My Heart is in Rwanda

Exactly seven weeks ago today we arrived in Kigali, Rwanda. I've seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and felt things in these past seven weeks that I never even dreamed of before. Living in Africa has opened my mind to so many things...to other possibilities and options. I absolutely love Rwanda and even if I had the choice, I honestly would not want to be anywhere else right now.


I'm staying very busy with school work and after school activities, i.e. student council, jazz band, and drama. School (academically speaking) has been a bit of a challenge, especially when it comes to math, but I'm not giving up yet. School (socially speaking) is great. I have friends...kids that I sit with at lunch and hang out with after school. It's a small school and because I'm an upperclassman everyone seems to know who I am, which is pretty cool. Being in an international school and in a foreign country means that I'm exposed to so many languages and accents. I have to focus pretty hard when I'm listening to certain people, even though they are speaking English.


Last Saturday I had the opportunity to go to an orphanage. I've never been to an orphanage before. It was pretty overwhelming, but it was so worth it. Those kids were so sweet. The just wanted to be held and played with. The smell was pretty atrocious and the kids would go to the bathroom whenever they needed to, even if you were holding them. (Let me tell you, cloth diapers leak.)  I wanted to take every single one of those kids home with me. Walking away from all of those runny noses and dirty feet, and crying babies was one of the hardest things I've done. I've wanted to adopt a little baby practically my whole life, and I'm praying that God will allow my family to adopt a little girl.


Last week we only had school on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. On Thursday the KICS teachers (and families) went to Lake Kivu for a three day retreat. It was nice to get out of the city for a few days and see more of this beautiful county that we are so privileged to be living in. Lake Kivu is probably one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Imagine water, as far as the eye can see, and large hills rolling along the horizon and occasionally right in the water. Purely magnificent! We serve an amazing God! (I hope to post pictures of our vacation soon.)


It seems to me that about two-thirds of the Rwandan population carries items on their heads. Sometimes it's something as simple as a basket of bananas and other times it's as heavy as a sack of potatoes. I've seen a man carrying five or six piece of foam on his head, I've seen several people carrying backpacks on their heads (not their backs), but the best one so far: a man carrying six dinning room chairs on his head. Their balance and strength amazes me. 


Specific things that I really miss:
1) I miss driving
2) I miss ice cream and milkshakes
3) I miss shopping
4) I miss driving
5) I miss my friends and family 
6) I miss my youth group
7) I miss brownies and mac and cheese
8) I miss driving
9) I miss Cheez-Its


In case you couldn't tell from the above list, driving is definitively the number one thing that I miss :) Missing those things is good for me though, it makes me appreciate them all the more. I'm so thankful that my family and I moved to Rwanda seven weeks ago. I would be missing out if I had stayed in America. Life is great!