Ildephonse, Orphans, & Goats

Days 7 & 8 (Wednesday/Thursday) Many people who had murdered others in the 1994 genocide fled over the border to the Congo to escape prosecution. There they banded together, and until 2007, they would sneak from their camps in the Congo over the border into Rwanda and raid villages, killing and raping and ravaging many innocent lives. One of these lives was a toddler named Jeannette. Congolese soldiers raided her village and killed her parents. They chopped her legs off below the knees, swiping at an angle so the legs don't hit the ground evenly when she stands on the stumps that are left. How is she connected with us? In 2010, Brookwood's VBS and Challenge Week (teen program) and The Well all raised money to build some houses in Kiryamo, Rwanda. One of the houses we helped fund was an orphan dorm, a building right by the church that houses 8orphans. Jeannette now lives in this dorm, cared for by a grown-up, school uniforms paid, and fed every single day. Last year when we visited Kiryamo, we saw the beginning of the construction. We couldn't wait to go back and see the finished product, and especially meet the children who live there now.  So...Wednesday and Thursday...the culmination of our trip to Rwanda began with our journey up the northern mountain to the region of Bukonya. Riding for two hours on bench seats in the back of an SUV up curvy, steep, bumpy mountain roads can lead to a few bumps and bruises. One might even be tempted to complain a little, except for one thing- every few minutes, we would pass a man or two pushing a rickety bicycle. On top of the bicycle would be huge loads of something being taken to market- we saw everything from lumber to potatoes, boat parts to sacks of fertilizer. Huge loads perched precariously on the bike's seats or handlebars. The farmer, dripping with sweat, hunched down to push harder, moved slowly through the mountain roads with his load, up and down the winding hills under the hot sun. At one point I asked Manu where these men were going. I assumed there was a village somewhere close that I must have just missed seeing, or one that was off the road we were on. Surely, I thought, there was one close by. "They are going to Musanze," he said. Musanze? The city at the base of the mountain? We had been driving over 30 minutes when I asked him that question, when we just passed the man slowly pushing the bike on foot. It had taken us over half an hour by car to go from Musanze to where we were. We passed many more men in the next two hours, all carrying or pushing heavy loads of cargo. All going to Musanze. It would take them well into the night to reach the city, but they did what they had to do. There is no other way.  Any complaints those of us had about the bumpy roads disappeared.  We were met at the Bukonya coffee cooperative washing station by a group of native tribal dancers. They persuaded some of us to dance with them, and even got Kris to put on the tribal warrior wig and do the dance with them. We climbed to the top of the  washing station and met with the top ten producing coffee farmers in the cooperative. Each was formally introduced to us, and we presented them with goats that we had brought for them. They all expressed such gratitude and explained to us how the coffee farming has changed their lives- one elder named Justin told us that he put all 9 of his kids through college by farming the coffee! Before we left, we decided to stop by the house that LOTH had built a few years ago for a good Samaritan. Good Samaritans are those who agree to take in and raise orphans, kind of like an informal foster care system. The good Samaritan who lives in this house we visited is named Justine. As we walked up the pathway, we saw that she was sitting on a mat on the ground in front of her home. She greeted us warmly, but we soon learned she was very sick. She had had to have a tooth pulled just that morning, and was in terrible pain. She had been sick for weeks because of the infection, and had not been able to work or find food for the children. Praise God's timing that we had come and could get her some help! One of the little girls that was in the home gasped and clutched at Katie's hands when she saw we had come and could help. Again- what a perspective that gave me as my own kids' faces flashed before my eyes. The next day, Thursday, we went to Kiryamo parish- Pastor Ildephonse's region. I wish everyone at The Well could meet this man and his wife. Well over 6 feet tall, his quiet smile and gentle demeanor make him instantly likeable. Last year we got to meet with him and his wife and see the house that Brookwood's children and teens built for him, plus see the start of the orphan dorm that we helped to fund.  We couldn't wait to see the finished dorm and meet the orphans now living in it! We walked down the steep path, and we heard the sweet, pure sound of little kids singing. As we rounded the corner and came into view,  some of the kids broke out from the group and started dancing. The dancing was lovely! A tiny little girl off to the side inched closer and closer to the bigger girls, trying to mimic the dancer's moves. She reminded me of my own daughter who watches KidStuf at our church each week and copies the dancers who are on stage. As the dancing ended, some adult choirs sang for us, and then we were invited into the church. There, as we walked in, sat the 8 orphans who lived in the dorm (I recognized Jeannette, who grinned shyly at me, as well as the tiny girl who had been dancing). We walked in and sat at the front of the church in chairs that had been prepared for us, facing the rest of the church. Most of us were crying already because of the sheer moment. The orphans slowly stood up and filed out of their seats to stand in front of us. They sang a song to us, singing "You are welcome, you are welcome, you are welcome here." More choirs then sang for us. The interpreter explained that they were singing thanks to us for coming from so far away to show God's love, and thanking God for sending us.  We had tears in our eyes as the unworthiness of being the subject of songs like these washed over us. Then, one of the orphans stood up to speak. He had written a letter of thanks to us. He asked us to please pray for his other friends who were also orphans but who still had no place to sleep at night. I just wanted to get my arms around him and hold him. After a little more singing and a time of worship and prayer, we were able to go into the classrooms to help teach. They want so desperately to be good in English. Two years ago the government mandated that all schools teach only in English- all books, all curriculum, be solely English. This has made it really difficult for those who don't already know the language, and children and adults alike soak it up when they hear it spoken. From there, Kris and I spent a FUN time rounding up the goats that were grazing on the mountainside so we could take the naming pictures. Seriously, people, if nothing else, it's worth the cost of the trip to watch Kris chase and wrangle goats on the side of a mountain! Those 8 goats were given to the orphans that live in the dorm. They get the dignity of owning them and then will turn around and present the village with the babies the goats produce. Those of you who bought goats ROCK- they really do SO MUCH GOOD!!! We then headed to the orphan dorm. In the front room of the dorm (used for them to sit and study) we had a banquet of chicken, sun-roasted peanuts, freshly picked fruit, boiled eggs, rice and beans, and fried bananas. Pastor's wife presented Kris a hat she had woven herself just for him. They explained that when you come to Rwanda once, you are guests; come twice, you are real friends; come three times, you are family. We presented them with the school supplies for the teachers. That was so much fun showing and explaining everything to them, and the teachers got really excited about using these resources. The dresses and shorts were brought out next, and again, everyone was so grateful. We wrapped up our trip by spending time with the orphans in the dorm. We got to see their rooms (boys in one room, girls in the other). We held them and laughed with them and loved on them. They were really excited about their goats, and they asked over and over for their pictures to be taken so they could see what they looked like. The youngest of them was little Janet, who turned out to be the one who had danced with the big girls earlier in the day. She is 5 and lives in the dorm. She's still a little scared of her goat, but they assured me she'll get used to it. Another orphan who lives in the dorm, if you'll remember, is Jeannette. She gets around really well- she has big plastic men's crocks that she uses to scoot around- and, she handled her goat REALLY well! Oh, how I loved these kids. I could have sat among them all day. We asked the adult who watches over them what the biggest need is, besides the funding for food, clothes, and schooling (which is around $400/month for all 8). She said without batting an eye, "electricity." Know why? They need to study at night. There is no other light around that area of the village, so it is pitch black. It gets dark there a little after 6. And they need to study at night. Perspective... We got out the frisbees and the bat and ball Karen had brought, and watched them play and play and play.  We finally had to tear ourselves away from the kids and the laughter and the joy that is Pastor Ildephonse's Kiryamo parish. How comforting to me, though, that we would remain connected. Every cup of coffee we brew at The Well will help them. Every coin dropped in the tip jar at the well will go straight to the orphan dorm. We will begin raising money for goats and the school and who knows what else God places on our hearts... And we will pray for them. For the money to keep coming in for the food, for the orphans who giggle just like my kids do, for Pastor Ildephonse to have wisdom in leading the children, for LOTH to find resources in ministering to these people, and for more hands and feet to go with us next year.  Drink Coffee. Do Good.