Quite a mix...

Being in the village for over a month now, I have had quite a range of feelings, both from what I see and from what I don't see. Today I had the opportunity again to take a long walk and along the way I was greeted by some of the most beautiful faces. I get plenty of attention simply because of the color of my skin and I must tell you that I love being approached, not only by the kids, but by the adults too. I see the beauty and the wonder and the love here. Yet I also see the situation that they live in and some pain here. There are days that I wish I could lift the eyes of the older folks and let them shine again like the smiles I see on these kids. The history of Rwanda is evident in only a few ways here now and I personally believe one of those ways is in the eyes and the body language of their people.  My desire is to allow God to work through me in some way to reveal Him and His love and help change that for some.

Yet it's been hard at times. I miss my family and I miss my friends and I miss the two awesome little dogs I left behind. The challenge has been there to feel like I fit in and to accept that I just don't know everything yet and need quite a bit of help in the navigation of things... to know what to do and what not to do. My personality is one where the comfort level with that is stretched a bit.  Just not speaking the languages spoken here is a challenge and tries to isolate. But I didn't come here to be isolated.  I came to help.  I came for community. I came to do my part and I hope to do that.

So it's been a mix. No-one said it would be easy and it's not always. But at the very same time, it's been glorious. It's filled my heart. It's made me so thankful. It's put me in awe. I wonder at the gift of the opportunity to be His hands and His heart extended in this place amongst these people.

All glory and praise be to our God Who loves us most...



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