It's either an immaculate conception...

or...worms. Yeah, I know it's gross, but it's bound to happen sooner or later when you live in Africa. We call just about any intestinal parasite, "worms", so I reckon it could be a number of nasty parasites, but I've got something! It's not slowing me down....just a little fatigued and sleepy, but the biggest thing is (this is gross), my overextended, very distended, alien belly! So weird! I've never experienced anything like this before! Ha! I know this is gonna sound bad but I'm trying to help you relate...think about those commercials you see on TV, that picture the "poor, starving African children," that are emaciated, but have huge bellies that stick out. It's because of some sort of worm or parasite. It's very common here...I probably got it from bad water, or eating raw fruits and veggies. We are supposed to regularly take de-worming meds every couple of months, just like you pop some ibuprofen for a headache now and then. So I'll walk to the pharmacie(that's how you spell it here!) tomorrow and get some cheap prescription drugs (without a prescription,) and in a couple of days I will be fine. (My African friends said that I don't need medecine. They tell me to eat a bunch of raw garlic mixed with honey and papaya seeds and it will all disappear.) Anyway, even though it sounds gross, these parasites or worms are a very common thing here, and just a slight inconvenience for me.
But it got me thinking tonight, this is something sooo treatable! It can easily be treated with pills for $5-$6 that I will buy tomorrow. Yet, this is another one of those ailments that the majority of people here suffer from because they cannot afford the medecine, or the transportation to get to the pharmacie to purchase the medecine. And then their symptoms lead to more symptoms and continually worsen. Only when left untreated for a long time, can these parasites do some real damage to your insides. This is another incidence where I feel completely privileged and blessed. I have. Others do not. It's nothing at all for me to part with $5, especially when it has to do with my health. Heck, I part with $5 for fast food meals in the US all the time. But for others here, $5 is a huge sacrifice. It can be a week's wages, or more. Everyday I realize how privileged I am. And what responsibility that privilege brings. A responsibility to live on the margins, to choose simplicity, and to love as Christ loves, not judging..but serving. Not taking pity on, but showing empathy and compassion. My prayer tonight...

Lord, give us your heart and your eyes to see those who are marginalized, who are hungry, who are blind, who are sick. We know you are a loving, compassionate God whose heart cries out for justice. Give us your eyes to see, your hands to feed, so we too can cry out for justice, and so that your light can shine through us. Lord, I lift up those children in the world who are suffering from many treatable diseases, and who find themselves in other circumstances they did not choose and are helpless to change. I lift up the children of Rwanda, and the children in the U.S. They are all precious in your sight. May they know the love of you, their Creator tonight and always. Amen.

Which way is the right way?

Rwanda's Parliament is in the process of making a BIG decision.....which side of the road do we drive on??? Since I arrived last year, there has been MUCH debate about this topic among Rwandans and expats. It's a commonly featured topic on KigaliLife yahoo group and in the media as well. But today, the Minister of Infrastructure formally submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister that will call for "sweeping" changes. But they warned us not to get excited yet. There are three options they are considering. Here's the full article...

http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14390&article=33804

I love this quote..."One option is to change from driving on the right-hand side to the left-hand side, the second is to maintain the current right-hand drive system and the ban on importation of right-hand drive vehicles; while the third proposal is to remain on the right-hand drive and lift the existing ban on right-hand vehicles."

Confusing!

Rwanda drives on the right side now, along with Burundi, and has been doing so for a LONG while. But the other members of the East African Community drive on the left side: Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. It's hilarious (and dangerous) here in Rwanda because you have so many outsiders living here....people who were natives of Uganda or Kenya. And on the roads, we've got all kinds of cars. Some have the steering wheel on the right side, some on the left. You're supposed to drive on the right, but some try to drive on the left. And motos drive all over. In 2005, the government banned the importation of right-hand steering cars, to try and reduce traffic accidents from people overtaking, but there are still plenty of them around. This makes cars in Rwanda waaay more expensive than cars in other East African countries. That's one reason to switch to driving on the left. But then, many people would be totally confused and have to re-learn! We'll have to wait and see what Parliament decides. I'll leave you with another odd, confusing quote from the article...

Did you know that "Internationally, 72 percent of the world’s total road distance, people drive on the right."

Not sure exactly what that means, but I hope right is the right way for Rwanda!

Just sit right back, and you'll hear a tale,

A tale of a fateful trip. That started from this Kivu port, aboard this tiny ship. :-)

Last weekend, our KICS staff enjoyed a weekend retreat on Lake Kivu in the northern village of Kibuye. If you wanna be totally freaked out, just look up "Lake Kivu" on Wikipedia. The long and short of it is that Kivu is one of three "exploding" lakes in the world, due to the volcanoes under and around it! It's known to be explosive because the 65 cubic kilometers of methane gas and carbon dioxide mix with the lake water, and interact in a weird way with the volcanic activity....or something like that. Anyway, Lake Kivu is a gorgeous lake, but swim at your own risk! :-)

So, we had a good time Friday night at the Bethanie Guest House; spending time resting and worshiping with Doug on his guitar, and Dr. Miller, our new librarian's husband, from Wyoming. And then the adventure began. On Saturday, we all took two tiny little wooden boats out to Bat Island to check out the swarm of bats and climb up the mini-mountain. It's awesome! The bats can be pretty scary if you've not been pre-warned. On the way, our "captain" kept stalling and just stopped the boat altogether in the middle of the lake because he said we were about to run out of gas, and besides, we had only paid enough money to go to Peace Island, not all the way to Bat. Not true! So after 20 minutes of literally going in circles, and negotiating in Swahili, we convinced him to take us the whole way there. When we finally made it, we noticed heavy clouds coming in over the top of the other islands. But I still wanted to run to the top, so I took off and literally ran up this mountain in 20 minutes. A great view! When we reached the top, the lightning started. Being the camp counselor that I am, I got nervous with everyone being on top of this mountain in the lightning, so I made everyone hurry back down the "shortcut" which was not really a shortcut. Just some really tall brushes and bushes and reeds with prickly things on them. But we made it back just as the huge hailstones started raining down. It was a 30 minute boat ride back, and we had no choice but to get in the boat. No place for shelter on Bat Island either. So, against my better judgment, I got back in, sans life jacket (I gave mine to a 5 year old), and we set off. After about 5 minutes, the hail turned into rain, and not just any kind of rain. It was that stinging, sideways, hurts-your-skin-when-it-comes-down rain. The Forest Gump kind of rain. Then the lightning and extremely loud thunder. Yes, the boat was rocking, and we were praying, and laughing too at the hilarity of it all. 12 mzungus and one Rwandan captain on a tiny wooden boat out in the middle of an explosive methane gas lake in the middle of a thunderstorm. We all huddled down close together, and definitely still got soaked. Then, after 15 more minutes, we looked down beside us and realized the boat was filling up with water! So Doug, who was sitting near "the leak", took a red plastic cup-type thing and started scooping up the water and quickly pouring it back into the explosive lake. This is what he was doing in the picture. Notice how dark the skies were. It was only 4pm. Finally, the rain began to die down, and then stopped altogether just as we were pulling into our guesthouse. We survived our Gilligan adventure, and now have another good story to tell. This whole retreat was all about bonding together as a staff and getting to know one another better. I'd say we accomplished that on our tiny wooden boat! :-) All in all we had a great time!

Doug, bailing us out....literally

Bat Island! Creepy!

On top of Bat Island, looking out at Amharo Island

Chosen

I took you from the ends of the earth,

From its farthest corners I called you.

I said, 'You are my servant;'

I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:9-11

Africa is BIG!

Ok, I know this is a random blog, but when someone emailed me this depiction of Africa, I just had to post it. It's very helpful! I know many of you are curious about just how big Africa really is! I know when I returned home this summer, I got so many questions, like, are you close to Ghana? (No) Are you in North or South Africa? (Neither!) Have you met....so and so who went to Africa? Do you know this person who was a missionary in Nigeria? (No!), etc, etc.

It's just like here, many Africans don't realize how large the United States is. Many of my friends just assume that I am on a first-name basis with President Obama and that I've been to his house and we see each other at the grocery store all the time! They also think all Americans must see Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton, and Beyonce like every day! They think we are all friends and live in the same neighborhood. :-) It's funny to me, but also a little scary to think that these names are what they think of when they think of America. Is this a good thing? Hmmm...

Anyway, this picture really showed me how big this great continent is! (Yes, Africa is a continent, NOT a country!) :-) I hope it helps you too!

Inauguration

News in Kigali this week...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11229201

The U.N. Secretary General made a surprise visit to Rwanda on Tuesday to speak with and "appease" President Kagame. This came right after a U.N. report was leaked accusing his troops of committing genocide against tens of thousands of Hutus in Congo after the events of 1994. Kagame had threatened to remove peacekeeping troops from Sudan if the report was released. Apparently now it will still be released, but not until October. It was kind of a crazy week around town, because Monday was Inauguration Day for the President. This will be Kagame's last constitutional term of 7 years. Rwanda's blue, green and yellow streamers and flags were flown all around the city, and people stayed up all night streaming flowers all along the roadsides where the President would drive, and the other 16 Heads of State that were in town. The fountain in town actually had water spewing from it! (This only happens on VERY special occasions!) :-) Monday was a public holiday, so I woke up and ran down to Amaharo Stadium to see what was going on. I decided not to go inside the stadium because once you're inside, no one can leave before the President does. That's the rule, whether it's an inauguration or a football match. You can't leave until he does. And the events lasted from sun-up to well past sun-down. It was mainly lots of speeches in kinyarwanda, followed by traditional dancing and singing, and more kinyarwanda speeches. I decided I didn't want to be trapped inside for a good twelve hours listening to something I couldn't understand a lick of. It was rumored that Tuesday would be another "spontaneous Rwandan holiday" as well, but lo and behold we had school. :-( According to the radio, it was only a government holiday; I guess because all the government officials were out partying at the Serena Hotel all night. But it's ok, because tomorrow is a holiday too! Tomorrow marks the end of the Muslim holiday, Ramadan. All the KICS staff are going on a retreat to Kibuye on Lake Kivu for a little bit of R&R. I'm exicited to boat to Bat Island again, and just have some quiet reading and journaling time. My spirit needs it for sure! I just read where Iran is finally releasing one of the American hikers! All I have to say is, it's about time!!!! I hope and pray the other two get to come home shortly after. It's time for sleep now...I've been up making zucchini muffins for my roommate, Kelly's birthday tomorrow. Not exactly a cake, but I know she'll appreciate! :-) Goodnight everyone!

Eyes Wide Open

Ephesians 1:18~ "May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope His call holds for you."

I've told some of you about Kang-Hee, my student from South Korea. Kang-Hee struggles with Autism and a special eye condition that is frustrating to him. He can see, but his eyes become irritated so much so that sometimes, his vision disappears. In class on Friday, Kang-Hee had a really bad "eye" day. He is also learning English for the first time. In his journal, he wrote, "God ono lick KangHee. He no mack eies bettr." I soon learned that this meant, "God doesn't like Kang-Hee because he won't make my eyes better." It made me sad. I find it hard communicating with Kang-Hee at times, but I tried to tell him that yes, God does love him, and He does hear our prayers. I don't think he understood me fully, and he just looked at me so forlorn. But then a beautiful thing took place in my 4th grade classroom! Megane said, let's all pray for Kang-Hee. So everyone stopped, put their pencils down, and came over to his desk and made a circle around him. He lowered his head to pray with us, and every student in the room prayed for him. Kang-Hee may not have understood what I was trying to relate to him, but I know he understood the actions of the students as they prayed. I was so proud as a teacher, and so blessed to be in this environment where we were able to just stop everything, put our pencils down and just pray! How wonderful! They prayed for Kang-Hee's eyes to be opened so that He can fully see all that is around him. They prayed for God to give him "wide eyes" to see the beauty around him. They prayed for his future, and his health. They prayed blessings on him and his family. It was a beautful thing to be a part of. May we all be blessed with eyes wide open as we continue on our journey this week!

I want to share a quick "blessing" from a book I just finished..."The God Who Smokes, Scandalous Meditations on Faith." Author is Tim Stoner. I loved this book because of his honesty and how real it was. Stoner ends each chapter with a blessing. Chapter 2 ended like this..

"May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
Give you a  Spirit of wisdom and eyes wide open.
May He bring you to full knowledge of Him,
May He enlighten the eyes of your mind,
So you can see what hope and rich glories are being reserved for you.
May you know this Jesus, who is Unique and Exclusive, and Above,
every other "savior" who has ever come or ever will come...
And through His Spirit,
May He empower you to grow strong in your inner self,
So that Christ may love comfortably at home in your heart.
And then, firmly built on the bedrock of His unyiedling love,
may you be able to grasp its breadth and length,
it's height and depth;
And, knowing His love, which is beyond understanding, amazingly-
Be filled with the utter fullness of God Himself.
(Ephesians 1:17-21; 3:16-19)