The Right Path

Last week was insane! I had to say "good-bye" to a group of amazing people who have become a second family to me the past 3 years. Teaching at Kendall-Whitter was a life changing experience. I learned so much about myself, working with other people, serving God in an unlikely way and that everyday is like a mission if you choose to accept it. I keep thinking of the little boy in my room who has been through brain cancer, chemotherapy, suffered a hearing loss and wears hearing aides. Coincidentally his name means, "God with us". A couple of times last year I would look at him and automatically think, "Oh! God with us! Yes HE is and how can I be more Christ like today? How can I show the love of Christ to my students without saying it?" I hope I managed to do that for them. Anyway, it was a hard time saying goodbye, especially to my boy(who I had in class two years) and his mother (who speaks no English but came and gave me a big hug and said "thank you"). I felt blessed to have known them.

The week ended very exciting: I have my plane ticket and I am moving to Rwanda on August 6! One door shut and immediately the next door opened..just like that. So today I went to the doctor and got all the meds I'm going to need for the next 4 months. Then I went to Wal-Mart and bought all the toiletries/personal items I will need and put them in boxes...with the help of Olivia, of course. I am delivering them to the B2R office tomorrow in Little Rock so the New Life group (who my sister is going with) can take them to Rwanda for me. Each person can take two bags weighing less than 50 lbs each. It's amazing to know that when I arrive in Musanze, my two boxes of school items and my two boxes of personal items will be waiting for me...whew!

I don't have any really strong feelings right now about anything. I don't feel like I have completely left Kendall-Whittier and I don't feel like I am moving half way across the world. Maybe it's because I am following so closely behind God and walking in the path HE has laid out for me. I do have one feeling. This feels right. I know I'm where I'm supposed to be. I'm doing what I was made to do. I have my faith and I am prepared to follow the Lord where HE leads me. With HIM I am unstoppable.

Africa

Africa by Emily Dibb

When you’ve acquired a taste for dust,
The scent of our first rain,
You’re hooked for life on Africa
And you’ll not be right again
Till you can watch the setting moon
And hear the jackals bark
And know that they’re around you,
Waiting in the dark.

When you long to see the Elephants,
Or to hear the coucal’s song,
When the moonrise sets your blood on fire,
You’ve been away too long.
It’s time to cut the traces loose
And let you’re heart go free
Beyond that far horizon,
Where your spirit yearns to be.

Bittersweet

I have 11 more days with my students! Most teachers are ready for the summer to be here..no students, no classes, just time to relax. I can't help but feel sad that this school year is over. Kendall-Whittier has been such an amazing part of my life. I really feel like they are my Tulsa family. (especially, Kathleen Walker-she's always going to be my Tulsa momma, no matter where in the world I end up). I have learned so much about myself and other people while working at KW. I love the population of students I work with. I admire them and their families. June 15 is going to hit me hard, I'm afraid.

This weekend has been particularly difficult for me. Lauren and I shed our first tears when thinking about goodbyes. It's going to be the first time in 7 years that I will be a world apart from my best friends. They have been with me through so much. I know they will always be a phone call or email away but I owe so much of the woman I am today to them. Thank you, girls. YOU are the definition of best friends.

I was the only family member not home this weekend for Memorial Day and I realized that's how its going to be for a while. I'm going to miss my nephew's first year of life. I want to prepare myself for the distance while clinging on to every minute I have left in the states. Why are goodbyes so hard...and yet, I still have 2 months!

But just before I get too wrapped up in my thoughts, God has a way of reminding me what His plans are for me. I had a surprise message on facebook from Manzi, a friend and Sonrise student I will soon meet in Rwanda. It was a simple, "Hallo Dear Sister Walker, how are you?" I was thrilled to hear from him even though we have only talked once or twice online. His timing could not have been more perfect. It's amazing how God does that, isn't it?! It brings me back to reality that this is what God has for me. He has paved the way for me to move to Rwanda. As Beth Moore said, "My feet were meant to dance on a different turf." And I know mine are meant to dance in Rwanda.

This chapter of my life is coming to an end. Although it will be sad and difficult, it will also be glorious. I feel truly blessed to be chosen by God to work in Africa for Him. It is an honor to serve His kingdom where so much devastation has affected His children. People tell me "Thank you" for the work I am about to do but I want to say, "Thank you" to those who are helping me on this journey. I didn't choose this path, God had it all laid out before me. I just take the steps.

Patience

I’m having a difficult time being patient as I count down the weeks until I leave for Rwanda. I’m ready to smell the smells and see the sights. I remember what it was like driving in Uganda from Entebbe (where the airport is) to Kampala. Although it was different, it wasn’t as shocking as I thought it would be. People were on their way to work or school, walking or riding a bike. Women were carrying fabric or food on their head. Children were walking without shoes, dressed in their school uniform.

Maybe I didn’t find it quite as surprising as I expected because God planted Africa on my heart many many years ago. Deep down a part of me was prepared and ready to experience all that Africa had to offer. I feel like I am putty being molded into the person I was born to be.

In a strange way, I miss the smell of burning garbage. It’s not a smell I am excited to return to but it’s a part of Africa that’s just there. I’m ready to see beautiful brown faces who “ohhh” and “ahhh” at the sight of a Mzungu, especially one with blond hair who will let them play with it. They are so innocent but have experienced so much more in their short life than most Americans will ever see. I’m ready to shake hands with people and make life-long friends. I miss the layer of dirt that was left of my skin after a long day outside. I’m ready for things to be difficult and out of my comfort zone. Only then will I rely solely on God.

This spring in Oklahoma has made me think of the rains we experienced in northern Uganda. Purongo Hills school was on a hill and we could look out over the African plain and see the clouds rolling towards us about 3:00 every day. By 3:30 we were drenched and looking for cover. By 4:15 it was over and the sun was back. Children were playing. Women were beginning to prepare dinner before the sun went down. It’s just a part of the rainy season.

I’m very eager to be in the school. The students are the future. One of them might find the cure for cancer or AIDS. I’m fortunate to be going to a country where education is important. I’m excited to teach the kids anything and everything to prepare them for the world.

I’m ready to walk with God and grow in my faith and I’m ready to fall back in love with the continent I hold so dear to my heart.

Family Ties

Last weekend at the Bead Party in Ft. Smith, my Great Aunt Anita stopped by. I had the most wonderful time visiting with her. She and I share a deep love of books (and going to movies!). She has been a Librarian in Ft. Smith for years. Lauren tells me I devour books, well my Aunt Anita demolishes them! We were talking about Uganda, Rwanda and Africa in general and the book I just finished came to mind. It is called Little Bee by Chris Cleave. I was wondering through Borders a few weeks ago searching for a good read and I kept seeing Little Bee everywhere. So I opened up to the first page and it read, "Sometimes I would rather be a British pound coin than an African woman. " SOLD! It was the best book I had read in a while. I gave Anita the book and told her a little bit about it. She writes an article for Ft. Smith's online newspaper, The City Wire, and she said that she wanted Little Bee to be her next book review. She likes to connect her books in someway to the real world so it would be perfect for her to connect this book to me since I'm moving to Rwanda. Here is her article...it's great! I am so honored she wanted to write this review about me. I'm pretty spoiled to have such an amazing and supportive family. Please check out her review and pick up a copy of Little Bee!

Paddocks Picks: Little Bee

Beads, beads, beads!

Mom, Lee and I had a bead party at the house this past weekend. We sold over $4,000 of beads and the money goes straight to the beaders in Uganda. It was amazing!! So many of our friends and family from Ft. Smith came to support BeadforLife. It's incredible to see the fire in someones eyes light up when you tell them first hand stories about the women in Africa. One of the most exciting parts of the day was meeting a new friend, Jessi. Jessi is good friends with Blayne and traveled with him to Musanze and Sonrise. I had heard so much about her and had no idea she was planning on coming to the bead party. It was great to talk to her since she has been to the school where I will be working and stayed in the house I will be living in. It's such a small world.

Still thinking about Uganda...last week the Kasubi tombs where caught on fire and burned down. When I was in Kampala, we visited the tombs and learned the unique history of the Buganda tribe. Here is a picture of the tombs.

www.kasubitombs.org

Buried at the tombs are 4 Kings of the Buganda tribe. George was our tour guide. I hope he is alright and unhurt throughout all of this.

YAY!!

Monday morning was a typical morning...breakfast in the classroom, calendar work, snotty noses...thanks flu season! But then I got the most REMARKABLE email from Dale....BISHOP JOHN HAS APPROVED LEE AND I TO WORK AT SONRISE! (Yes, that is how excited I was!) I read the email and started jumping up and down and grabbed Vanessa and gave her a big hug. My kids thought I was nuts. I am so honored and blessed to be working at the Sonrise School starting in August. God is working great things in my life and I can't wait to get to Rwanda.