Visiting kids in Kabuga and Musanze.

This school year started off with two last-minute public holidays.  One was literally the day after school started.  The other, this past Monday, celebrating Eid.  Now last year, when these random public holidays popped up, I'd go over to see the kids at New Hope.  Now, however, they live two hours away.  So this last Monday, I took the chance to go to Hope for Life Ministry, a home for former street boys founded by my roommate, Hilliary.  I'd been hearing about "her boys" for the last year.  Natalie and I scooted our way to Kabuga, a town just outside of Kigali.  Well, I should say Natalie drove her purple Scooty Pep+, a little 75cc moped, which looks a lot like the one I drive around Kigali (besides that fact that it is purple.)  We made it, and she did a great job driving:

 

Natalie and the boys made bread while I watched and took pictures.  Here are some of them kneading the dough.  Natalie is an absolutely fantastic baker and loves to share her love of bread with anyone.

I couldn't help but smile when I saw a huge rabbit hutch near the house.  They raise rabbits for eating, 

much like my old house on the north side of Minneapolis.  These cute guys will eventually make a great meal.

A hydro-geologist from the states was staying at Hope for Life.  Here she and some of the boys are building a composting toilet with cement. 

There were a few photographers in the group ready to take over the camera.  Here is my favorite shot one of the boys took:

**

Yesterday, my alarm clock chimed at 4:30am.  On a Saturday.  Yes, I'm a little bit crazy, but not really because the purpose of waking up so early was to catch a 5:30am bus to Musanze, where the kids from New Hope Homes now live.  I got there before 7 and knocked on the gate.  Everyone seemed to be sleeping still so I waited and took in the surroundings.  Currently, the kids are living in a rental home while the new house is being built.  The rental house is just a short walk from the bus station on the outskirts of town.  The countryside is lush, green and hilly, with dirt paths carving through terraced farm fields.  Beautiful.  After a few minutes, Manuel came to let me in with a big hug.  All of the kids ran out of their beds to greet me.  It was a great welcome.  I've missed them a lot over the past few months.  

Look at how cute the little ones are in their jammies, brushing their teeth:

We built rock towers.

I think Esther would have a blast at Artist's Point in Grand Marais...

Who can build the tallest tower?

After a lunch of cabbage, beans, and rice, the older kids and I hiked out to a stream I'd been hearing about all morning.  Donna and the kids discovered it a few weeks ago and it definitely lived up to the hype.  At first the kids just waded around, splashing a bit.  Five minutes later they were floating down the small rapids under the bridge.  So fun to see them enjoy the water.

To get back home, we took a different route which took us up and down a hill.  This area is just so beautiful.  Can't wait for the rain to show up soon and make the green even greener.

Much love from Rwanda,

Abby

Love from Rwanda.

It has been over a week since returning to Rwanda and I think I'm officially over jet lag... although I could really use a cup of coffee right now!  (And it's 4:36pm.)  It is really wonderful to be back, although bittersweet after such a wonderful time at home with such dear people.  Here are a few instagrams to document my first week back in this beautiful country:

This is Sande and I in a (very) dusty van driving on a (very) bumpy dirt road (very) fast. (Note our expressions.)  I had the chance to travel to Kibeho, a small town in the south reaches of Rwanda, with Donna and six of the kids from New Hope Homes.  We visited a Catholic visionary who has lived there her entire life.  She is an amazing woman, committed to telling her story and praying for those who come to visit her.  Google "Kibeho" to find out more.  We stayed at a guest house and I entertained the kids while Donna had more time with the visionary.  We played cards, walked around the beautiful grounds (including visiting a giant statue of Jesus), ate meals together, and generally had a great time.  I also played nurse tending to a child who ate way too much food the night before... let's just say I didn't get much sleep! :)  It was so wonderful to reconnect with some of the kids, and spend time with the ever wonderful Donna.

The deep, red dirt is still here.  After my first trip in 2007, I wrote a song including the lyrics "deep red dirt, on my feet, it's seeping into me."  This dirt literally does seep into you (you should see the bottom of the tub when I wash my feet), but I was going for the metaphor.  This country is magnetic - it draws you back, time and time again.  And now, returning for another year, I definitely feel at home.

Tomorrow marks day one of the 2012-2013 school year.  I am delighted to start the year with a new crop of 2nd graders.   Each year, I like to make the number of the grade level I teach with a different object.  This year, it was buttons.  

To all of you back home - I am so blessed by your support.  Thank you.  I'll keep the photos and stories coming. 

Much love.

A Minnesota summer.

Summer, in pictures:

 I got to spend lots of great time with my family at the lake.  Here is my mom and Aunt Julie, after a day (or many days!) in the sun.

The sunsets on Trout Lake are the best.  This is my little cousin fishing.

Sunset boating.

Sunset water (sense a theme?!)

Really, we're not twins. (My sister Laura and I.)

I will miss long summer nights.

Stormy skies on a drive through central MN.

Jayme and I went to the Boundary Waters.  It was an epic, and I mean epic, trip.  We had steak the first night.

And oatmeal the following morning.

And here we are making our "holy crap we made it through the hardest portage of our lives" faces.  It was an intense trip, but the adventure was oh so worth it.

This campsite won the "best ever stayed at in BWCA" award.  It was rainy when we set up, but the morning brought sun and warmth.

Roots, rock, and water.  

4 days and I'm on a plane back to Rwanda. Where'd the time go?!  

Hope your summer is full of beautiful sunsets and fun adventures.

Much love.

Last Days in Rwanda, First Days in MN

It's hard to believe I'm writing from a comfortable couch, in Minneapolis, drenched in morning sunlight from Minnesota sun.  I just finished eating greek yogurt with raspberries, which were two things definitely unavailable throughout my last year of life.  I am ever so grateful to have these months at home to connect with those I love on this side of the Atlantic.  

My thought process this morning... "Okay, so if I want to post a blog, it will take at least 30 minutes to upload photos, so I'll start the upload, go for a run, grab coffee, and come back home to post."  Well, the upload of the below photos literally took.... 10 seconds for each photo.  Internet speeds are like lightning here. Its crazy.  

So, without a run under my belt, I will update you on my last few days in Rwanda!

The day before my flight back home, I headed up to Musanze for a quick visit to see the kids at New Hope and help Chantal with a few projects.  One of those projects was taking pictures while her architect and builders started measuring the building site for the new homes.  A month or two back, all of the kids from New Hope moved to Musanze from Kigali, which although being a huge change for me, is just awesome for the ministry.  Here is a picture of the new land.  It is nestled under towering volcanoes, with plenty of space to grow food and keep animals.  On this land, in about 9 months, will be a beautiful new building to house all 30 (or close to it) children at New Hope.  The vision and plans for this property are well laid.  I am excited to be a part of the process.

                            

This is the architect looking at the plans, eyeing what should be roped off for the building site.

And here is a builder cutting planks to build a fence for the building site. Aren't the colors in this landscape just incredible?

I also got the chance to visit the pre-school started by the Anglican Mother's Union in Musanze.  Here are the kids in their new, tie-clad uniforms.  So cute.  Its really hard to get a picture of a bunch of 3, 4, and 5 year olds looking at you (and gasp - even smiling), however!

Here is Desami identifying letters.  The teachers in this school are just wonderful. I got to meet them a few months back and talk with them about planning out their instructional day, but seeing them in action was just so great.

After this wonderful day, I bussed back to Kigali to see friends, do some last minute packing and organizing, and found myself on a plane bound for Brussels.  Who I didn't expect to see was one of my very good and dear friends, Marta, on the plane.  We enjoyed the 30-minute flight to Kampala, sitting side by side, catching up.  She then got off the plane in Kampala, where she is doing educational research for the next month.  It was such a welcome surprise!  Here we are, in all our traveling glory:

Now, I guess its time for that run and some coffee. :)

Rwanda + Minnesota

15 days.  I'm a comin' home in 15 days.

I devote this set of photos to my two homes: Minnesota and Rwanda.  Here are snippets of my life in both places.  These places have helped define me, challenge me, and shape me into who I am.

The hills (mountains?) outside of Kigali.  When the fog rolls in like this, it just stops you, and commands that you stare.

My classroom in the afternoon sun.

Lake Kivu.  A place of rest and beauty.

Caria and Deborah, two beauties from New Hope.

My dear friend, Natalie, and Ariane.  

And here's Ariane again (from New Hope Homes).

Muddy Chacos (and feet) after a walk down and up hills laden with rainy season rain.

+++

And here are a few pictures of my first home. The one I get to return to, so very soon:

Trout Lake dock sitting. 

Birch bark. And long sunsets.  Two things I'm really looking forward to seeing again.

Summer bonfires with friends. Can anyone guess who this is?  Winner gets a free coffee, on me.

Minneapolis. In all its glory.  You hold so many people I just can't wait to see!  And so many places I can't wait to go.... and good coffee, and ice cream... and I could go on....

15 days. 

A few photos as of late.

Folks, we're coming into the home stretch.  I leave Rwanda in a mere 4 weeks.  Minnesota (via Washington DC and my wonderful sister Laura), I am very much looking forward to spending 2 months with you.  In the meantime, here are some pictures of life lately:

  

A wonderful sixth grade girl from MN donated art supplies to the kids at New Hope.  When my friends Donna and Harvin were here, we arranged an afternoon of drawing and painting.  (By the way, in case you don't know who Donna and Harvin are, they are INCREDIBLE blessings in my life and hopefully, many of you will meet them this summer.)

Desami.

The other Desami (they are twins) practicing his letter "p".

The older boys painting the Chelsea crest.  Isaac is a HUGE fan - complete with jersey, shorts and shoes. All Chelsea, all the time. 

And today, May 1, is Labor Day here in Rwanda.  We have the day off school, and it is a brilliantly sunny day.  A bunch of friends and I took the opportunity of the day off and had a big picnic, complete with frisbee, whiffle ball, cards, and good food.

Here's a blooming tree hear my house:

 My friend, Jamie, enjoying a coke. (Can you tell where she's from?)

  

 I made Grandma Helen's / Grammy's famous broccoli salad. I'm not quite sure which Grandma originated the recipe, but I do remember it was the first thing I ever "cooked" in the cabin kitchen. Thanks for teaching me so well, lovely Grandma and Grammy. It was a hit (and has been every time I've made it here this year.)  

It's not a picnic in Rwanda without a bag of samosas.

Happy Labor Day, everyone...(a few months early for those of you stateside.)