Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Okay, this is going to be a VERY shortened version of today, because it's nearly midnight and this girl needs to be up before 7! Today was another amazing day in the Land of a Thousand Hills. We got up to head out to see the rest of the city. It has changed so much and I'm so happy to be able to see it all as it happens. We got to visit a youth center the government has established. It has many sports fields and an education center. It was created to help children see that they are all Rwandans, there are no tribes and no differences. They were all playing soccer and they were having such a great time. I'm hoping we will be able to go back and also give them some of our soccer balls!! We saw so many other amazing sights. I saw a small child with a stuffed animal tied around their back with a towel – just like Mom! It was SO adorable! Also at one point our other car hit a pothole and splashed rainwater on a man. We stopped and our driver (we were behind them) quickly asked me to roll down my window. He apologized profusely, but the man just kind of shook his head and walked away. Jeremiah, the other driver, jumped out of the truck and ran over apologizing to this man for getting him wet. It was so nice – that would NEVER happen in the States! Both of the drivers are so wonderful. Don't say anything, but Guillaume is giving Alloys (our driver last year) a run for his money!! :-) Then we had lunch with John (ISU grad who works at the U.N.) at a restaurant near the U.N. Finally we went to the Genocide Memorial.
I felt like it was almost more moving this time, maybe because of the connection I feel with the culture and the people now. It's such a beautiful place and they are so fortunate to have it. The gardens are the perfect place for people to go and reflect and the museum tells the story so well and so thoroughly. It was great to see the students learn so much about the events. It is obviously such an important part of the history and the culture. It's important to see the country through that 'lens'.
Then we got back to the orphanage. We met with Ildo to talk about our project and what we should do while we're here. Then we got a little tour of the facilities – with a child on each hand of course! :-) I just love being there and seeing their smiles and hearing their happy little laughs and screams! Then we headed back to the hotel (home) for the night. It was a very long day, but well worth it! There is so much that we want to do and so little time! I wish we could stay all summer.....