Homeward Bound.....

Well, this will be my last blog post from Rwanda for a while – we leave on Wednesday (the 29th), and aren’t back until January 12, 2013. I must say I am anxious to get home to my kids, family and friends, but leaving here always come with some sorrow. We will miss those that we are leaving here – staff, students and friends! As I’ve said before, I truly wish I could just split myself in two and be in both places at the same time, but since I can’t, we continue to try to find the best balance we can between here and the States!

We are continuing to make huge progress here at the MOC. Dean Stanberry was invaluable in his 5 weeks on the ground here – he just left this last Thursday and well…we miss him so much! We sure hope he comes back soon and brings Linda with him next time!! I think he left a little of his heart here in Rwanda and at the MOC – hard to be here and not do that! Kristin Scharkey is also leaving us today. She too, has been such treat to have around. She goes back to her senior year at Northwestern – yep, she’s a smart cookie, that one!! Mia, Aden and Noah will especially miss her!! Her smile and laugh are contagious. I don’t know, in the two months that she has been here, if I have seen her anything other than happy and smiling!! A lesson from which we could all learn!

I have included a photo of the new bamboo fence we are putting up around the entire campus. This fence was the cause of many discussions – from yes, to no (we don’t want the locals to think we are shutting them out, the campus will feel closed in, etc.….), but in the end, the campus is taking on more of a “resort” feel, and since we are striving for the best hotel and restaurant school and services in Rwanda – it DOES look better than chain link fencing with barbwire – you know – the prison look – doesn’t exactly exude relaxation. And there were some that said the wooded area behind the MOC property was just so pretty – it was a shame to erect anything that would keep you from seeing that view – WELL, three days ago, they started clear cutting that land (with LOUD chain saws, might I add) – so now it is a hollow, barren field – not so pretty anymore!! Score one for the pros of the fence! Also included are photos of the new outdoor kitchen. We got the roof up and all the equipment moved so that it all no longer sits on the back porch of cottage #4….it is going to be so nice when it is completely finished – something that will happen after we leave, but you can get the idea! Matt has promised to send photos when they are done, and I will pass them along – promise.

We also have a very specific prayer request right now. Last week, our student, Olivier, whom we truly do love like a son, came to us and informed us that his father, Mathias, who has been ill on and off for the last couple of months or so, was diagnosed with cancer, which as metastasized throughout his body, and there is nothing more to be done. He is home and in no pain, since he has good pain medication, but please keep Olivier, Mathias, and Olivier’s 18 year old sister, Adelphine, in your prayers. Olivier’s mom passed away nine years ago, so these three only have each other. When Russell and I asked what we could do to help, all Olivier asked was that we go with him to visit his dad. We did that yesterday. We have arranged for food to be sent every day (food that is easy for him to eat), and we also took him one of our Musanze Opportunity Center fleece jackets, worn by our staff and students. He was so proud to get that jacket!! Many of my photos are of our time with them, which I am using with permission from Olivier, and I will make sure that they get copies of all the photos I took…..what a precious family they are!

As much hassle as we can get sometimes from the local government, and those that seemingly want to undermine our work here, mostly because, I think, we are getting so much done in such in such a short amount of time, it simply intimidates some. When we have days like yesterday…days that are about our students, their families, and THEIR success (not ours), then it makes all the battles we fight here worth it! We are here to help the Rwandans change their own futures. Not to do it for them, not to give it to them, but to walk along side, to teach and help them be the solutions to their own problems. Sometimes they will be successful, sometimes not, but it’s usually your failures that teach you more than your successes ever will. The key is whether you get up after those failures and try again. Our prayer is that our students not only hear us say it, but see us DO it, and from that, will gain the confidence to do it as well!

So…homeward we shall go, back to driving on roads without people, bikes, goats, chickens, and motos. (I relate driving in Rwanda to the game Frogger - if you are driving, you pray someone or something doesn’t jump out in front of you….if you are crossing the street, you become the frog, and that’s NEVER good.) Back to having “in person” conversations instead of those over Skype or phones, that go something like this “can you hear me, are you there, hellllooooo…..” and time spent with those we miss so much when we are here, as well as each other. I am looking forward to a few more date nights with TCBITW,  Monday night community group, getting hugs from my kids, lunches with my mom, time spent with my dad, Friday night CHS football, Tuesdays at the Rainey's and getting baby Cole here, happy and healthy….and ok, ok…real live hair “didin” and mani/pedis!!

But, we will miss and leave behind family and friends here – I mean who, really, can say they feel at home in two totally different places on completely opposite sides of the world?? We can, and for that we are grateful!!

I will keep you updated as to the progress around here even though we are not personally here! Matt and Diana (and Mia, Aden and Noah), Dan and Frances, and Andy will hold down the fort while we are gone, and will keep us in the loop with photos!

Till next time….US of A, here we come!!

The Outdoor Kitchen getting it's bamboo roof...this is just the start...just wait until you see the finished product!!

Another view

The new bamboo fence...going up around the entire perimeter of the campus!

Olivier, his dad, Mathias, and his sister, Adelphine - a precious family!!

Mathias getting his new MOC fleece jacket...

Olivier, Mathias, and Adelphine

Russell with Olivier and his dad - boy, do we Muzungu's need some sun!!

Aldelphine, her dad and Russell

Aldelphine, Mathias and Me - yes, I need some sun too, along with some make-up and a hair didin...just sayin!

Olivier, his dad and me!

Life at the Speed of Light.....

Well… LORD HAVE MERCY… the last couple of months since my last post have been, how shall I put this – well… I don’t even KNOW how to put it!! I think in the interest of time and as not to write a book, although I am seriously considering that, you must know, just because WHO would really believe this is all real – I mean, REALLY!?! And I will warn you now that the amount of photos that are attached to this post are obscene, but how can one really describe things better than with pictures, so I have included a boat load!

Last I left you (sounds like a book already, now doesn’t it, although, granted, it does have a sort of soap opera-e sound to it!), we were anxiously awaiting both the Beaudin family and the container. Both arrived – the Beaudins on schedule, the container – not so much. I am happy to report that after two months on the ground, the Beaudins (along with their newly acquired Rwandan street puppy, Belle), have settled in quite nicely and have been SUCH a great addition to our MOC family! Diana is a rock star, considering the kids are twins, Mia and Aden (2 years old) and baby, Noah (1 year old)… just think about that for a skinny minute, and if you have to think about it longer than that, you are either a better person than I, or crazy, one of the two! All kidding aside, they are doing great, and we are all eating so well, it’s ridiculous! No African weight loss plans now!

The container was a completely different story. First they told us it was delayed because there was a strike in Tanzania (which there was not), and then it was because customs wouldn’t release it (which was partially true). TCBITW was, yet again, tenacious in his goal of getting that thing here and unloaded before our big groups started arriving! Did we ever make it by the hair of our chiny chin chin! As is always the case around here – when it rains, it pours, so the Beaudins arrived one night, the container didn’t arrive until the next day (and it had on it, the cribs, diapers, wipes, etc, which we didn’t completely locate until almost a week later). At least this one was on the truck facing the proper direction and we were able (since the concrete mixer and some very heavy commercial kitchen equipment was on board) to use the “loading dock” we had dug a year ago! We are always thankful for small miracles! We spent a couple of weeks putting together kitchen equipment and computer desks for the school, and unpacking all the new tools for our “Home Depot,” as we have dubbed our shop.

Within a few days, we had a group of 22 associated with Africa New Life stay just one night with us… a good practice run for our big FBC group arriving just three days later. In that group, were our friends (ok, family, really), the Clarks – Taylor, Gayle, Ryan and Cole from Austin. It was such a treat to spend some time with them and we were so honored to be a part of the dedication of the new girl’s dorm at the Africa New Life Academy over in the Eastern Provence town of Kayonza, in memory of their sweet little Riley Jane, who passed away just three months prior.  What a blessing her life was to all of us, and now, to the precious girls who call Africa New Life Academy home while in school there!

The FBC group arrived in full force just a few days later… and took the campus by storm. There were 25 of them (including fellow wolfpackers, Douglas and Camille Braswell and their boys Douglas and Luke, who were here more than three weeks), and boy oh boy, we were a bit concerned about what we were going to do with that many people for 10 days, but let me just tell you – THEY jumped right in and into action so fast it would have made your head spin! They made curtains for all the houses, organized everything from the kitchen to the laundry room, got “Home Depot” so organized, TCBITW can actually find whatever he is looking for, not to mention teaching, loving on, and mentoring the students, staff and residents of the MOC and beyond! A great BIG thank you to them all (the Braswells, Brogdons, Byrnes, Butlers, Jerome James, Jarvis’, Jones’, Millers, & Rameys)!! We were SOO SOO SOO sad to see them all go!! I personally think they just all need to move on over!! What we didn’t anticipate was the amount of extra laundry 25 people would add to the mix. Do this – go into your closet and drawers and take out EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU OWN, oh, along with all your towels and sheets… divide it all into piles on your laundry room floor, and start washing and drying and do this EVERY SINGLE DAY! You might POSSIBLY get the idea of what we were up against! Needless to say, a commercial washer and dryer FLEW to the top of the “Must Have on the Next Container – GOD WILLING” list! If you happen to have a spare $25K lying around – well, we’ll take it off your hands for that exact purpose… just sayin!

During all of that, we said goodbye to Kim and Aaron Jacobi, who had been here for three months, and were such a valuable addition to the MOC family, that there was major depression around campus in the days after they left! We are PRAYING they will come back and stay longer… in our inability to think otherwise, we have just gone to living in our own little world around this issue, and are convinced that they will, in fact, be back! THE END!

About the same time, Jim and Barb Caldwell and their dear friend, Brittany Mathias arrived for two months. Jim is the head of the John Brown University School of Construction Management and started our university level courses with our construction management students. The students have thrived under his tutelage. Barb is a true Titus 2 woman, and Brittany, a 4th grade teacher, has been great picking up where Kim left off with our illiterate student initiative.

On the heels of the big FBC group leaving, were Robert & Sherard Lewis and Bill & Ann Parkinson coming! Robert and Bill were here to get a plan around our discipleship program. We met with all kinds of pastors and leaders in the communities. We now have a good, solid plan, which includes our first intensive next January. As always, it was so fun to be with these couples and great friends and after a week here, we headed off to South Africa to guide them to some of our favorite places down there. We did a short safari on a private game reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park, and then headed down to our fav, Cape Town, and spent 5 days there. It was a REALLY nice break for TCBITW and I, since we had taken to speaking only in cryptic messages and texts. Not exactly what marriage experts recommend! Just kidding – come on now… while it has been extremely CRAZY and we hadn’t had a date night in I don’t know how long – let’s not get the tongues wagging – all’s fine on the marriage in Rwanda front!

The night we arrived back in Rwanda was also the night the next group from FBC arrived… Brandon Barnard, the Browns, the Chapmans (fellow wolfpackers), Pam Ferguson and Dean Stanberry. They spent a week with us (except Dean, who will be here a month), and yet again, my heart was full from being around all these peeps!! In fact, I am terribly missing hearing Lori Chapman say “you up chiquita” every morning through my bedroom window! I have determined that they, too, just need to move on over!! While they were here we also started pouring the slab that will be our new outside patio. On the container was a very nice professional party tent, which we temporarily set up in the grass off to the side of the existing patio in anticipation of the pouring of the new slab. We poured the first of three parts of the slab while the second FBC group was here (utilizing the concrete mixer for the first time – woo hoo), and poured the second yesterday. The third, and last, will get poured on Saturday (God Willing), and the tent and outdoor kitchen in place by Monday – can I get an AMEN!?! In this process, we hired 40 extra workers, all villagers from villages that surround us! We love getting the community involved in what we are doing! They are seeing the tangible fruits of our (and their) labor!

Our students, as I said earlier, are thriving under Jim and Matt and thanks to Frances, they will all be ready to sit for the TOFEL exam (an English proficiency test that all international students must take to be accepted to any western university) in November. We also now have 100 teachers and district education officers taking English classes here at the MOC at nights and on weekends. What a difference that will make for the students in and around Musanze as their teachers become more proficient in English.

What I didn’t mention were the other people coming and going this summer – Katie Jo McGehee was back, and Kristin Scharkey, a journalism major at Northwestern is here until the end of the month. Tom Allen pops in when there is a bed available, and we always enjoy having him here! We never know who is going to show up for a tour or a meal (and this includes the Governor of the Northern Province, and the district/immigration folks)… to say that life at the MOC is akin to a goat ropin, I think would be fairly accurate!

Now TCBITW and I have to push through a busy, tough month of playing catch up with day to day things that simply fell by the wayside for two months while all the groups were here and get ready to leave the campus on a forward tract as we leave at the end of this month for the fall and holidays back stateside.  We are getting increasingly excited about Baby Cole’s birth in early October, since we are getting weekly photo updates from Brit. Not the same as being there, but she also sends us videos of Cole kicking! Priceless!!

Your thoughts and prayers are always appreciated!! Till next time - enjoy all the photos (and I want to give credit and a big thank you to Sherard Lewis and Ann Parkinson for the South Africa photos – some were taken by me, but I was a complete picture taking slacker on this trip, and many of the photos were taken by them)!! And I also want to say that these photos are in no particular order...the internet has been quite finicky today, and this represents my third try to get them uploaded - welcome to my world :-)

Kim and Frances

The honkin big - totally awesome FBC group

First run with the new cement mixer

#1 or 3 poured and beeaaauuttiiffulll......

The Bucket Brigade...

#2 of 3 gettin the finish up...

The Beaudin Famil - Matt, Diana, Mia, Aden & Noah

Newly decorated and remodeled cottage

Different View

And another....

Different View

The new tent...niiiccceee!!

TCBITW openin that container!!

Lots of STUFF!

Finally using that loading dock....

The cement mixer in the container...

The cement mixer getting moved off the container...

Workin that cement...

We shook every single villager's hand on their way out of the gate after they finished their job with us...

Finally saw a White Rhino - woo hoo!!

Dinner in South Africa with the Rwandan Ambassador to South Africa, Vincent Karega, and his wife, Netty

Discipleship Curriculum Development Meeting...

A Cheetah that looks like SOMETHING has her attention....

The gang on a game drive...

At Cape Point - the Southermost tip of Africa - can we say WINDY!!!

The Green Mamba - the most poisonous snake in the WORLD!! WAY TO CLOSE FOR THIS CHICKADEE!!!

Robert and Bill with three very respected pastors in Rwanda!

Sunday Worship at the MOC led by Robert Lewis - oh yeah!!

And pose....

Lazy afternoon....

Zorgvleit Winery at Sundown - STUNNING!!

The gang at the Cape of Good Hope!! Still WINDY!!

The guys at Rwanda Trading Company - best coffee EVER!!

Wine Tasting at Stark-Conde' - a little boutique winery!! LOVE!!

The guys at the lighthouse with the Cape of Good Hope behind them!

Lord Rainey - RR was so cold, he wore his fleece bathrobe on our morning game drive - he got kidded all morning, but the joke was on us - he stayed quite toasty!

Woo Pig Soooie!!

Hip Hip Horray!!

Thank you for visiting and ta ta for now!!

Containers, Construction, Profiles, Teaching...and LAUNDRY....

Well, back at it… life in Africa. I promised student profiles, and they are included at the bottom of this post. Our two newest students are missing, but I will add them in the next blog.

Life since I’ve been back has been, as usual, sheer craziness!! We never know what we are going to get when we wake up. Never know what each day is going to look like. I have spent the last five days in the laundry room… that’s right… 5 days, 40 loads, 2 washers, 2 dryers, none of which just “work.” If the power surges, one, two or all, cut off, so it takes sitting and watching them to keep them going. The power is so unreliable here, it causes many more problems that just whether you have lights or not! And, since it is still the rainy season… using the clotheslines outside is not really feasible! So, you sit, you watch, and you manage. Why, you ask, doesn’t some of the staff or students do this? Well, think about it. As westerners, we have spent our entire lives watching laundry being done, or DOING it ourselves. It’s not something you think about or analyze; you simply separate, treat (if necessary), wash, and then dry. Here, most Rwandans don’t even know that washers or dryers EXIST, and they surely haven’t seen or operated them. How would they know how to use them? Yes, we have a couple of our staff that can use them, but when it gets to a point that there is so much, it is very difficult to teach them the art of laundry management. Honestly, who would have thought there was an art to laundry management? Well… let me tell you, THERE IS!! Especially when you have SO many sets of sheets and towels, that in this humid climate takes FOREVER to dry!! We have just hired a girl that will do nothing but laundry! I will do my best to teach her, not only proper laundry techniques, but laundry management! We’ll see how it goes. Our experience is, when teaching here, you have to be very picky and VERY patient. We teach, re-teach, re-teach, re-teach, and pray that we are patient, loving and that at some point it sticks. Some things have… others are more of a challenge.

We also hosted our first English Teacher’s Conference. It was actually Musanze’s 15 Sector Education Officers, who will choose which of the district’s English teachers will come and study English here at the MOC. It was a great day. Frances Klink, our Head of English, put a lot of time and planning into this event… and if you remember, we had it scheduled back in the early spring, only to have to cancel because of issues with the district. BUT, she pulled it off yesterday, with the help of Kim Jacobi, and it was quite the success. We are hoping to have the “Head of English” from each of the district’s more than 150 schools studying here within a few weeks. This is the first step in making a larger difference in the community of English speakers! Training the trainers is our motto!!
We are also excitedly waiting for our new Executive Chef and his family to arrive on Wednesday. At this point, we are also still waiting on the container to arrive. It looks like they might arrive on the same day… OF COURSE they are! Honest to goodness, Russell Rainey has been Herculean in his efforts to get the container cleared and here. We are still waiting on clearance from customs (to say that they aren’t exactly the easiest to deal with is the understatement of the century), and then the container itself to reach Musanze. Needless to say, we have been on our knees about the whole situation for over a week now, and are just trying to be as faithful as we can in order to get that thing here and unloaded. Our group from Fellowship arrives on the 16th (YAY!!!), so we will have lots of hands and brains to help!! We just pray that it arrives next week!! If you have a second or two, please pray for that as well!!

The last few photos are of our students learning hands-on construction by remodeling our new Chef’s house here on campus. The great advantage they have is that they have NO experience in construction work so they are learning from scratch the best building skills and techniques in the world. We have proper tools for them to use, which you don’t really find here in Rwanda, and they are so smart so they’re getting really good, really fast! They’re doing a great job… but of course, Russell’s a great teacher. This is the environment in which he thrives! It is these moments that keep him going when dealing with all the government bureaucracy! He loves those kids, and he loves doing and teaching!

Enjoy the photos, and the student profiles!! Onward we go….

Teacher's Conference

Teacher's Conference

Lunch Table for the Teachers

Eric & Yusuf working on the bathroom

Patience working on the bedroom

Sharon working on the bedroom

Eric & Patience mixin it up!!

Issa “Yusuf” Duyandane

Yusuf is 28 years old, and we were impressed with him right from the start. Both of his parents passed away, leaving him to care for his two sisters, one older and one younger. He spent his primary school years in Rwanda, but went to Kenya to attend secondary school, which would explain his good English!

 He was actually admitted to the University of Nairobi, but deferred in order to care for his younger sister. He then had to defer a second time for the same reason. After that, he lost his scholarship, no longer giving him the chance to study at the university level. When he interviewed with us, he was working part time in a local business and part time in the tourism sector.

Yusuf is an old soul. He thinks before speaking, but when he does, what he says is usually quite profound. He is easy going and gets along very well with the other students. He is always one of the first to volunteer or notice something that needs to be done!

 He was raised in a Muslim home, and as Rwanda is a mosaic of cultures and religions, we think it quite fitting that one of our first MOC students is a Muslim boy named, Jesus (Issa is Arabic for Jesus). Yusuf always leans forward and listens intently, during our daily discussions about the life and character of Jesus.

When asked his hopes and dreams, Yusuf said, “My hopes and dreams are to create a tourism company and employ people who have the ability but less of the privilege. After getting the tourism company up and running, I hope to also build an eco-friendly hotel.” We have no doubt that with his hard work ethic, Yusuf will be one of the leaders of the class of 2019.

Sharon Mutoni

Sharon is 18 years old and is our fourth and final student from the Cornerstone Leadership Academy. She hails from Kigali and has one sister and two brothers. Both of her parents have passed away.

Sharon is outgoing and is one of the more active participants when in class! She is always willing to help wherever we need her, although, she too, likes being in the kitchen learning from the chef. She is confident when speaking, and has good insight.  She is usually one of the first to raise her hand in the classroom to answer a question.

When asked what her dream was, she said, “I hope to be the Minister of Tourism in Rwanda, and also a great entrepreneur in the country”.  What a dream that is!

When asked the one thing she would change INSTANTLY about Rwanda, she said that she wished people would stop becoming job seekers and start becoming job creators.

Patience Uwamurera

Patience is 20 years old and the third of our recent Cornerstone Leadership Academy picks. She also scored a perfect 55 on the Rwandan National Exam. She is from the Eastern Provence and her mother passed away when she was young. Her father re-married and she has 3 half brothers and 2 half sisters.

Patience is very smart, although sometimes lacks the confidence to speak up. Just in the last few days, though, she is speaking with more confidence and assertiveness. She has a beautiful singing voice and plays the guitar. We are looking forward to having her sing and play for us at our Sunday morning worship services here on campus.

When asked what her dream is, she said, “To be a self-employed business woman in Rwanda, while also developing my county”.

We are looking forward to seeing Patience come out of her shell and gaining the confidence to make her dreams come true!

Olivier Nsabimana

Olivier is from right down the road in Musanze. He is 22 years old, and was a graduate of one of the public schools in the Musanze district. While his mother passed away, he lived with his father, who is 70 years old and retired. He has one brother and one sister.

Olivier wasn’t an obvious choice for us, but there was a spark in him that was hard to miss. While his English skills are probably the weakest of all the students, he has a determination like none other. HE WANTS TO GET BETTER! He is working in his free time to improve by working on Rosetta Stone and reading the dictionary. He has a smile that lights up the room.

Olivier is a hard worker, and never ceases to amaze us with his willingness to help others and pitch in where necessary!

He told us that he LOVES his MOC uniform because it made him feel like “an important business person from America”!

When asked what his dreams are for his future, he said, “To further my undergraduate studies and eventually get enough skills and knowledge to develop my county and myself”. Others first, that is Olivier!

We are so please to have Olivier as part of our pioneer class of 2019!!

James Mugabo

James is 18 years old, and is a recent graduate of Cornerstone Leadership Academy. He scored a perfect 55 on his Rwandan National Exam, so clearly James is a bright young man. He is the fifth of nine children to his father and mother, both of whom are still alive and are farmers in the Eastern Provence. 

While James is very quiet, not overly loud or boisterous, you sense in him a very serious, persistent personality. He takes all that he is taught and sits on it. You can tell that he is processing EVERYTHING he hears. He is very observant of both people and things.

When asked what his dreams for the future are, he said this, “I dream of establishing a construction company that will help Rwanda and the world in general; to improve on construction methods. I hope to get the best entrepreneurial skills that will help me meet my dreams”.

When we asked him if he could snap his fingers and change any ONE thing about Rwanda instantly, he said that it would be how Rwandans view truth in work. He realizes the need for change in this area is important to run a company of integrity.

Jean “Barack” Habumugisha

Barack is 20 years old, and attended SonRise Secondary School in Musanze. He was voted class President by his classmates, with 86% of the vote. When we first met Barack, he told us he like to be called Barack because he was the class President and likened himself to President Obama. But after visiting with his mother, realized his Kinyarwanda name, which was also his father’s name, actually translates into “Barack”.

Barack certainly does not lack confidence. He is usually the first to raise his hand in class and even when speaking about something of which he is uncertain, he does so with a strong voice and presence! He stands out as a natural leader among the other students.

He is the youngest of five boys! He father passed away, but his mother is so very proud of him. Meeting us was the first time she had ever met a Muzungu (a white person)! She was also quite taken with our washing machines and dryers! Never imagining such things existed! It is clear after meeting his mom where Barack gets his bright smile! She lives in a traditional Rwandan mud home over near the border with the Congo, and is a subsistence farmer.

When asked his hopes and dreams, this is what he said, “My dream is to create jobs for my fellow Rwandans. I have a dream of studying Construction Management, which will help me develop my nation and provide a brighter future for my nation, as well as make it stronger. The MOC will help me make my dreams come true”.