going on children began running over to me and of course yelling Muzungu, Muzungu! As I looked up I saw about thirty Rwandan women of all sizes and ages just signing, dancing, and practicing their traditional Rwandan dance. It almost brought tears to my eyes. Not only was I welcomed into a place that has for so long been a sign of death and abandonment, but I saw one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my time in Rwanda. I saw women just being women. Just praising the Lord. Just having fun and loving on each other. It made me proud to be a woman. It also made me proud to be living in Rwanda. It brought hope to me as I looked at how a group of women could take this place and transform it into a place of meeting. It was just so beautiful...

Coming Home!

There's nothing like a best friends wedding to bring you home. See you all in September and October! The things I look forward to the most:

1) Jumping on the bed with my nephew.
2) Hearing my nephew talk for the first time!
3) Seeing my family.
4) Seeing my best friend Jesse get married.
5) Hanging out with friends.
6) Using a washing machine!
7) Sleeping in my own bed.
8) Taking a shower without having to hold the shower head.
9) Eating honeycombs, pops, and any other sugary cereal I can get my hands on with milk that doesn't taste like it came straight from the cow.
10) Driving!
11) Going to movie theater as much as possible.
12) Watching tv.
13) Good American food.
14) Having electricty that does not go out.
15) High speed internet or internet at all!
16) Fall weather, the leaves, the smell... so nice.
17) Cheesecake, icecream, milkshakes, snowballs... the list goes on.
17) Just being home...

Along for the Ride.

The Kids Across Africa football camp finally arrived. For the last week and half we were up in Musanze, a district about two hours outside of Kigali, putting on a five day camp that served 130 Rwandan kids and 22 Rwandan coaches. It is kind of complicated to explain, but there was ten teams and each team had two coaches as well as one player coach from America. There was about 20 or so American staff, fathers, and sons from America who came for the event.
The event was kicked off on Tuesday night and ended on Sunday with a huge awards ceremony that took place in the main stadium of the district. Throughout the week the ten teams, ages 10-12, 13-15, and 16-18 learned skills from their coaches and competed in afternoon matches.
Each match counted towards an overall tournament that ended in a semi-final and final match. It was a big deal for the players and coaches.
More importantly then the details of camp was the little and big ways God showed up. For the last four or five months I have had the privilege to help coordinate this camp.
For me, this camp was so much more then some big soccer camp. It was God being faithful and teaching me how to walk, lead, and organize in his name. From my first meeting with Gregg Bettis the President of Kids Across America, God continue to reveal his visions for this camp. As we all took babysteps forward God led and helped provide the right people, money, and set-up for how this camp should go.
Even to the simplest thing such as a bracelet God took care of the details and allowed for 130 kids from the Musanze district to hear about life and how their lives can be lived for Jesus. There are so many other ways that God was faithful and moved and work.
I really wish you could have been there because trying to put it all into words on a blogger just does not suffice. All I can say is that God showed up from the littlest of ways to the biggest.
He knew every person, every player, and every coaches who was suppose to be there. He knew the good, the bad, and the ugly of what putting on first time camp can bring. He also knew that something like this would not only grow me, but would teach me more about letting go and trusting him to fulfill his plans.
Trust can be such a hard thing to learn in life. Some times I feel like I am so far away from grasping it. Actually, maybe trust isn't even something you grasp, but like a relationship, it is a process. There are moments of great trust and moments of where you struggle and feel nervous about every turn in life.
Even though I am so greatful for the opportunity to work with KAAC and help organize this camp, I think I am even more greatful for the hard lessons that were found within.
As Oswald Chambers always says... God cares less about the goal and more about the relationship and the process itself. To God be the glory.

Zambia and Beyond...

School ended on June 20th and on June 27th, I set off to South Africa to meet one of my best friends from high school Drew Myers and his girlfriend Jackie. We spent a few days in South Africa seeing penguins, whales, sharking diving (which I was sea sick for the whole time), the ocean, and so much more. South Africa is a beautiful place. It is also ridiculously cold right now because it is their winter. (South African Coast Line) I called South Africa Little America because being there did not feel like Africa. It felt more like I was in the U.S. then in Africa still. After South Africa we went to Zambia for a few days. While in Zambia we took a seven hour bus ride to Victoria Falls. The falls are unbelievable!
(Victoria Falls) They are so powerful and yet so beautiful all at the same time. They are so powerful that you can see mists from miles away and while you are there you get soaked from the mist that comes up. Victoria Falls is about a mile and 1/4 wide. You can only see the 1/4 of it on the Zambia side, while the rest lies on the Zimbabwean side. So even though you feel like you get to see so much of the falls, really you are only getting to see a small portion.
(Drew, Jackie, and I... love them!) Unfortunately because of the political instability, not many people get to see Victoria Falls completely, except if you are lucky and get to go on what is called the Micro-light! Thankfully we did get a chance to do that. It was honestly probably the best part of the entire trip. We were high up in the sky flying over the falls. We could see hippos, crocodiles, and elephants all from above.
(My friend Vaughn from Zambikes) My German born driver even let me drive. It was a blast. After that we headed back to Lusaka where I met up with my friends from Zambikes. They broke us in by eating traditional food with our hands. It was great! I also got to meet many of the Zambians working for them who are helping to build their bicycle work shop. It was great to be able to see them and see what they are doing and how they are doing it.

End of the School Year!

The end of the school year has finally come! With it comes excitement, but also a few tears as any end of a chapter in your life or new season does.

As much as I look forward to a break, it has been sad to say goodbye to those students who I have grown so fond of. Throughout this year, the one class I have worked with the most is the 6th grade. I have had them for homeroom, science, history, and P.E.
They are a fun group of students all having very diverse personalities and backgrounds. For instance, they all pretty much come from different countries, Russia, Ghana, Philipines, Rwanda, Canada, U.S. There is seven of them in total. I just love this group of kids. They have made me laugh so much!

With the end of the school year, KICS has many things to celebrate and be thankful for. First, we had our first ever field day that was more fun then all of us imagined it would be. Our students competed in team competitions, relay races, individual competitions, and team cheers. It all led up to the end of the day when totals were calculated and one overall winner was named. At the beginning some of our students were not that into it. Plus, it did not help that most of them had no clue what a field day/ play day was. We are not in America that is for sure. But, by the end of the day pretty much everyone, from the kindergarteners all the way up to our secondary students, were giving their best and really into every activity. They were cheering and determined to win. It was also really neat to watch the older students help the younger ones. The teams were created with each having a student from almost every grade. KICS also can celebrate because we had our first ever graduate. Roland was our only one and was the first.

Playing with the Girls.

Here are some pictures from our last IS Kigali game in Byumba. Liz and Jen came with me. It was about an hours drive. We played in a stadium that stands on one of Rwanda's highest points, so it was a bit colder then normal. Byumba is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Rwanda.
This us turning and faces the fans. We are suppose to wave at them, which i think could possibly be one of my least favorite things. I get embarrassed.
I think Jen laughed the entire time we warmed up. For warm-up the team does very interested moved. They are almost like dance moved. They also try to pick the most complicated to see if I can keep up. Lets just say I try my best. Pic of the team.
They teach me.
It was so great to have friends from home at my game to actually see me play. It was nice to have my oen personal fans. Thank you girls, your the best!

Be the Same No Matter Where...

If there is one (or should I say another) thing I am learning I think it would be this... Africa is really not as different from America as it seems. I know that is a bold statement, but let me try to bring some clarity to it. Of course, Africa is different in culture, people, ways of business, life, and pretty much everything. For some reason, I actually think we as Americans or westerners put Africa onto this pedestal where we think it is this magical, rustic place. Of course yes it is different in many physical senses, but what I mean by my statement is that the way in which we go about living, working, and praying should be no different then in America. Again, let me explain. I guess, I get frustrated when I hear some people set off on these big adventures to Africa. It is as if we are going to, like I said, some special, magical land. When we go all of a sudden we start asking for prayer requests, setting up blogs, inviting people into our lives and adventures. I guess my frustration is that what is so different about our adventure to Africa then our everyday adventures in America? Isn't it just as adventurous to reach out to and love your friend then it is to extend a hug to a African? Isn't there poverty and similar problems in America as there are in Africa? What changes? Or is it just our way of thinking? Is our calling, our walk, our relationship with Jesus, the way in which we relate and pray so different here in Africa then it is in America? Personally I think we are being fooled. My point is, I don't think the ways in which we pray, relate, invite people into our adventures should be any different whether we are in Africa, America, Saudi Arabia, China, Australia, etc. Like I said, what makes Africa so attractive when so many other countries are dealing with the same issues, struggles, problems? I think we have been fooled by who ever, maybe it is actually marketing and media, into thinking that when we take off for an adventure to Africa all of a sudden we are going to embark on this new enlightenment. I know that sounds cynical and harsh, forgive me, but I think my challenge and what my heart is crying out for us as Christians is for us to see our daily mundane lives as just as important and a holy calling as an adventure to Africa. The ways in which we pray and ask people to pray should be no different whether we are reaching out to colleagues at our workplace or loving on kids in an orphanage. I guess what I also want to say is that Africa is not all made up of orphanages and the impoverished. Frankly, I am sad that most of the western world thinks that or has that stereotype. If anything, the people of Africa that I have experienced are far different then the stereotype. They are hard working people, people who believe and live simply, they know how to love and relax, they are often committed even if that some times means they are late to a meeting. Personally, Africans, more specifically Rwandan people are just beautiful and I have so much to learn from them. I am not here to just teach, coach, and organize. I am not the boss. I am just an ambassador. I some times need to remember to step down and just listen and learn from the people that surround me. Also, when and if I come back to America it is my hope that my mentality does not change. I so deeply desire to be a woman who pursues my passions just as hard and prayerful;y no matter where I am. I desire to be a woman who loves people and encourages their value and worth just the same, no matter where I am on this planet. God's purposes, truths, communities, and desires simply do not change for me, for you, for us no matter where we are. May we pursue people, the Lord, prayer, mass emails, and blogs as strongly in America as we do in Africa. We need to remember to keep asking for prayer no matter where we are and we need to not stop sending those mass e-mails out to friends and family asking for prayer and updating them on our lives, again, no matter where we are...

Playing with the Boys.

Some of my favorite people here in Rwanda are a bunch of Rwandan boys or men who just love to play soccer. I spend almost every Saturday coaching, teaching, and playing soccer with them. We all share a love for the game and a love for kids. (Me and all the other leaders from Saturday Soccer Camp. Our friend Kent was leaving to go on a break in the U.S. for one year, so we celebrated with food and competitive games, which led to me being pushed into a torn bush while going for a football.)
More importantly we all love the Lord. Of course, I wish there were more girls in the picture and rightly so I think there should be. But unfortunately, in Rwanda, like other places/ countries, soccer is for the boys or as it is said. For women, playing soccer in Rwanda is what people call a man's sport. Women just are not suppose to play. To prove my point, it is interesting to watch the women from my club team. The way they act, dress, and relate to one another does in fact resemble what I have come to know as boyish qualities (i.e. big baggy jeans, style of clothing, the way they carry themselves, etc.). Of course, that is my western skewed philosophy and view, but I really do not think it changes too much from culture to culture. Most often, there are things boys do and things girls do, and in Rwanda soccer is definitely not yet a women's thing to do. Thankfully, times are changing. I mean, I definitely am very much a girl with liking pink, wearing very much so girls clothing, and whatever else us girls do and like. So... I guess what I am trying to say is that sometimes it just takes time to change mentalities and stereotypes that have been around for years maybe even centuries. There is no way this Rwandan stereotype will probably change in my life time that is for sure. Yet that does not mean I give up and stop encouraging the change. It actually simply means that I continue to do what I do, do what I love, and if that takes just playing with boys at times and loving on those girls who feel like they have to dress, act, and be like boys to be accepted and play then so be it. It is my job, my role to just be who I am and follow my heart in the things that I love and am called to do.

Famous in Kigali.

The Friendship Baptist team that was just here in Rwanda made it into the local Kigali Focus newspaper for their work with the sewing project. Below is an excerpt from the article. You can also check out the article with a picture at this link: http://focus.rw/a/content/view/403/26/

GIVING YOUNG GIRLS A VOICE

A team of members from the Friendship Baptist church based in the US were in the country last week for a five day visit to teach vocational skills to members of Children’s Voice, a local NGO that advocates for the rights of young girls especial street girls.

Barbara Conaway, the leader of the team, said that last February their church had donated seven sewing machines to Children’s Voice, and that part of their visit was to teach the girls how to use them.

“By teaching these young homeless girls hand sewing and machine sewing, we anticipate that they will acquire skills that will enable them to take care of themselves and become self sufficient,” she said.

The team was accompanied by a group of men who are voluntarily constructing a play ground, pavilion and fencing near Lake Kivu, which will serve as a camp to accommodate people.

“Part of our program was to also visit schools like the Kigali International Community School where we showed them a film about Jesus and shared our faith with them,” explained Maize Bell, who was also on the team. “We have also gone through the book A purpose-driven life of pastor Rick Warren, since it has been translated into Kinyarwanda,”

Bell added that she was truly touched to see the revival which Rwandans have achieved even after going through horrifying experiences during the 1994 genocide.

“One can clearly see that people have room for forgiveness and growth,” she said.

“We have also donated clothes to the young mothers, along with health kits for the African New Life School in Kimironko, and when we get back home we will share their stories with our congregation so that we get more financial support to help these young girls in every way possible,” Carol Reed, another team member, remarked.

Even though their stay was short, she said that they had been able to teach the girls vocational skills that will help them in the near future. “We taught them how to make pin couches, skirts, and to practice sewing by hand in addition to machine sewing, and we noticed that these girls had this big drive to learn.”

Writings by Rebekah...

We have a community newsletter that goes out once a month and my fellow teacher and running partner Rebekah submitted an article about the Peace Marathon we ran in. I love how she describes it. It is below...

Kigali International
Peace Marathon

Rebekah H. Lewis

Five minutes into my first run in Rwanda, I had to turn around and check the number of our duplex so I would be sure to make it home. All the houses looked the same, all the gates blocked visibility, and all the hills insured that even "fun" runs would be moderately difficult. Ten months and several reddened running shoes later, I have set courses around this beautiful city, conquered dozens of the thousand hills, and have successfully made it back to the gate that marks my start and finish line each day.

Running in Rwanda has given me a sense of independence in this foreign culture but has also created a dependence on the continual help and kindness of others. It has been my energizer before teaching, my clarity when I'm confused, and the best remedy for jet lag I know. I have been accompanied by stunning sunrises, a steady chorus of "Muzungu", encouraging friends, and a string of uninvited but welcomed running partners as I have plodded through this new territory.

All of the hills and miles did not prepare me for the event on May 11 – a date I had starred in my calendar and counted down with long Sunday runs. The Kigali International Peace Marathon was held at the Amahora stadium. Anticipation woke me at five that morning. The drive to the stadium was a feat in itself as the main roads were blocked and the sidewalks were sprinkled with runners warming up. The first runners released to run were the 5K fun runners. Hundreds of kids with proudly displayed numbers and timing chips tied to ankles, wrists, sandals and shoes took off.

After smiling at the sea of eager faces, the half marathoners were gathered. Friends in the stands waved and clapped. The anticipation ended and the work began. As my running partner Jenny and I started settling into a reasonable pace, a swarm of marathoners thundered past us. My jaw dropped as I watched these amazing athletes glide on the four loops that made up their playground of 26.2 miles. After the sixth mile, my jaw was no longer dropped in awe but set in determination to make it to the

next water station. At times I would beg Jenny to let us walk for two minutes. At other times I would push myself through to the next area where I knew friends and my students were holding cameras and water bottles. This would be a needed break and distraction from the immensity of the course and the challenge ahead. I kept running, Jenny kept up the encouragement and pace, and the miles passed one footfall at a time.

Two hours and twelve minutes later, this half marathoner crossed the finish line. Six minutes later the marathon winner, Kenya's Jacob Kenfagor, breezed through. As I fought off waves of nausea and exhaustion, he gave thanks to God, completed interviews, and took time out to pose with a new, admiring fan. The marathon was over. I paused to soak in the moment as I triumphantly limped through the gates toward home.

Holding on to our Pride.

KICS soccer is up and going again. We started practicing again in about February, but because of breaks and different holidays finding time to practice has been a bit of a challenge. Plus, we can only practice three days a week being a small school because on the other two days half of the team participates in drama. Just the other day, the KICS team had our second game of the season against Nu-Vision High School. We were definitely the underdogs since they beat us last time 3-0. This time we were ready and were more prepared. Unfortunately, the outcome of the game did not fall in our favor, but we did walk away with both our pride and a few lessons learned. We learned that we had to stick together as a team. We also learned that no matter what the score is we must always keep our head up and keep trying. I really tried to encourage them at the end of the game that one month from now or ever a few months from now the score will mean nothing and they won't even remember it, but what they will remember is how they responded in that game. Did they play as a team? Did they feel defeated and give up? Or did they keep fighting and trying? We are learning a lot as a team and it is my hope that despite the score we are able to keep fighting as a team.

Friends.

Thankfully I have friends. Some times living in a foreign country can make you feel a bit lonely and isolated. Thankfully, I have a few people here in Rwanda that I can call friends and who just provide amazing support. We tend to all hang out a lot on the weekends because some times all we have is each other. We will often go out to dinner and then either play games or watch a movie at someone's house. This particular night we went out to a local restaurant called Indian Kyzana to celebrate/ say goodbye to our friend Paul who was headed back to the U.S. Also, talk about counting your blessings... I think one of my biggest blessings right now is having one of my best friends, Liz, here for three months. She has been my side kick for the last month and half on different projects. I have loved having her here. Some times I don't know what I would do with out her help and support. Plus, she gives me someone to watch Prison Break with. She will be here at this point until June 20th, but hopes to change her ticket to the beginning of August, so she can stay and continue to work here in Rwanda as long as she can.

Up and Coming!

It is still many months away, but a project that is up and coming is a Kids Across Africa soccer camp. We are currently organizing all of the details for the camp and recruiting about twenty Rwandan coaches and professional coaches/ athletes. It should be a big deal with about 100 Rwandan kids from the Ruhengeri district being ministered to. One of the main reasons for Kids Across Africa and the soccer camp is help develop servant leaders within the country of Rwanda. Many problems in Rwanda and East Africa as a whole is a lack of leadership. So, many Christian leaders and governments are pushing to develop strong leaders within their countries. Bishop John is partnering with KAA to create camps and projects to do just that. KAA is just breaking ground here in Rwanda and is actually a spin off of Kids Across America, which is an organization that reaches out to inner city youth for Christ through sports camp. Kids Across Africa plans to develop a full scale camp in Ruhengeri within the next year. Rwandan schools and leaders from the community will then be able to bring their kids to the camp where they will participate in sports, learn about servant leadership, and who Jesus Christ is and why he died for them. It has the potential to be a God glorifying, beautiful thing. I am very excited about its potential and what this next year is going to look like for them. KAA first kickoff event to help reach out to kids and promote the organization is the soccer camp, which will be held from July 22-27.

Fun Football Community.

Here in Kigali there is a fun community of people who love to play football. It typically is all guys, but I often go and play as well. We have a team called Muzungu United, which plays about once every two months against local Rwandan or Embassy teams. We also have a drop in league every Wednesday night from 8-10 p.m. where people come from all over Kigali to play small sided games. There are usually people there from many different backgrounds and countries, Lebanon, Russia, Netherlands, Belgium, U.S., Britian to name a few. Many of the people who participate are here working for international businesses, their national embassy, relief organizations, or are missionaries. Just a few weeks ago, Brad and Kiki, who are here working for Youth for Christ held a 3v3 tournament at their house. We picked teams and I was on Kent and Paul's team. Everyone of us was from American, so we joked that we were team America. I think we were third out of the whole tournament. It was a fun day. We played from about 12-5 p.m. Also, the people who were there and invited I have grown to appreciate. They are all just really fun people who just want to have a good time.

Making Puppets and Sharing Jesus.

After the sewing project the women from Friendship Baptist came to my school for the day. In the morning they had my 4th through 6th grade classes make puppets out of long tube socks. The kids loved it! There were dogs, horses, and people puppets. At the end, Carol, another lady apart of the group, shared the Christian Farmers bead bracelets with my students. On the bracelets are several different colors that represent different aspects of who Christ is and your walk with Him.

For instance there was a gold bead, which meant, heaven and how everyone who believes in Jesus goes to heaven, it is a place we all want to go. There was a black bead for sin, brokenness, and represents how all have gone astray and the wages of sin is death.
Red for the blood of Christ and his death on the cross. Then there was white, which represented how when we give our lives back to Jesus he says that we are "New Creations" and all may be saved through Christ. Last was the green bead, which signified growth in Christ.
The kids loved learning about the different beads and what they mean. Even to this day some of the kids are still wearing their bracelets. Even some took a few extra and went home and shared what they learned with their families and friends.

Learning How to Sew.

What a blessing of a time this past week has been. My mom and a group of eight people from Friendship Baptist Church came all the way from Maryland to Rwanda to serve in sewing and construction projects. For the projects the men of the team traveled about six hours away to an area called Changugu. There they painted, built dorms, and roofing. The women stayed in Kigali and participated in a sewing project between Amahoro a sewing co-op here in Kigali, Children's Voice that works with girls in difficult situations, and Friendship Baptist Church. The goal of the project was to reach out to, love on, and share Christ with the Children's Voice girls. We also wanted to provide them with training and skills in the avenue of sewing, which has the potential to become a life trade for them. The project was five days long and required five sewing machines that had been donated months prior by a donor in the U.S. During the five days there was morning and afternoon sewing sessions. Also, during out time all women were able to share in a morning worship time as well as an afternoon small group time. Currently Rwanda is involved in what is called the PEACE plan. It is a joined effort to help Rwanda deal with reconciliation and move in the direction of peace through the use of principles set up by Rick Warren and the Purpose Drive Life. The ENTIRE country is currently doing the 40 days of Purpose and are going through the book. Every church, government officials, and organizations are encouraging people to read the Purpose Driven Life and consider what it is saying. Even the newspaper is posting daily the principle of the day or week. It is unbelievable. So... during our time with the girls we also went through the Purpose Driven Life and shared about God's purpose for our lives and how we were not created by accident. Each girl walked away with a bible and Purpose Driven Life book in hand, as well as other things such as health kits, skirts, clothes, etc. Praise the Lord for that! Also, during our time we shared lunch with the entire team (Amahoro, Children's Voice, etc.) and just spent time together. There was also one day where we showed what is called the Jesus film. It is a film about the life of Jesus that has been translated into Kinyrwanda. What is even more amazing is that Mrs. Mazie Bell asked at the end of the video if there was any girl(s) who would want someone to pray with them to ask Jesus into their life and EVERY ONE of the girls, ALL of them stood up and walked over to her to pray. Everyone of us in the room was so full of joy and excitement because the girls got it and just wanted Jesus. There were so many days like that that we celebrated with tears, dancing, and singing. Thank you Lord! I think the most beautiful part of it all was just watching everyone together. Since this was a group effort with Amahoro sewing co-op allowing us to use their facilities and a few of their women and Children's Voice allowing us to work with eight of their girls, as well as the American women from Friendship Baptist Church it took so much patience, flexibility, and teamwork on everyone's part. It was just amazing to watch it all come together. The idea for the project began many, many months about eight or nine when my mom said she was interested in coming to Rwanda to visit. Her simple desire of wanting to come turned into a big mission trip where she invited others from her local, home church. She then mentioned she wanted to do a sewing project, which none of us have any experience in doing. It was completely a gift from the Lord how he took our willingness to serve and create a project and molded it into something beautiful and impacting. It was completely the Lord and his grace. He gave the idea of asking Amahoro to partnership, he gave the idea of reaching out to the girls. He gave the ideas. It was just time before all the pieces of the puzzle began to come together. If there is one thing I continue to learn during my time in Rwanda I think it is that. The things of the Lord happen in their timing. Some times their fast, some times their a bit longer, but no matter what you will know by how you take your steps and how you are lead to take your steps. You can feel the Lord in it and he is not hidden, so he also lets you know he is in it. He also gives ideas, visions, and a sense of love and unity for all involved. I also think God is a God who desires to see people working together despite their background or experience. God is the God of reconciliation and unity. He loved to see all his Children whether they are American, Rwandan, Kenya, black, white, dark skinned, light skinned, etc. all coming together for one purpose. I think that was it. It was beautiful because it was about the Lord. It was for His glory. It was also His children reaching out to others in His name.