Our journey has come to an end – the last few days we have been indulging ourselves in a little down time – doing a little shopping and concluding our mission tasks.
On our return trip from Lake KiVu we visited the Imbabazi Orphanage (Book – Land of Thousand Hills). Bunny enjoyed seeing the beautiful gardens and identifying the plants. It was lunch time and the orphans had a big pot of stew going – baby goats were scattering around the property - it was wash day and the kids were hand washing their laundry in small colorful plastic tubs. Having visitors seem not to phase them - as I am sure that there are numerous visiting groups that call on the legendary orphanage.
After about an hour we were once again back on the road - not very far into the trip we came upon a Petroleum truck that had tipped on its side. It was leaking fuel into the water system – onlookers gathered nearby and you could feel their anxiousness as they were chattering in an unusual high pitch. Because of the road conditions and shortage of proper equipment it could be days before they can remove the wreckage – clean up will be a challenge. This is so very unfortunate for the local villagers.
On Sunday, after a little shopping, we had the opportunity to visit our beloved friend Violate and her mother. They expressed how deeply they miss their sister Devota, who now resides with her husband in Indiana. We laughed – we hugged and we had great conversation. We left in high spirits and with much love in our hearts.
Monday started out with a visit to the Ministry Offices – after an hour of conversation in telling our story, I left feeling comfortable, but still with no conviction of what the outcome could be. Our prayers and hope remain strong.
We made one last visit to the home of my dear cousin Rita’s sponsor child – Annick. She is seven years old, grade one, and lives with her widowed mother and four sisters. She was quite shy and maybe a bit apprehensive by our visit – her mother was very appreciative of the sponsorship support. We visited with them about Rita and Richard - also sharing the struggles of Richard’s illness. As we were concluding our visit, Annick, in her little voice, shyly said that she would pray for Richard – we were so touched by her sensitivity. After a family photo we made our way back up the steep embankment and onto our next stop.
Our next assignment was to purchase baskets made by HIV affected women from the Mwana Ukundwa Organization – which means “Beloved Child” – that supports women and children who are infected and affected by Aides.
Our day ended with a delightful dinner with Florence and Charles – words cannot express the incredible work that they are doing here. Our trust in their organization is strong and our friendship and partnership with them is solid. Once again we leave feeling that our dedication to the people of Rwanda and our partnership with Africa New Life, is worthy of our efforts and the generous contributions of the Esther Home sponsors.
To conclude this travel blog I would like to recognize our driver Steven who has been diligent in keeping us safe during our travels throughout Rwanda. Then there is Robert, who is so very special to us - once again he brought to us laughter - strong support and translation with Esther’s family – great shopping experiences and love. We’ve traveled many rutted roads together. Lastly, we are grateful to our wonderful friend, Emma, who has provided us with such great leadership and guidance throughout our trip. He is truly one of the most caring and spiritual person we have met. We are in awe of his great work, his dedication to Africa New Life’s mission and his strong character. Emma’s compassion for the people is unyielding – he is an inspiration to us all.
These past two weeks have been surreal, heart filling, emotional and rewarding. This little team of four has accomplished much and has been extremely impacted by this beautiful country and its wonderful people. We thank our family and friends for all the good wishes and wonderful support. Your spirit was constant.
On our return trip from Lake KiVu we visited the Imbabazi Orphanage (Book – Land of Thousand Hills). Bunny enjoyed seeing the beautiful gardens and identifying the plants. It was lunch time and the orphans had a big pot of stew going – baby goats were scattering around the property - it was wash day and the kids were hand washing their laundry in small colorful plastic tubs. Having visitors seem not to phase them - as I am sure that there are numerous visiting groups that call on the legendary orphanage.
After about an hour we were once again back on the road - not very far into the trip we came upon a Petroleum truck that had tipped on its side. It was leaking fuel into the water system – onlookers gathered nearby and you could feel their anxiousness as they were chattering in an unusual high pitch. Because of the road conditions and shortage of proper equipment it could be days before they can remove the wreckage – clean up will be a challenge. This is so very unfortunate for the local villagers.
On Sunday, after a little shopping, we had the opportunity to visit our beloved friend Violate and her mother. They expressed how deeply they miss their sister Devota, who now resides with her husband in Indiana. We laughed – we hugged and we had great conversation. We left in high spirits and with much love in our hearts.
Monday started out with a visit to the Ministry Offices – after an hour of conversation in telling our story, I left feeling comfortable, but still with no conviction of what the outcome could be. Our prayers and hope remain strong.
We made one last visit to the home of my dear cousin Rita’s sponsor child – Annick. She is seven years old, grade one, and lives with her widowed mother and four sisters. She was quite shy and maybe a bit apprehensive by our visit – her mother was very appreciative of the sponsorship support. We visited with them about Rita and Richard - also sharing the struggles of Richard’s illness. As we were concluding our visit, Annick, in her little voice, shyly said that she would pray for Richard – we were so touched by her sensitivity. After a family photo we made our way back up the steep embankment and onto our next stop.
Our next assignment was to purchase baskets made by HIV affected women from the Mwana Ukundwa Organization – which means “Beloved Child” – that supports women and children who are infected and affected by Aides.
Our day ended with a delightful dinner with Florence and Charles – words cannot express the incredible work that they are doing here. Our trust in their organization is strong and our friendship and partnership with them is solid. Once again we leave feeling that our dedication to the people of Rwanda and our partnership with Africa New Life, is worthy of our efforts and the generous contributions of the Esther Home sponsors.
To conclude this travel blog I would like to recognize our driver Steven who has been diligent in keeping us safe during our travels throughout Rwanda. Then there is Robert, who is so very special to us - once again he brought to us laughter - strong support and translation with Esther’s family – great shopping experiences and love. We’ve traveled many rutted roads together. Lastly, we are grateful to our wonderful friend, Emma, who has provided us with such great leadership and guidance throughout our trip. He is truly one of the most caring and spiritual person we have met. We are in awe of his great work, his dedication to Africa New Life’s mission and his strong character. Emma’s compassion for the people is unyielding – he is an inspiration to us all.
These past two weeks have been surreal, heart filling, emotional and rewarding. This little team of four has accomplished much and has been extremely impacted by this beautiful country and its wonderful people. We thank our family and friends for all the good wishes and wonderful support. Your spirit was constant.
Thank you for traveling with us!
Ron, Joyce, Dan & Bunny
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