Make Your Mark

I finally met Bishop John! I told him how wonderful I thought Sonrise was and how I love everything about it: the teachers, the students, the school...everything! He thanked me and said, "Make your mark here in Rwanda." I have been thinking about these words and how God is using me to make my mark in Rwanda. What is more powerful is that God is using Rwanda to make a mark on me. I have been here one month and my life will never be the same as it was one month ago. Here are some things Rwanda has shown me in the last month:

-The Genocide Memorial in Kigali. It was very heartbreaking and the room dedicated to the children shattered me.

-The Presidential Election. President Paul Kagame was re-elected. That night, we went to the stadium hoping to hear his election speech. I took an ambien by accident before we went and was pretty out of it. We left before he spoke which wasn't until 3:30am.

-Visiting the beautiful children who attend Mwiko school. The village is located on a moun

tain between two lakes...it's breathtaking! We met some amazing children and adults. It's one of my favorite places in Rwanda.

-The first day of a new job. Sonrise is better than what I imagined it being! The teachers are supportive of one another and I have found myself in yet another great family! Every morning I share tea with my friend, Betty. I am currently teaching Religious Education, PE and Music to P1, P2, and P3. Language has been a small issue but I have figured out how to work around it!

-Being the only blonde haired, blue eyed girl almost everywhere I go (unless I'm with Anna!). I am the only "Muzungu" or "foreigner" at Sonrise Primary. Somedays, however, I forget that I'm a little white girl from Arkansas.

-Letting a child use her imagination to draw a picture of whatever she chooses with whatever color of crayon she would like.

-Watching wide-eyed students hold a children's book for the first time and flip the pages while being enamored by the colorful pictures.

-My first church experience at Sonrise Chapel with the students of Primary. It was so sweet and their singing was precious.

-Running on dirt roads through the village. Kids are always on the roads carrying a load of sugarcane or a jerry can of water on their heads. The first day I went running, I looked behind me and there were 4 children running with me. I slowed down and we ran together for about 10 minutes.

-Changing a little boy's bandage on the front porch of our house because he had no one else to do it.

-Moving that same little boy into his new home with his new and loving family!

-Experiencing the beauty in a sunset and really appreciating every day.

I have a blessed life. God is doing great things in Rwanda!

Nitwa MuToni Uwase.

Walking up the hill to Sonrise this morning, I heard the beautiful sound of little voices singing. They were singing the Rwandan National Anthem and their voices were so sweet. I couldn’t help but smile. I took my camera to school today so below are some of the events of the day.

Brown bear, Brown bear

Looking at books

Break time

Gloria and I

One of my little P1 girls, Benneta

My new co workers Pennine and Grace

John Lambert!

Benneta and I.

Washing the students clothes

Vincent, the gate keeper

The computer lab-they were writing about their holiday.

B2R mousepads

Sonrise Primary Chapel

The Spiritual Committee with Pastor Celestine

Primary kids filling the chapel

I am so blessed to be working at Sonrise. I forget that I am the only white face among a sea of Rwandan children and teachers! They have taken me in as if I was born and raised here. My KinyaRwandan is coming along “bohoro bohoro” which means “slowly by slowly”. Every morning I greet the matrons including my new Rwandan momma, Betty. I have tea or a banana with them and I learn some new phrases. They have named me MuToni Uwase which is my KinyaRwandan name. From what I understood, it means the girl with the Father in her heart.

The Village

Yesterday and today we went to the Village near Virunga lodge. We played with the village kids at Mwiko school. Here are some pictures to recap the days events.

Showing off her painting.

Jenna...LOVE HER!

John Lambert and I.

Suzie and I with John Lambert, John Gaspar, James and some other kids.

It's good to be home

Yesterday afternoon, we went to the Genocide Memorial in Kigali. It was heartbreaking. There was an entire room dedicated to the children who were killed during the genocide. As you walk through, you see pictures of the children and can read about who they were. Some things mentioned about different children were: their name, age, favorite food, personality type and behavior, favorite thing to play and their last words. Reading what some of the precious babies said at their final hour was difficult for me. I can't imagine anyone doing such terrible things to a child.

Yesterday afternoon I sat under the gazebo at Tom's house and read a book as I looked out over the amazing city of Kigali. I could hear singing and music coming from various church's in the area. It was beautiful and I could really feel God's presence in Rwanda.

Today is election day in Rwanda. It's a neat experience being in an African country during an election. We have seen many people walking to the voting locations. When a Rwandan votes, they dip their pinky finger in ink to mark their choice. Everything in the city is shut down. It's like a holiday. Very few places are open today.

It's so good to be back in Africa. I really feel that my heart belongs here. It was such an awesome feeling stepping off the plane and taking in the new smells (much better than in Uganda!!).

Below is a picture of our new friend, Christopher. We met Christopher and his friend as they were leaving the voting station. They walked with us for quite some time telling jokes and asking questions. Look closely on his pinky finger and you will will see the mark he used to cast his vote.

I have fallen in love with this country.

Kindred Spirits

Today I received a package in the mail. When I opened it, I was taken back by what was inside. One of my closest friends, Megan, sent me a poem and a necklace to begin my adventure in Rwanda. The necklace has three charms: the state of Arkansas, a heart and the state of Oklahoma. I was so surprised and excited! It was by far one of the neatest gifts I have ever received. Megan has traveled to Africa multiple times on different adventures. Our bond became much stronger when my love for the continent surfaced after my trip to Uganda last summer. Megan and I have loads to talk about and she has been my Africa "go-to" girl. I am so blessed to have her in my life. She is such a talented and beautiful person.

Close to Home

A few minutes ago I found out that multiple people were killed in 3 different bombings in Kampala, Uganda. They took place during the Spain-Netherlands World Cup final game while fans were watching. One of the locations that was bombed is called Ethiopian Village and is located in Kabalagala . The hotel we stayed in while in Kampala was called the Tip Ton which was located in Muyenga. Kabalagala and Muyenga are two neighboring suburbs of Kampala. We would walk the short walk to Ethiopian Village almost daily to check our email. They had the fastest internet around.



This hits a little to close to home tonight. My sister is en route to Rwanda tonight and tomorrow and exactly one year ago my life changing journey to Africa began in Kampala, Uganda. Our trip started on July 11. Grace is in Jinja, Uganda but will soon be traveling to Rwanda to meet up with Lee and her group.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Psalm 4:8
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?


Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

Footprints

Tonight I had dinner with Brandy and Sarah at Los Cabos in in Broken Arrow. They have become two of my closest friends during my time at KW and felt a stab of heartache as I told them goodbye and drove off after our 3 and a half hour dinner.

While we were waiting for our table, one of them noticed that a man standing near us with his family was wearing a bracelet that said, "Uganda" on it. I went over and introduced myself and told him that I noticed his bracelet and I had spent some time in Uganda last summer and that I am moving to Rwanda in a few weeks. He told me that he and his family had lived in Jinja, Uganda for seven years and that two of his daughters were born there. He is currently a pastor at a church in Tulsa and his church still plays a strong role in Uganda and they have people over there constantly. He and his family just returned a few weeks ago from Jinja where they were working on some water wells. We exchanged emails and names and he gave me the web address of the group they do a lot of work with. I love Godcidences! Everyone has been asking me if I'm getting nervous or scared and I think for a moment about why I am going and how this is the path God has me on and I reply, "No." Which I honestly can say I am not nervous at this point. Now, come August 5, the night before I leave, I might have a different answer! I have said many goodbyes to some great people the past couple of days and my apartment is pretty empty except for the big stuff and some boxes but I still have a neutral feeling. Just this afternoon I started getting nervous because I'm NOT feeling nervous! Silly, I know. But meeting the Taylors at a local Mexican joint in Broken Arrow, OK brought me closer to God tonight and I realized how small the world we live in actually is. God placed us there tonight, in the same restaurant, waiting the same 40 minute wait for a table, with our love for Africa visible. (He in his bracelet and me in my Africa Elephants shirt.)

The poem, "Footprints in the Sand" comes to mind even thought this is not a difficult or troublesome time of my life. I am certain that hard times will come but I will remember the Lord is carrying me. When we need HIM the most, HE is there.

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: One belonged to him, the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of foot prints. He also noticed that it happened at the lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you you would walk with me all of the way But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why, when I needed you the most, you would leave me."

The LORD replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."