Reentry

Its been three weeks since we've returned from Rwanda. Some days it feels like I made the whole thing up...did I really go to Africa? It's like most trips that I make, once I'm back and return to my routine, the trip seems like a dream. But this time there's a huge difference. Even though it seems that a lot of time has passed, I continue to feel such an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Not for anything material, but for the opportunity of meeting people who personify gratitude. The people I met in Rwanda, from Francoise, my sponsored child in Takwe, to our charming and generous driver and guide, Oliver, to the young servers at our hotel restaurant, I found it impossible to outgive them. For every kindness I tried to give, even more were given back to me. What a spectacular way to live...the kingdom of heaven truly is at hand.

Sunday Morning Sermon

Dorian, our priest, had asked us to deliver the sermon on the Sunday after we returned from our trip. The Gospel message was about feeding 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, so very appropriate to our mission. In preparation for the sermon, the five of us read the passage (in London Heathrow airport), agreed to each aim for 4 minutes of material, and decided the order in which we would speak. We then went off on our separate ways to compose the content. Come Sunday morning, I think we were all curious about how our segments would fit together. Thanks again to the Holy Spirit, it came together beautifully.

One of our parishioners is a poet and a professor at ASU. She inspired me to try my hand at writing some poems about Rwanda (Thanks Sally!). This is one of three poems I read for my segment of the sermon this morning.

Rwanda
Land of a thousand hills
Verdant beauty
It should be paradise

Fallen people
Atrocities unimaginable
Yet, a spark of hope
Living God's grace

Striving to heal, to be whole
One language
One history
One country
One people
We will, with God's help

Don't Mess with the Mossad

Catching up on blogs, after having been home two days.

Did we mention that our hotel in Nairobi, the Fairview Hotel, is across the street from the Israeli Embassy? That street is known as the safest street in Nairobi due to the heavy security for the embassy--armed guards, cameras, etc. I learned that the hard way when I decided to take a couple pictures of the barriers in the street, to show everyone back home how safe it was. I just took a couple of shots looking out the windshield of the van. As we were about to turn into the Fairview driveway, we were pulled over by a couple of Kenyan gentleman in uniform, who asked me for my camera and passport. When they learned that we were staying at the Fairview, they had us pull into the Fairview parking lot. I jumped out of the van and the first thing they said was, No problems, Madame, you just aren't allowed to take pictures in this area for security purposes. You just need to erase the pictures. However, as they were reassuring me that there was no problem, they were taking down all my passport information in a notebook! My first thought was great, they'll see that I've been to Russia and then I'll really be in trouble! I ended up showing them that I erased the pictures, and they handed me back my passport as I profusely apologized. I'm fairly certain that my name is now in a security database somewhere. I have visions of trying to get into Israel and being denied admittance. Not too smart.

Rain Means Food

I think everyone we met in Rwanda and Kenya kept telling us that we should come back in the rainy season, it's so much better then. Being sun-worshipping Arizonans, we were puzzled by that, and asked why it was better during the rainy season. We got answers like, oh it's prettier then, it's greener then. However, the answer that one of our drivers in Nairobi gave us was the best, and probably underlies all the other answers. When we asked why he liked the rainy season better than the dry season, he paused and replied, "Rain means food".

Giraffes and Rhinos and Elephants, Oh My

Yesterday was a day so different from the rest. We visited a baby elephant orphanage in Nairobi that was truly amazing. The staff rescues elephant orphans, nurses them to good health and reintroduces them back into their native settings. The whole process can take over ten years. This park was featured on 60 Minutes not too long ago so I knew a little beforehand of their operation, but to see it in person was amazing. The Kenyans are very concerned about the environment and go about preserving it in a very holistic way.

They also had a baby rhino that played like a dog... a very substantial dog. From there we went to see the giraffe farm where they bred Rothschild giraffes, a species that only numbers about 500 globally. We fed the giraffes, and three of us were kissed by one. No, I'm not going to tell you who the three of us were... that's up to you to find out.

Today is our last day in Africa... for now. Having seen Africa and meeting the most incredible people, I can't imagine ever having a last trip.

See Video of Takwe Children Dancing!

I have a separate blog going, and with unreliable internet connection here, sometimes it's hard to post video on both blogs. Check out http://sarakyler.blogspot.com to see an awesome video of the children in Takwe dancing as we arrived!

The Journey Continues

Reminded by the Holy Spirit, I soon learned to curb my natural impatience and jocularity (hard to believe, huh?), realizing that I am here to wait and watch, listen and learn. The day in Takwe was amazing and heartwarming. However, I felt closest to God at the Genocide Museum here in Kigali. It was difficult to see the horrors but impossible to turn away. Every human being shares responsibility for genocide anywhere, and only by uniting to prevent it will we overcome our sinful natures and truly love one another. The tour ended on just such a hopeful, uniting message. This message was repeated in our prayer service today and is constantly reinforced in many small and large ways. After we left the museum, we stopped at the Bank of Kigali to get more money (and we hadn't even gone shopping yet!), where I read a local newspaper article about their legislature debating a bill that would require all government officials to speak of their involvement in the genocide and ask forgiveness of the people.

The government arising out of the ashes of destruction is an interesting mix of capitalism and socialism. All people are encouraged to work hard and get ahead, for the sake of their families and all of Rwanda. Victims of the genocide and children who were forced to participate in the killing are given counseling and support, every person is allotted a plot of land (to work, rent out or sell), and both education and health insurance are subsidized by the government but requires a 50% financial contribution by each family. Many people cannot afford their portion, and a few nongovermental organizations (NGOs) from other countries are negotiating with the Rwandan government to provide assistance for them.

On a personal note, the standard greeting here is "Hello, how are you?" (not just "Hi"), and telling each other our story comes before we engage in business. Driving is more aggressive than any other place I have seen, yet there is an unhurried atmosphere of civility that provides a real sense of dignity for everyone. Thinking that this is one way to constantly remind myself of the importance of community, I pray that I can make this a priority in my life as well. The benefits and beauty of Rwanda notwithstanding, I am anxious to return to loved ones and see how it works.

Peace and Grace to You,
Barbara