I realized the other day that a year ago I was in Rwanda. A year ago I was adjusting to life at Deo's and learning to adapt to dozens of things I never thought possible. I had not yet gotten tired of being called a "Muzungu" (white person) every where I went. I had not yet surrendered to the stirring in my heart that God kept putting there. I was high off of being in another place, Congo was still just a dream...
So much has changed in a year. If you had told me I would be back in CO and actually ok with it (for now!) I would have laughed at you. But God can do incredible things...
I found this post this afternoon and so share it with you...
Blessings friends.
Today is my third day in Rwanda. I slept in this AM, having had a crazy schedule since arriving on the 4th. I am currently sitting on the balcony of the guest house, with a slight breeze, sunshine all around, and someone practicing the drums. The missionary life is tough, let me tell you.
I realized that I am not in Rwanda on a missions trip. That I am not only here for a short time and therefore do not need to fill up every moment with tasks and "doing something." I was exhausted and needed to sleep - being overly emotional and touchy wasn't doing anyone any good. And just pushing through would have, in the long run, done more harm than good.
If I can get a photo to load of Rwanda I will. Let me just tell you that it is an amazing beautiful country. Little know fact: the elevation is the same as CO. It's true. We start at 5,000 feet above sea level and just go up from there. Rwanda truly is the land of 1,000 hills. Everywhere I look all Isee are rolling hills and they don't stop. Every time you turn one hill there are a 1,000 more waiting for you.
I got to see the volcanoes yesterday. The highest once reaches over 13,000 feet. We went to show As We Forgive at the Sonrise School. It was an amazing experience. The country is still remembering those killed in the genocide. Many in the room were early high school, meaning they were not alive for the genocide, but live in the wake of it. One girl's father was killed in those 100 days - she never knew him. But the need to talk about it, to grieve, to forgive, to move on is still as necessary for her as for her mother.
It's amazing being here. I will say it again and again - Rwanda is more than the genocide. It is an amazing country that is trying to healthly deal with and more on from trauma. But you cannot live in the pain - you must look for a better tomorrow. That doesn't mean it didn't happen or that it wasn't important - it just means you are not going to stay in your tragedy.
