Acceptance

I received word from Appalachian State University today.  I’ve worked hard at my academics, and SAT, and my clarinet for years.  I applied to one school.  The only school I wanted to go to.  And they’ve accepted me.  I’m going to Appalachian State University in the fall!!  CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??  I’m thrilled and grateful to the Lord!

On a different note, some of you may be wondering how the situation with my clarinet is progressing.  Although it is still sad and hard, the Lord is working all things for His glory.

We were able to send my clarinet back with a group of people who were visiting from Atlanta. They shipped the instrument yesterday and it should be arriving in Boone, NC (the location of the instrument repair shop) on Monday, Lord willing. My upper joint needs to be replaced and so the repair shop in NC is waiting on that shipment to come in from France. Unfortunately, France is out of upper joints at the moment and is also waiting for a shipment.  Once my clarinet and the new joint gets to NC we’ll have a better estimate on how long it will take to repair it and get it back to me.

The Lord is blessing me abundantly even in the midst of this hard trial. Appalachian is being very understanding and we’ve temporarily postponed my audition.  The people at the repair shop are very easy to work with.  The man that took my clarinet back to the States is going above and beyond in making sure my clarinet arrives in Boone as soon as possible and is well taken care of.  One of my clarinet students is graciously sharing her clarinet with me. We alternate it every other day.  She plays an intermediate level Buffet (the same brand as my professional level clarinet).  It’s a huge blessing.  The fifth grade class at school raised 6,500 rwf to help with the repair costs. (Roughly $10) Their concern and kindness is humbling.  A family that I used to babysit in America also sent some money to help with the repair costs. Numerous people are praying for me and have offered to help in any way that they can.

However, just because I can see the blessings does not mean that I do not struggle with discouragement every single day. I miss my clarinet. I find myself frustrated and thinking negative thoughts pretty consistently.  Last year I went through many hardships and trials and I overcame them with the Lord’s help.  This time around I’m being confronted with a trial that feels like a mountain.  But James says, “Consider it pure joy, [Grace], when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness…”  My trials last year were nothing like the trial that I’m currently facing. We will have trials of many kinds, but I must consider it to be pure joy.  God has helped me through my past trials and He will help me through this one too.  It is quite possible that I was too attached to my clarinet.  I adore my clarinet; it is one of my most favorite things on this earth.  I think that God is using this situation as a time to teach me that He is the only one that matters. My clarinet is an earthy possession that will not last. I must put the majority of my time and love into Him and not my clarinet.

This past week has not been an easy one.  My dad wisely noted that I had my eyes on the wrong thing. I was acknowledging that the Lord was blessing me but I was focused on the enemy.  Instead I need to acknowledge the enemy, realize that he is there, but “fix my eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2).  I am coming to a place of acceptance but I still need your prayers.  Pray that the replacement part arrives in NC and that my clarinet gets back to me as soon as possible.  Hopefully in time for the recital at the end of February, the orchestra concert, and my rescheduled audition.  Pray for “endurance and patience with joy” (Colossians 1:11) as I fight discouragement and search for the positive aspects of this situation. And please join in with me as I rejoice and praise the Lord for this wonderful news from ASU.

Broken

Walking and writing are two ways that help me process heavy news or deal with disheartening scenarios.  It helps clear my head of my thoughts and make room for God’s words.

Tonight I do not even have the energy to walk, so I will write.


This afternoon during ensemble rehearsal I accidentally knocked my clarinet over.

It broke in half.

Above the middle joint.

It cannot be fixed. It has to be replaced.

Devastating. Shocked. Speechless. Hurt.  So many emotions and feelings. Every time I say the words, my clarinet is broken, a new set of tears comes streaming down my face.

I have an audition to get into the School of Music at Appalachian State University on February 2nd.

I have a recital at the end of February.

I have an orchestra concert at the beginning of March.

I teach lessons on a weekly basis.

I love my clarinet.

It can’t be broken. It just can’t be.

But it is.

My brain shut down. I had no thoughts except for the reoccurring, My clarinet is broken. My clarinet is broken. My clarinet is broken.  Not in a frantic and screaming way, but more in a way that maybe if I said it enough I would wake up and find my clarinet in one piece. All I could do was cry. I laid flat on my back for almost an hour and did absolute nothing. I thought absolutely nothing. I just stared at the ceiling.

Just like my beloved instrument, my heart is broken. Aching and asking Why?

This might seem like it’s a bit dramatic for some people. I know that there are way worse things going on in the world. No one died. No one’s life was put on the line. It’s just a worldly item. I shouldn’t be so upset over something like this. But, music and the clarinet are my passions. It is a part of who I am. And it’s a part of who I will be. God has given me a talent with music and with the clarinet. He blessed me with this beautiful clarinet that now lays broken in my case.

Not even six months ago I received a very generous gift from a dear family friend: a brand new professional clarinet. Given with the intent of helping me as I pursue my dreams and passions.

What am I going to do?

I’m in Rwanda.  It’s not like I can just run over to the instrument technician.

Thankfully, God is in control. God was not the least bit surprised when my clarinet fell over today. He knew it was going to happen and He already has it worked out. I take comfort in that.

“…to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion – to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”  Isaiah 61:3

I don’t have the slightest idea why this happened today.  Nor can I see any good that could possible come from this traumatic situation.  But I know God. He redeems. He works all things for His glory.

Already we’ve contacted the music store in North Carolina where I purchased the instrument.  I will be sending my clarinet back to the states. They will repair it and then ship it back to me as soon as possible.

This is good news. But I don’t have an instrument to play in between now and then. I can’t continue to do what I do without a clarinet.

I appreciate your prayers as I struggle to find joy in all circumstances and look to Him for guidance.

Here We Go Again

Just a quick update before the routine begins again.

First semester ended on a good note.  My grandparents from Florida (my dad’s parents) arrived on December 12th.  On December 13th we had our Christmas concert with grades 5-12 participating.  It was a huge success, just like anything my father does.  Final exams went well for both Adam and I and then we enjoyed a few relaxing days with my grandparents as we showed them around Kigali.  I celebrated my eighteenth birthday and we had a wonderful Christmas.  My grandparents brought many American treats with them and so it was nice to have a somewhat familiar-feeling Christmas morning.  Five days later, on December 30th my other grandparents from North Carolina (my mom’s parents) arrived. Yes, two sets of grandparents at one time!  We enjoyed a second Christmas with these grandparents; they also brought us fabulous American treats from our friends and family in America. Then, on Monday (the 31st) we, all nine of us, drove down to Kibagora (the southern location of Lake Kivu) to take a break from the city.  We spent a few days by the lake, enjoying a true vacation.

Kibagora

My dad’s parent’s left yesterday and my mom’s parents are here until Sunday.  We’ve been showing my grandparents around and relishing our last few days before school begins again.  I’ve been able to read a book over this break (something I don’t usually have time for) and I even learned how to make a pie! Pie is very important on my mom’s side of the family. I made a total of three pies: two apple and one shoo-fly (a pie that’s been in my family for generations).  I like cooking and baking but cooking and baking over here is a whole different story. Making everything from scratch and using a gas oven that has Celsius temperatures are just two of the unfamiliar elements of cooking here in Kigali. Actually, today while I was making the shoo-fly pie with Meemaw, the power went off.  Thankfully, our oven is gas and not electric.

School begins tomorrow. Second semester will be very similar to the first one.  I’ll have the same class schedule, I’ll be teaching four clarinet lessons each week, and I’ll also be fulfilling my student council roles.  Along with that I’ll be preparing for my audition with Appalachian State University on February 2nd, as well as a recital with four other musician friends towards the end of February.  I have several extra music things to do this semester; of course I’m looking forward to them all.

I’m anxiously awaiting the arrival of January 25th – the day I receive my letter from Appalachian State University informing me of their decision.   I am ready to start second semester.  I’m ready to get back into the routine and I’m ready to finish high school and move on to new and exciting things.  And I’m looking forward to what God has in store for me this semester and for the upcoming years.

While Living in Africa, I Went to Africa

This past week I went on an incredible adventure. God called me to Kenya and so I went. I met up with a small team from America that came over to work in Kibera, a large slum in Nairobi, for one week.


I left Kigali on Saturday morning (Nov 10) and flew to Nairobi. (I enjoyed flying alone, probably a little bit more than I should have.) A driver was waiting for me at the airport, holding a sign with my name on it, making me feel rather dignified. I made it to the guest house, without any complications and I met up with the rest of the team. Throughout the week I met a lot people (some who quickly became good friends), I compared and contrasted Rwanda and Kenya, I learned many new Swahili phrases, I ministered to kids at 
Trinity primary school, and I learned more of God’s calling for my life.

Nairobi is very different from Kigali. In fact, it’s so different that I’m not even sure where to begin. I continuously felt like I was in America. (The American team found this a bit odd.) Nairobi is very developed and crowded with buildings and cars. The traffic is intense. The driving happens on the opposite side of the road (comparing it to America and Rwanda) but it’s not disorderly. It’s just really backed up. Personally I think the driving is crazier in Kigali, just with fewer cars. I guess, to give those in America a bit of a perspective, comparing Nairobi to Kigali is a bit like comparing New York City to High Point. There are numerous malls with food courts, there’s a KFC, there’s a Feeneys (Planet Yogurt), and nice paved highways, large buildings, and lots and lots of cars.


This trip was a perfect opportunity for me for numerous reasons. First, I needed a break from my normal life in Rwanda. Second, I have had a desire (and still do) to do more ministry projects, and that is exactly what this trip was all about. Third, God strengthened and challenged my faith in Him and taught me how to sacrifice seemingly important things for Him, my academic grades being the primary example. Fourth, this trip was my first experience with following God’s calling on my own – it was my first adventure, with many more to come.


During the week we (from now on when I refer to “we” I mean “the American team and I”) worked in a small compound, called Trinity, on the edge of Kibera. Some of us taught in the elementary school, some ran a soccer camp for kids, some worked in the medical clinic, and some offered counseling and the good news of Jesus. Together we made a great team. I worked with a class of 4-6 year olds during the week, teaching Bible stories, playing games, and sharing the love of Jesus with them. Our days followed a similar pattern with the exception of Wednesday, which I will address specifically in a minute.


Daily Routine:
6:15am wake up and make breakfast for the team with my roommate
7:30 board the bus and travel to Trinity
8:15 arrive at Trinity (It wasn’t that far of a drive, it just took a while to get there because of traffic)
8:30 brief devotion and prep time for the day
9:00 begin teaching and playing with the kids
1:00 (sometimes after 1:00) lunch
4:30 leave Trinity and stop at a store on the way home to buy supplies to make PB&J’s for the kids at Trinity
6:30 eat dinner
7:30 debriefing time with the team/preparing lessons/making 225 sandwiches for the next day

Please note: All these times are susceptible to change. We operated on a very relaxed schedule, without much awareness to the time of day – a very African lifestyle. Our pastor at church once said, “You in America have the watches, but we in Africa have the time.”


Wednesday was a very special day, my favorite day of the week. In the morning we went to Trinity for a couple hours and then we went further into the slum to visit a school and church called Emmanuel. (This is the place where my mom was when she went to Kenya in 2009.) Emmanuel completely defines Africa. The smells were beautiful, the people were beautiful, the sights were beautiful - everything about it was just perfect. I wish I could effectively explain to you what Kibera is like. The only thing I can say is; while living in Africa, I went to Africa. I experienced a real Africa. It was incredible. Those few hours I spent in the depths of Kibera were some of the best hours of my life. The children were so respectful and sweet.  It costs just under $4 a semester to attend school at Emmanuel and most families cannot afford it.  The children that have the privilege of going to school take their education very seriously. After being at Emmanuel for a couple hours we went to the women’s prison.  That was another incredible experience. When we arrived at the prison the women were in the middle of their church service. Some of the women were worshiping and praising God in a very sincere way while others stood along the wall with their arms crossed.  Two of the ladies on our team shared their testimony and several women accepted Christ for the first time in their life.  After the service we handed out small bags containing toilet paper, toothpaste, soap, and a tract.  It was amazing to be around all of those women who had committed crimes – it’s not the first place I would have chosen, but it’s definitely were Jesus would have been, ministering to the criminals and the poor in spirit.


I am sure there are many details of my week that I’m failing to mention.  It’s hard to explain what I experienced to those who have never been to Africa before. It’s a little bit like trying to explain augmented chords to someone who has never heard of music before.  If God ever calls you to Africa, do not hesitate. It will change your life.


My life didn’t change when I went to Kenya. That’s probably because I had already been living in Rwanda, and so it wasn’t that big of a cultural adjustment. My life has been changing ever since August 2011 so going to Kenya was just another step in the changing process. What did change was my perspective of life – walking the streets of Kibera and experiencing that “Africa” – is what changed me.


God has been teaching me so much. I could fill blogs only about what God has been and is currently teaching me.


One thing I learned prior to my trip to Kenya was what it really means to have faith. I have been watching my parents step out in faith for many years, but I this trip to Kenya was my first opportunity to step out in faith by myself. If you step out in faith God will provide. Another thing I am learning is that stepping out in faith is not all about God providing, sometimes it’s about you making sacrifices. And God always “works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)


It’s amazing how hard and how easy things can get when you turn your life over to the Lord. Yes, you will face challenges and trials. We, as Christians, are called to a life of hardships, that’s just a part of it. But, if God is in control things somehow get easier too. I don’t have to worry, because He’s got it all figured out. God has big things in store for the rest of my life.  I got a little taste of those plans this past week. I’ve sensed God calling me far away from the “American lifestyle” for some time now, and this week it became even clearer that I am not meant to be in a place where the people already know about God and they have electricity, and running water, and all the other necessities.  I am called to be in a poor, poverty-stricken area that does not have the general necessities and does not know about the greatness of our Lord. I am called to put everything on the line for Him. I long to live among the ugly-beautiful, to embrace them, love on them, help them, and comfort them.  But more than that, I long to serve the Lord for the rest of my life. Wherever He leads me, I will follow.

Dear Faithful Readers

I apologize for the long pause. I did not intend for so many days to go in between posts. I live a very busy life over here in ravishing Rwanda. I’m overextended and attempting to accomplish more things than a person probably should. I won’t bore you with the details of what I do in a week’s time; I’ll just lead you to believe that it’s quite a lot. 

That being said, I have decided to sit down and inform you of a few things going on in my life... 

First things first, on October 6th, after taking the SAT for 4 hours, I came home and sat for another 10 and a half hours while I got my hair braided....

Yes, it hurt very badly, and it itches off and on but I do like the finished product a lot. 

Secondly, if you've read my other blogs from this school year (Aug 2012-Oct 2012) you know that I've been struggling with homesickness. You’ll be happy to hear that my homesickness has subsided. While I do have a day here and there where I miss home more than anything, I would not classify myself as being homesick. Part of that might have to do with how busy I am, and if that’s the case, then I’m thankful for being busy. 

One thing that has helped me overcome my homesickness is a quote I stumbled upon by my favorite missionary, Jim Elliot.

 “Wherever you are, be all there."

After reading it, I immediately felt convicted and realized that I was not being all here. I was trying to live my life in North Carolina while living in Rwanda…it wasn't working. At first I wasn't sure how to let go of my NC life, but God has helped me. He has blessed me with so many wonderful friends in North Carolina who I've been able to stay in contact with and He has also given me a sense of peace about being so far away from home. 

A third update relating to my life: I've been struggling with God’s silence. I talk to Him every single day. I tell Him things, I thank Him for things, I ask Him for things, but I haven’t been getting a response. In reading My Utmost for His Highest I came to realize that “His silence is the sign that He is bringing [me] into an even more wonderful understanding of Himself.”  

Psalm 27:14 says “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

And just a few chapters later...

Psalm 31:24 says, “Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!”

For God, time is nothing.  Humans (Americans, especially) are so time-oriented and driven by plans that we get easily frustrated with God when doesn't reveal the plan or the answers when we think we need them. God knows exactly what we need, He knows the best time to reveal His will, and He is always, always in control, even in His silence. 

Fourthly, I have a very of exciting opportunity to go to Nairobi, Kenya on a short-term mission trip. Greenstreet Baptist Church in High Point, NC goes to Kenya every year to work in Kibera, one of the world’s largest slums. I feel God calling me on this trip, but I face two problems: (1) I would be missing five days of school…five days of unexcused absences, meaning that my grades would be severely affected. However, I am going to ask my teachers if I can work ahead and turn my assignments in before I leave. (2) Money. Money is always an issue. I ask you to pray with me and for me. Pray that my teachers will show grace and be willing to work with me and pray that God will provide the money I need to go on this trip.  The wonderful thing is that these “problems” are not problems at all in God’s eyes. He has already orchestrated everything and if He wants me in Kenya from November 10-16 then He will make it happen. 

Thank you, dear faithful readers, for reading my blog. I aim to update it more regularly and hopefully with exciting stories of my life in Africa. I don’t know what’s in store for the rest of this year but I invite you to join with me as I wait in anticipation for God to speak to me and reveal His plan to me. 

One Day at a Time

The weather is much too beautiful to spend the day inside. It’s like a perfect spring day. I’m currently sitting outside on my front porch on this lovely Sunday afternoon. A warm breeze is sweeping across the city and causing the wisps of hair around my face and neck to stick out more than normal. The rains are coming. We’ve had a thunderstorm every few days and so the air and the view are beginning to clear up. I have a pretty clear view across the valley today of the various dirt roads and houses. Kigali is a truly beautiful place. 

The view from our front porch

It’s hard to believe that we’ve already completed our first month. Only nine months remaining.  Only nine more months of high school. Only nine more months of my life in Rwanda. Only nine more months with my family until I embark on my own journey. 


Life stays pretty consistent here: school every day, homework every night, church every Sunday. And so the routine goes. Last year when we first arrived I had loads of things to blog about because everything was new and different. This time, everything is familiar and normal. Walking by people with several large pieces of lumber stacked on their head or having a man pass you on a bicycle with a hundred dozen eggs strapped on the back is no longer a strange sight. 

Jeremy came to visit us this afternoon. Some of you may remember Jeremy from our video this summer. Jeremy is a Rwandan man who lost his leg in a moto accident three years ago. He walks around on crutches. He loves Jesus and he loves to play the guitar and sing about Jesus. He is slowly learning English just like we are slowly learning Kinyarwanda. He and I sat and talked for a while this afternoon. Sometimes we talked in Kinyarwanda and other times in English. He shared several Bible verses in Kinyarwanda and I read them in English and he sang/played the guitar for us. We had not seen him since May so it was good to catch up. At the end of our time today he prayed for us in Kinyarwanda. (Isn't it interesting how God is fluent in all languages? He hears every prayer - English, Kinyarwanda, Portuguese...whatever it may be, because He knows our hearts. What an awesome God we have!) We look forward to many more times with Jeremy. 

I’ve continued to walk the fifty minute (or so) walk to church every Sunday. Each week I have a new person with me. I went alone the first week, then my mother joined me, last week Adam and I walked together, and today my whole family came along. Sometimes I walk because I have to. Today, for example, we all had to walk to church because we don’t have a car. (Yes, we are still looking and praying for a car.) Other times I walk for pleasure. Like yesterday I wandered around on dirt roads for an hour. (Believe it or not, it’s really hard to get lost on dirt roads- they all sort of lead to each other.) For me, walking is the time I feel closest to God. It’s the time that I talk to Him about absolutely everything and more times than not, it’s the time that I hear back from Him. Walking has become a very important part of my routine. 

My heart longs for North Carolina. I’m having a hard time letting go of my life in North Carolina and fully embracing my life in Rwanda. I do love living here, especially on days like today when everything is positively gorgeous, but, I can’t help but think about my family and friends and my life that I’m not living in North Carolina. If I’m not careful it can overtake me and I can spend hours only thinking of what I’m missing. Like last week for example, I cried off and on all day for three days in a row. I just couldn’t seem to get a hold of myself. Yes, I’m homesick. That does not give me a reason to be constantly sad though. I need the Lord to give me joy. It is possible for me to be homesick and joyful at the same time. I choose to be joyful.  With the help of the Lord, and hopefully some faithful prayer partners, I will overcome this homesickness. I’ve been reading Amy Carmichael’s biography. She was an English missionary who went to Japan, Sri Lanka, and ultimately, India. She battled fevers and various ailments and homesickness but she was joyful because she was serving the Lord. She shared His love with the people and nothing made her more delighted. 

Natalie, my spiritual mentor and dear friend has been positively wonderful to me. She referred to herself as my big sister the other day, which of course brought a smile to my face because I’ve always wanted a sister. As most of you will remember, we memorized the book of Colossians last semester. We’ve decided to memorize James this semester. I’m so thankful for her as a friend/sister and a spiritual accountability partner. 
I wouldn’t be able to make it through this year without her. 

The other week I posted a picture on facebook of some baskets I had purchased at the market. My dad suggested that people may be curious about what the rest of my room looks like…

Standing in the doorway- my desk, with the market baskets above, my wardrobe with numerous Bible verses and daisies, and my left curtain that was purchased here at a fabric market.

Standing in front of my desk – my bed with my bedspread from Target and my right curtain (see how nicely it matches my bedspread?) Notice the wall décor - also from Target and the I Love Lucy picture from a dear friend.

Standing in front of my wardrobe- Jane Austin quotes on the wall and my bookshelf. Favorite people in frames on the top shelf and favorite books on the second shelf. 

That’s my room. Full of color and all my favorite things. I’m so thankful for my room because I have my own personal space. At our other house we were very crowded and although I had my own room I didn’t really feel like I had my own “space.” Now I have space and I am very grateful. 

If I think about the year as a whole or if I think about missing home I get overwhelmed. I just need to take things one day at a time. “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life…But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25 & 33-34) I don’t need to have everything all figured out, in fact, I don’t have it all figured out. God knows. He’s in control. He knows what the rest of this year will look like, He knows the desires of my heart, and He knows the plans for the future. As long as I take things one day at a time and keep relying on Him I’ll make it. 

Seniority

I have officially entered into the world of being a senior and I’m milking it for all it’s worth. The bell rings for class to start, “Oh, was that the bell? Do seniors have to go to class right when the bell rings?” As if being a senior entitles me to something greater than the other students. I’ve only been a senior for two days…I think I need to get a grip.

I have a heavy-ish work load this year but I do like my schedule. I am taking a dual enrollment class online for history for first period. Second period is alternating between physical education and Bible every other day. Third period is AP literature. I’m a “band assistant” during fourth period and I have chemistry fifth period. After lunch I have French 2 and then advanced band. So like I said, it’s a little heavy but I do like the flow.

Yesterday was my mom’s mirongo ine na gantandatu birthday. (Her age in Kinyarwanda) It’s hard to celebrate birthdays in an American fashion in Rwanda but we do our best. My dad bought my mom twenty pink roses. The ladies who were selling the roses were asking the equivalent of $6.50 and my dad talked them down to just under $5. Imagine…twenty roses for five dollars! We were also able to surprise her with a cake. We brought a chocolate cake mix back with us from America. I baked it Wednesday morning while she was out of the house and took great care to open every window to get the delicious smell out of the house. After I got home from school yesterday I snuck frosting ingredients down to my room and made frosting from scratch. She had her favorite - chocolate cake with white icing - for her birthday and she was absolutely surprised. Happy Birthday Mom!!

Random power outages are becoming a regular part of my life again. The power was out for five and a half hours last Thursday and it was off for a good forty-five minutes yesterday. The power goes off without explanation and there is nothing you can do about it. It comes back on when it comes back on and you go on with your day.

It rained off and on last Thursday and Friday. Strange weather for supposedly the dry season but I don’t mind…I like the rain. The temperatures have been quite cool in the mornings, probably in the low sixties. By mid morning the air has warmed up and once the afternoon rolls around it’s just plain hot. It comes full circle in the evenings and everything gets nice and cool again.

I’m enjoying all the walking I’ve been doing. The other day I walked down the hill to the little grocery store to get a dozen eggs and passed easily twenty people on the five minute walk. When the cashier at the grocery store saw me he said, “Long time.” I told him it had been a long time and that I had been in America for the summer but I’m back now. He asked about my family and told me to come see him again soon.  I continued my walk back up the hill, this time with a bag of eggs, and passed two more familiar faces. We had a short conversation in Kinyarwanda and then went our separate ways. Exchanges like those are one of my favorite things about living here.  I walked to church on Sunday morning…it was just under an hour walk and I did not pass a single muzungu (white person) the entire time. Mind you I was walking on a main, heavily traveled road.  I walk to school, I walk to the grocery store, I walk for pleasure. I walk, walk, walk.

We had an electricity issue on Saturday night. Before I can share the story I have to explain Cash Power. Cash power is what our electricity is called. Every house has a cash power box outside of their house. You load units onto the box and then you have electricity to use freely. Our family uses roughly fifteen units of cash power a day between showers and lights and electronic devices. We were watching a movie (You’ve Got Mail) and we were about a third of the way into the movie when the entire room went black. Our first thought was that the power was out but after looking out the window we discovered that neighbors had power. My dad went outside to look at the cash power box and was greeted by a zero on the meter. He went down the hill to the grocery store to get more cash power. The way you load cash power is a little complicated to explain, I don’t even understand it, but you need your box number in order to purchase cash power. My dad tried to load the newly purchased cash power but soon discovered that he had given the old box number from our previous house. Back down the hill he went to give the correct box number. The time from when the power went off to the time we all sat down to resume the movie was about an hour and a half. That’s just part of living life in Africa.

Another part of living life in Africa is the bad internet. We went from a terrible internet connection to no internet at all. Our house is at a lower level on the hill so other houses and trees block our house from the internet tower, leaving us without the convenience. So we have to march up the hill to the school when we need to use the internet. There does appear to be a solution of a different internet source but the device is currently out of stock and there is no telling when the next shipment will arrive. So we are without internet at our house indefinitely. Is this what happens when you complain?

Tuesday was our first day of school. It was only a half day…just to give us a taste of what the year would be like. We didn’t have school on Wednesday because it was a national holiday. This was not poor planning on our part; the school didn’t find out about the holiday until Monday, leaving no time to make a change. So we’ve had a half day, a day off, and finally, today, a full day. Adam is loving being a part of high school now. He likes his schedule, he’s having a great time with his friends, and he’s doing well. Miles loves fourth grade. He picked up right where he left off with all his friends and he’s having a grand time being back in Rwanda. Both my parents are doing well. They are very busy with the demands of school but they love being here and serving at KICS.

I went to the market on Tuesday afternoon for the first time this year. I love the market. It’s truly a cultural experience….the language, the smells, the sights. It’s wonderful! I went to see Josephine, the lady who sells us fabric, (you may remember her from one of our videos that we showed this summer) to tell her that we were back from America. She was happy to see me and she said, “How is my mom? How is my dad? How is Miles? (Everyone loves Miles.) How is my brother? (meaning Adam).” Then she said to another couple in the fabric booth, “I am their second daughter. Actually, I am the first daughter because I’m older than her (meaning me).” Well Josephine, didn’t you just work your way right into our family. We do love her!  On my way to the market I discovered that streets signs (from my previous blog), in fact, do not make any sense. You may pass 316th street and the following street is likely to be labeled 118th street. I do not understand.

On Wednesday night I had the rare opportunity to go to a chamber music concert. Three musicians, a pianist, a cellist, and an oboist were in town from Berlin, Germany. They performed on Tuesday night and Wednesday night. There are only three grand pianos in the entire country… (Let’s take a minute and marvel at that. Three grand pianos in an entire country. Do you have any idea how many grand pianos Julliard owns? And that’s just ONE university in ONE country. Blows my mind.)… and grand pianos are not easy to transport so the pianist had to play on an electric keyboard. It’s sort of like playing on a wooden clarinet for years and then having to perform on a plastic clarinet….it’s doable, but it doesn’t sound the same, and it’s a disappointment for the musician. True to the African style the concert started thirty minutes late, but it was positively glorious. I have not had the privilege of attending a concert in over a year. I soaked up every minute of it. I felt every emotion known to man during the hour. The musicians did a marvelous job of conveying their feelings and I was able to understand the music on an emotional, if not intellectual, level. My year is just getting started but I know, without a doubt, that it will be a highlight of my year.

Yes, my year is just getting started. I have so many things still to learn and experience. I’ll be working hard to finish high school and graduate with the best grades I can pull off. I’ll be practicing my clarinet and giving lessons to younger clarinetists. I’ll be growing in Christ and preparing for college and the years to come. I’m living in AFRCIA! I want to jump at every opportunity I have to experience something new. I want this year to be the greatest one yet!