Once again I must apologize for the lack of updates on here. Many of our days start very early and end very late, and by the time it's all said and done, we are too exhausted to finish debriefing much less do anything else. But it is good! A quick update of the last few days....
On Friday, June 6th, we returned to New Hope Homes to just hang out and play with the kids all day. When we arrived, they were awaiting us on the front porch with playful eyes and bright smiles. We were like two teams, one on one side, and the other standing opposite them. For a second we just stood but something snapped and the two teams came together as one...within minutes people were jump roping, playing soccer, swinging...not one team member could be seen without a few kids gathered around wanting to play. We knew the kids by name at this point and we were able to begin establishing relationships with them. One person described the unique bond you find in certain children as 'the souls of the two people drawing toward each other in a supernatural connection'. The day was certainly a blessing to us and by the time we left, we were exhausted and ready to eat a good dinner, and begin our nightly debriefing which begins discussion about how we worked as a team during that day, what we saw God doing in and through us, and what we could have possibly done better.
On Saturday morning, after a half an hour of practicing our skits, we had praise and worship, ate breakfast then headed off to the Compassion project located in a very poor part of the city. We bumped along a very muddy road, up a hill, where a few buildings sat. We weren't sure what exactly we were looking at but we walked down a muddy hill to a small building packed with small bodies, but singing with very strong voices. Over 200 kids were squished together on wooden pews in this small room as we made our way across the front and sat down in the chairs they had provided us, facing them all. They performed songs of welcome, and some of Rwanda's traditional dances. As you looked out the broken glass windows, you could see crowds of children (and even some adults) gathering to look in and see what the 'mizungo's' (the name for white people) were doing. We sang some songs, did a funny skit, and then a more serious one called 'Burdens' and afterward. Scott got up and explained (through an interpreter which is how we communicate with most of these people) that Jesus Christ died for every hurt, whether physical or emotional, and as long as we keep praying to Him, he will comfort us in any time of need. Afterward, we went to take a picture with the kids, and they were so eager to be standing next to us that all of them were pushing up against us, trying to reach out and just touch us. After the picture was taken, they rushed around us, talking, laughing, pulling on us, holding our hands, and trying to get some some small part of our attention. It was very humbling and we can only hope that the message we shared would bring light and life into the lives of these children. Afterward, we met with the officials of the project who make it happen. We sat around a small room which was the office and drank coke, ate banana's, and listened as they explained that there were about 260 children with the Compassion project. Two were HIV+ as well as 31 of the parents. They are growing and we can only pray that they continue to grow and get the education that they need. Erica was able to meet the girl that she sponsors and it was such a blessing for us to watch them interact with so much love as they exchanged small gifts. That afternoon, we went to a genocide memorial. Talk about powerful, overwhelming, humbling, shocking....the genocide that hit Rwanda in April of 1994 stripped this nation of their identity until there was absolutely nothing left. Over the course of a few months, over 800,000 people were brutally murdered...women, children...it didn't matter. We heard testimonies, read stories, and even saw the skulls and clothes that were left on the people they found. Over 250,000 bodies were buried at this memorial and they are skill finding remains today. They had an exhibit which displayed the genocides that have taken place all over the world....Armenia, Turkey, Germany...the list goes on and on. Huge numbers of people being tortured and killed are shoved in your face and you must realize that each and every one was a human being with a story of their own. We walked away from that place with a better perspective, more respect, and a greater love of this nation which has come so far but still has so much healing and restoration to experience. They are in our prayers and I hope they continue to be in yours....thank you, I will update more later.
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