Rwanda Post 2!

Our primary task in Rwanda was to teach English to the students at NUR. This was an incredible opportunity to meet students. We had many conversations with them, sharing stories, fears, hopes, it was incredible to be let into their world. Many of them shared their stories of 94, but to my amazement, they walk with hope! They look to the future of Rwanda, and feel that it is their responsibility to bring the future they so desperately look for. Please pray that these students would look to God for their strength and for wisdom in leading Rwanda.

This is my class pictured below.

This is the school where we taught. Notice how green everything is? Rwanda is beautiful!
This is one of our students. He and his fiancee came to visit Taylor and I on the weekend. They are getting married in November, please pray for them as they will need God to miraculously provide in order to do this.
This is Patrick, my teaching partner. He was so fun to work with and a HUGE blessing for our team.
These are my students. Look how close they are sitting to the front, they were so eager to learn.
This is our team. More about them to come in a later post...
At the end of the week we had to grade all of the tests we had administered, there was an essay for each student, quite a task! This is Andrew and Tiffany, they were teaching partners.
This is Pat and I with our class.
One day one our way to NUR we encountered terrential rains! We literally had to hide for several minutes until it passed. It was so fun.
And that's all for post 2 for now!

Rwanda Post 1

What an overwhelming task...describing Rwanda...how did it change me? How do I see things differently? How did it affect our marriage? How do I see God differently? Did I leave my heart there? Oh yes, no, and in some ways to all of those. :)

So I guess I will start with the reason we wanted to go to Rwanda in the first place, because of the first 12 Rwandan students I ever met. I've known them for 2 years now, and have loved them from the beginning. This trip we were blessed to see all 12 of our students, and we were even privileged enough to meet many of their families. These students have been such a blessing to us and I am honored to continue to work with them.

Here is Alex with Taylor and I. He lives in Kigali so he met us at the airport.
This is Emmanuel (right) and his cousin Prosper. Emmanuel is an amazing student and I have no doubt he will do amazing things in Rwanda.
This is Marcel. He is one of our International Student Ambassadors, and one of the kindest men I know.
This is Desire and his brother. Desire is also very smart, he's a critical thinker and will accomplish much.
This is Lea and Paulin. Lea works incredibly hard at everything she does.
This is Paulin (right). He and his friend took us on a tour of NUR. Paulin will do great things for God one day.
This is Emmanuel with some of our team and some of his friends, he showed us the dorms at NUR.
This is Modeste and I. Modeste is very focused and kind.
Most of the gang all together at Patrick's house where we celebrated my birthday Rwandan style.
These are 2 of my favorite girls, Faith and Val. They have allowed me to know them, they have let me hear their stories, and I have grown and learned by knowing them.
This is Patrick. He is a strong leader, a hard worker, and a good friend.

This is Bertrand. He is our good friend. He has one of the greatest smiles of anyone I know.Paulin and Desire and I at the party.
Taylor and Emmanuel. Check out the beastly beard Taylor had.
This is Alex, and his mom. We were so blessed to be able to meet his family and to be welcomed into his home. We had our first taste of real cow's milk here...it was good. :)
This was on our last night. Alex, Bertrand, and their friend Bob took us for the best Rwandan brochette in Kigali. It was delicious and a night we will never forget.

Sisters

I was looking through my pictures and came across this one from April and I thought I would share it. I am so blessed to have sisters. I used to say, you don't really know me until you know my sisters. In some ways, they complete me. :) I love them dearly and cherish each moment God has given me with them.

I hate Riverside in the summer

Here is Bailey, on the couch, panting, staring up at me as if to say, "Don't you know I was bred for the Swiss Alps?"