Why I'm Here

So a bit of a heavy post to start things off. I know I should blog about where I am (pictures of the cows, the pineapples, my lovely room to come) and get us all situated, but this post came to me first. I've been evaluating a lot why I'm here. I know to use my skills however I can to help, and I know to learn, but I was looking for something that could get me through the hard and frustrating times I am being warned of in my orientation (we're orienting for the next two weeks - more on that later).

Sunday, though, the experiences I had gave me at least one thing to remind myself why I'm here.

Sunday the JSC members were taken on our first trip to Kigali - both to purchase cell phones and kettles (now I have both. email if you want the number or if you want hot water), and to get an understanding of the neighborhoods, communities and worlds that the students come from.

In one neighborhood we were, as muzungus (foreigners) tend to be anywhere here, surrounded by little children. These kids were wearing significantly more tattered clothes than the happy kids that live in the community next to Agahozo-Shalom, though, and some carried bottles of glue with them, keeping them close to their noses. Between our conversations with older ones who knew some English, and speaking through my boss, we gathered that they were orphans (a population that remains especially large in Rwanda, due especially to the genocide and AIDS). They sniffed the glue when they were hungry and slept in the streets. The glue was clearly addictive in some way - when an older boy tried to take a young boys' glue away the young boy (who could not have been older than 10) tried to bite him.

The kids at Agahozo-Shalom also don't have parents (a small percent have a father only). They may have been like these street children, but somehow got enough education to reach level 9, where our school starts.

By being here with them, at the very least, I'll get to serve as an example of service for these kids. I'll get to show that it is valuable to serve the world and the community, and perhaps some of them will help others in their situation rise up to attend school like them. And I'll get to make them feel like they can do anything, just as I was taught as a child - a feeling they can also pass along.

Ok off to bed! In the morning I'll be back at staff orientation with all the Rwandan staff, and we'll talk about Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and Tikkun HaLev (repairing the heart), two goals for the kids that are frequently discussed by all the staff.