Greetings again,
Thankfully Julianna is improving slowly. Today she ate some rice and carrots which we have come to understand is like saltines and chicken noodle soup to everyone here in Rwanda. Anytime anyone asks how she is doing they say “Jus geev huh some lice and calots”.
After posting the blog the other day and hearing from many people how it came across I think some clarification is in order. Though i do not regret anything I said about our current situation or what we are feeling, I do want to pull the curtain back just a bit further in order to shed light on some of the good things about our situation.
From the very moment we arrived we have been treated as nothing short of family. The Rwandan people that we have come in contact with are so generous. Its a funny sight to be served a breakfast of an entire loaf of bread and literally a dozen bananas with a giant thermos of homemade African tea. Its funny because I don’t believe there is a person on earth that could eat that amount of food for breakfast, Its great though because they are so so so generous with what they have.
Our room is, in fact, as I described it in the former post. But I failed to mention that it is one of the nicest rooms that the hotel has. I am definitely thankful for all that we have, but the purpose of this blog is for us to process what is going on here and what is going on in our minds as we adjust to our new and very different situation. I hope that I did not come across as critical of this culture at all because I am not. I am only struggling as I transition from America to Africa.
To continue with the some of the positive things here, upon hearing that Julianna was sick, she has been the only thing that people talk to me about when I am out and about. They are so concerned for her well being, asking how she is, praying for her in church and in private, wanting to come see her regardless of how much I hint that its not a good time : ) Our new friends here are so compassionate that I dont know how to respond.
This morning was Sunday, the second time that i have attended the Church in Nyagatare. The singing and the dancing, the adoration of God, the way that he is incorporated into their lives is something that is very admirable. Westerners tend to categorize and compartmentalize everything including their spiritual lives. Here it seems their spirituality is somehow intertwined in an inseperable way with everything; work, play, fellowship, meals, ministry, travel etc. Just yesterday I was sitting with Julianna outside watching it dump buckets of rain and hail down on the red clay and the tin roof. It was difficult to tell what was louder, the rain or the children in the nearby gazebo stomping, clapping and singing to God for hours and hours of their own accord. This was a foreign sight to my eyes.
There is much to be said about the pros and cons of each and every culture on this planet. There is even more to learn about those cultures; pray that Julianna and I can learn from this culture, be comforted by these people, and honor God in this ministry.
Drew
P.S. Pictures will have to wait until we make a trip to Kigali where I can buy a cord to connect to the computer. Come to think of it, the cord I need is much like the cord I forgot to pack.
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