So many people have asked us similar questions, we thought we'd do our version of "FAQ" about the trip and Rwanda in general. These are the top questions we've gotten. If you have more, feel free to leave a question in the comments section, and Kris or I will answer it as best we can!
has many different guest houses for visitors, aid workers, humanitarian groups, religious organizations, etc. that come to the country to work. Our first guest house was in Kigali, the capital, and it was very comfortable. We had bunk beds with mosquito nets that were CLEAN (a luxury, believe me), running water, HOT water, and toilets (again...big luxury in Rwanda), and a pretty garden. The entire property was surrounded with a high wall, rose bushes, and an armed guard.
Q) Did you have to eat really weird things?
A) I was, honestly, a little scared about this...I had images in my head from Indiana Jones movies, the ones where the explorers ended up in a remote village. In the movies, the villagers offered the visitors a meal of unspeakably yucky things which they HAD to not only accept, but eat all the way, or it would have offended the natives. This was, honestly, one of my main prayers a
s we began to feel called to go on this trip. Please, God, either don't make me eat bugs and eyeballs, or somehow change my gag reflex to where I can miraculously stomach this type of food.
s we began to feel called to go on this trip. Please, God, either don't make me eat bugs and eyeballs, or somehow change my gag reflex to where I can miraculously stomach this type of food.(picture to the right is me trying goat...by "trying," I mean that I put it between my teeth for the picture. I still felt really brave.)
However...once I began to research what Rwandans ate, I grew more at ease. Roasted goat or goat stew is the main meat staple of Rwanda, as well as cooked rabbit. 
Fortunately, we were never put in a situation where we were forced to eat any of it unless we wanted to. Fresh fruits were always available (some of the best fruit I've ever had), boiled eggs and freshly-roasted nuts gave me the protein I needed since God never fixed my inability to eat goat or rabbit, and the way they cooked rice and pasta was delicious.
Fortunately, we were never put in a situation where we were forced to eat any of it unless we wanted to. Fresh fruits were always available (some of the best fruit I've ever had), boiled eggs and freshly-roasted nuts gave me the protein I needed since God never fixed my inability to eat goat or rabbit, and the way they cooked rice and pasta was delicious.Q) Where did you sleep?
A) This varied a little based on our location. Rwanda 
has many different guest houses for visitors, aid workers, humanitarian groups, religious organizations, etc. that come to the country to work. Our first guest house was in Kigali, the capital, and it was very comfortable. We had bunk beds with mosquito nets that were CLEAN (a luxury, believe me), running water, HOT water, and toilets (again...big luxury in Rwanda), and a pretty garden. The entire property was surrounded with a high wall, rose bushes, and an armed guard.(picture here is our dining room at the first guest house)
Our second location, the Fatima, was...functional. It at least gave us beds and private rooms with sinks in them., and in all seriousness, that was wonderful to have. And we also had toilets and running water for the showers, although it became something of a game to catch a shower when hot water was available. We would wait until one of our group came running down the hall shouting, "the water got warm while I was in there!" and we'd all make a mad dash for the showers to get the ten minutes of warm water before it turned freezing again. Good times...
Q) What was the weather like?
A) GORGEOUS! Highs were in the 70s, always with a slow, cool breeze blowing
. When the sun set sometime after 6:00, the temperature dropped immediately to the high 50s, so we'd throw on a light sweater to keep the chill off. Never were we too hot, never were we too cold.Q) What was your favorite part?
A) Other than Kris taking the orange Fanta meant only for girls, which caused the serious-faced elders in the village to fall over themselves laughing...I had 3 favorites.
Top of the list would be the hour we spend in Pastor 
Ildephonse's church in Bukonya (see blog entitled "More Blessed to Give"). Seeing Kris meet Pastor, giving away the wheelchairs, delivering the goats to the orphans, meeting the orphans who would be living in the dorm, receiving their gifts to us...and having the Holy Spirit so TANGIBLY all around us, sharing and celebrating in this day with us...God was so sweet to give us that day. One of my favorite memories of all time.
Ildephonse's church in Bukonya (see blog entitled "More Blessed to Give"). Seeing Kris meet Pastor, giving away the wheelchairs, delivering the goats to the orphans, meeting the orphans who would be living in the dorm, receiving their gifts to us...and having the Holy Spirit so TANGIBLY all around us, sharing and celebrating in this day with us...God was so sweet to give us that day. One of my favorite memories of all time.Second on the list was getting to know Saidi, Alex, and Manny, our drivers/guides/friends. You can read about Saidi & Alex's stories in the blog post called "Names & Stories."
Third on the list was our time in Mbilima, the village on top of 
Ruli Mountain. The fact that these farmers have, for generations, produced coffee considered to be some of the best IN THE WORLD and have never even tasted their own finished product- that amazes me. They have no idea how valuable their crop is, and yet they farm it with a work ethic that would rival the most neurotic work-aholic in the American business field today. They were SO proud that we had come all the way to see them, SO excited to show us their crops, SO amazed that we considered their work valuable...I hope our visit left them with a sense of what their work means to all of us.
Ruli Mountain. The fact that these farmers have, for generations, produced coffee considered to be some of the best IN THE WORLD and have never even tasted their own finished product- that amazes me. They have no idea how valuable their crop is, and yet they farm it with a work ethic that would rival the most neurotic work-aholic in the American business field today. They were SO proud that we had come all the way to see them, SO excited to show us their crops, SO amazed that we considered their work valuable...I hope our visit left them with a sense of what their work means to all of us.(picture is the famers of Mbilima, their coffee trees in the background...see blog called "On Top of the Mountain" for the story of that day)
Q) Can others go on this trip next year?
A) YES!!! Kris and I cannot wait to go back next year, renewing relationships and making new ones. We'd love for as many supporters of The Well to go with us as possible. They normally go close to the end of May/beginning of June each year. Just let us know you're interested, and we'll help you start planning to make your own life-changing memories!
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There will be 3 presentations where Kris & I will give details and photos about our trip:
*Thursday night, July 14, 6:30 PM at The Well
*Tuesday, July 19, at Brookwood's Senior Adult Luncheon
*Wednesday, July 20, 6:30 PM in Brookwood's Wednesday night service
If you can't make any of these and would like to schedule a time for your small group to come for a personal presentation/discussion of our trip and to hear what God is doing in Rwanda through Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee, just let us know and we'll be glad to schedule it.
For more questions than what was answered above, feel free to comment below.
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