Being

I think the way the devil gets at me sometimes is keeping me too busy to spend that QT with my Maker. Too busy, doing good, productive things! But not anything that is as important as spending time with the one who created me. Just being in His presence and letting Him talk to me for a change. I need to do more of that. Stopping. listening, being. I'm doing too much doing! Do you ever feel like that? I think sometimes I'm guilty of mistaking a "busyness" in life, with a true peace in my soul. One thing I'm realizing is that this experience in Rwanda is much different from my experience in Kenya...in many ways. I was so eager to get back to Africa, to the simple life, to God's country (continent), where things were slower and I felt God was somehow closer. But maybe it was just I was closer to Him! I stopped and listened. Sat under coconut trees and learned about life, love, religion, Him! Played...got dirty. Used my hands. Even though I'm teaching here...I'm constantly busy...I need to remember the real reason why I am here. I need to just be. Be in his presence. I was able to be still and listen to Him in Kenya. I need to work on that more here. "You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy, at your right hand are pleasures evermore." I hope you are basking in His presence today..full of His joy!

Prayer Request

*Update* Baby Paul has just celebrated his third birthday, and has been taken off his meds. He is strong and healthy and doing wonderfully now!

I need you guys to pray for a special little fellow named Paul Thomas Smith. He's the new, infant son (only 3 weeks old) of my dear friend from high school, Lauren. He's back in the PICU with some as-of-yet, unidentified infections...maybe in the brain, but we hope and pray not! His tiny little precious body has undergone too many tests in the last week, and we need to pray for healing and rest for Paul and his parents, Lauren and Brian. Pray for strength for Paul to fight off whatever is attacking him, and energy and peace for Lauren and Brian as they have to be with him, and also their 2 year old son, Jack. Pray for the doctors, that they have knowledge and wisdom about what may be the issue, and the ability to fix it! Pray that God will reign in this situation and we will give Him all the praise, honor and glory! Thank you!

photosynthesis

I never knew I would love teaching Science so much! Science is fun! You get to do fun stuff and be creative. (I still don't like Math, btw!) In 4th grade, we've been studying plants, their life, how they grow, their parts, and of course...how they make their food! We cut up some water bottles and old yogurt cups, and planted all kinds of stuff! It's been fun watching the seeds grow. the bean sprouts really do grow right before your eyes....its amazing! Our corn and watermelon has been pretty successful thus far, but the peppers and tangerines not so successful. Each kid painted their bottle and different seeds. We soaked them in water and got to peel the coating off the beans to see the inner parts. Pretty cool. They also wanted to do an experiement to see what a plant needs to grow properly. So there's one plant that has everything it needs: sunlight, air, water. We denied one plant water, one we put a bag over it and denied it air, and the last one we stuffed it in this dark room so it has no light. They thought it was amazing to watch the plant with no light grow the tallest and the fastest! I thought it was cool too! If you've never done it , try it. It will grow like 10 inches in 3 days...but of course it's not green. It's trying to find the light..phototropism! Anyway, we're having fun with our "garden." This week we learned a cheesy photosynthesis song that I wrote one night at midnight and acted it out with different props and motions. I'll spare you from having to hear it. But it was a success! Science is fun!

I'm thirsty

I lost my orange water bottle yesterday and I've looked for it everywhere. I can't find it anywhere. I miss it. I kept reaching for it today, it wasnt there. Of course, I'll find another one, or it will turn up. But today, I was thirsty. Thirsty in other ways too. It's just been one of those weeks, you know, "those" weeks, where things haven't gone my way at all. Been tired, felt dry inside and out...frustrated... But of course, things have still gone God's way! They always do. I was comforted this morning at devotion when Doug played this song on his guitar, one of my favorite worship songs. I was introduced to this song at YAV orientation in Chicago 3 years ago when I was about to leave for Kenya. It's simple and beautiful, and it filled me up today! Not thirsty anymore! (But I still need to find my water bottle!)

All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of His mercy
As deep cries out to deep.

Come, Lord Jesus, come
Holy Spirit, come
As deep cries out to deep.
Come

Lake Kivu pics

Forgiveness

Last weekend, the Muslim community celebrated Eid, the end of Ramadan, and we celebrated a holiday from school, and a reason to get out of the city and see God's beautiful creation. A few teachers journeyed up and 'round some serious winding mountain roads to the tiny village of Kibuye on lake Kivu. Kibuye suffered the worst casualties during the genocide, with 95% of their population slaughtered, leaving many areas with no witnesses or survivors. You can do a circular walk around the town in less than 2 hours....past the stadium where 10,000 perished, and the church where 5,000 died. Those 5,000 were led to the church by town officials, thinking they were being led to a safe haven, but were sorely deceived. A mob, drunk on banana beer, threw grenades through the building, and a total annihilation took only 3 hours. The church has now been rebuilt, with new stained glass in the broken windows, and new hangings on the altar. We attended Catholic mass there on Sunday, and it was one of the most memorable church services I have ever attended. The sounds of the choir, Tutsis and Hutus alike, singing praises to our God in their shared Kinyarwanda language, was deeply moving. It's only in Christ, that genocide survivors can sit on the same wooden bench each week, and sing hymns together with the people who killed their entire family. If there's ever been a lesson for forgiveness, I think this is it. There's a memorial outside the church to remember the victims. There's many genocide memorials all over Rwanda, some still with bones and skulls and perserved bodies in limestone. But to me, this small church in Kibuye is a more evocative, memorable place than the other ones. Because this church is not a reminder of death....it was made alive again! "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions...it is by grace you have been saved." Thank God for His grace. The rest of Kibuye was just as memorable...a gorgeous view of the hills and islands, looking down the cliff from our Presbyterian guest house....hitching a boat ride to Amharo "Peace" island...waiting three hours for our food to be ready....and singing praises to Him every night, with our fellow musician, Doug. I was thankful for the time away to be reflective. Even though Ramadan is over, I ask you to keep our Muslim brothers and sisters in prayer. Lift them up. One of my professors at CIU told us that if we would commit to praying for the Muslims named Mohammed, Abdullah, Fatima and Khadijah, we would be praying for millions around the world. Enjoy the pics from Kibuye! God bless!

Umuganda Day

In the last 5 years, I've heard there's been many sweeping changes in Kigali, and even the whole of Rwanda. Some are advantageous...(some not so much.) One new idea that President Kagame put into effect is Umuganda Day. Umuganda Day takes place on the last Saturday of every month. This word means "togetherness" or "community." On this morning, until noon, there are no cars or moto bikes out on the roads. All the shops and tiny "dukas" are closed. Everyone stays in their community and works. It's community service day every month! And what is so neat is that all of Rwanda participates...this is a national event, and it actually is effective! I couldn't believe it the first time someone told me about this. I said, no way, that sounds like a good idea, but do people really adhere to it? And they do! It's a day for communities to help one another. It's time to work on a yard project for a widow, or help build a house, or fix something. Rwandans are serious about Umuganda Day. If they catch you out n' about, they will put you to work! I was thinking today... would Umuganda Day work in America? Could people stop their busy lives from 8-12 one Saturday a month to pitch in and help someone. Yeah, I think it could work. Kind of like a Kannapolis Kares Day every month. That would be cool. I know, Renee, at my church would love it! :-)

I've been noticing too, how clean Rwanda is, especially compared to Kenya. I never would have guessed! In 2005, all plastic bags were banned in the entire country. It's even illegal to bring a plastic bag, like a Food Lion bag into the country! They use paper bags at all shops here, but most people bring their own bags from home. When they were cleaning up after the genocide, they found millions of plastic bag remnants all over the place, and the new President just decided to ban them in his attempts to keep Rwanda clean. Wow. Pretty incredible. I'd say, in a way...or in many ways...we are behind in our efforts to protect the environment. (and our communities!) I never would have guessed it would be like this in Rwanda. Makes me think about all the Food Lion bags and Walmart bags I use at home. Not good. Another crazy thing...it's totally illegal to spit outside on the ground! Again, they are trying to keep Rwanda clean. Of course, littering is totally illegal, but spitting? All I can say is that my friend, Keith, wouldn't last a day here. :-)

Found this great verse in Leviticus that reminds me what we are to this earth and what our responsibility is..."The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land." Leviticus 25:23-24

I want to tell you all about my amazing mini-trip to Kibuye town and Lake Kivu last weekend...but right now, my computer is getting severely overheated and making really weird noises, so I'm gonna give it a rest. I'll write more tomorrow with pics too!