Last night the power was out all night... which was intresting.. eating dinner in the pitch dark. ha. and kinda fun and exciting in a weird way. i was doing so great yesterday... but the night seems to bring the thoughts of home... and the lonely feelings start coming. i couldnt sleep... and the thought of being here for 7 more weeks seemed... unbareable. i only have about... 24 more days of malaria pills... and it sounds like it will cost ALOT of money for me to get any more from the states... meaning i would have to leave at the end of october. which honestly.. im really alright with. maybe i was pushing this too far... karen said she tried to stay for that long once and she just went crazy from the medication and the culture.. and being so alone. it doesnt sound that long... but here... its soo soo long. esp for me... you know me. back at home im working or doing SOMETHING constantly.. here its not like that. it might pick up tho as some oppertunities came knocking today.
i tried to sleep at about 9pm last night.. but i couldnt. i laid in bed until about 12 before i slept. and i called my mom at about 10:30. i think i might come home early for sure. just because it seems to make sense in alot of ways. and i prayed alot yesterday... just wanting to please God. and i think he was telling me that i already have learned so much of what he wanted me to learn on this trip. to soley depend on him and him alone for my comfort... and my satisfaction. and also... i began to realize AGAIN that i am such a people pleaser!! if i feel like i am ready to come home at the end of 4 weeks... then i should. i shouldnt think of how someone might think i gave up or anything! i asked myself the question... would you put yourself through that much pain just because it sounds better. idk. nothing a set deal. i think if i need more malaria pills i can go to the american embassy here in rwanda... but im not sure. ill go next week and double check.
anyways. i think this trip has already stretched me sooo much. ive learned that i can do more then i imagined i could ever do! and i feel comfortable and bold now... i feel like i can manage the bus system alone... and walk the streets without the fear.. of who knows what!! i feel more independent... but also... ive realized how much i need and love my mother!!
anyways... ill wait out the next week and a half ish before i make any decisions.
this morning i woke up at 6 and washed my feet and hair... it takes too long to wash my whole body in the morning before i go to the preschool. regular morning.. i felt more hopeful then the night before for sure tho... alot better. its always when i cant sleep.. or when im sitting around that i just fall apart!!
got to the school and the kids were doing the usual dancing and songs! this time i got to join in and dance with them tho! it was fun :) they all copy me... so they are all dancing. haha. and the teachers whipped out the jump rope i brougth for the kids and started jumping.. the kids loooved that so much.
in my class i reviewed body parts and started into colors.. they didnt know ANY colors... we did a few different excercises. i think im getting the hold of this whole teaching thing!! then we moved into recognizing numbers. which was fun.
the ONE thing i dont like about the school is how they do discipline. if they mess up... there isnt encouragement... and if something happeneds where someone is out of line... they hit them. not like super hard... but yah. if it gets out of hand and i cant handle it because i cant communicate with them... then this woman who speaks only kinyarwanda.. not a word of english or french comes in and screams and taps them with this stick. scares the crap out of me... poor kids!!
during the break i got attacked by kids! they ALL want to hold my hand... so i have a swarm of at least 30 kids reaching out and holding onto me... its kinda fun ha. i taught them how to hive five and pound it and explode... its the cutest thing i have ever seen!!! some called me sister... some called me mother maza.. or something like that. but there is this one little orphange boy... barley any teeth and probably hasnt showered or washed his clothes.. in months. same one who grabbed my hand yesterday. he breaks my heart!! he clings to me... and claims me kinda.. never lets go... sigh.
i also got to know some of my fellow teachers more! they are soo nice. this GORGEOUS rwandan teacher who loves the Lord SO much... began to ask me about if i was single... and if i would ever date a rwandan man.. and my age... and all that. haha gorgeous.. black.. god loving man.. who teaches children.. and speaks decent english.. who asks legit questions about my family and my life.. who wants to come live in america... who respectfully compliments me... haha i wish.
the teachers and i took out my camera and began taking pictures.. something i didnt really know if i was allowed to do.. haha and the teachers and kids LOVED it... so much :)
gave the kids math problems for homework... and then the school day was over.
teddy the woman who runs the school was going to escort me back to the house... because she is good friends with the people i am staying with. and we stopped by her sister and daughters house... more run down then where i am staying... but adorable kids.. and her daughter speaks english really well!! she just graduated from a university in Uganda... majoring in accounting. it felt so good to talk to someone closer to my age who understood me!! and asked questions... and made me feel welcome and loved! they gave me food! and they invited me back to their house tomorrow for lunch!! good lunch.. real lunch! yay!! im so excited.
we exchanged phone numbers.. and it feels so good to have a friend.
but the best best best best best part of that whoel thing... is that she invited me to come with her to Uganda on thursday!! oh my word... dream come true. says its super easy to cross the border... and she has a car that she could drive me in... less expensive. and she would take me to see the country.. and a beach.. and towns... and its UGANDA... the place i want to go mroe then anywhere!! oh that gave me hope :) and it would be for a couple of days. i need my moms permission.. ill call her later. oh please say yes! that would be amazing
we also talked about america alot.. and looked at my pictures from america.
its so funny. they laughed and laughed thinkingmy mom was thirty and that my dad was 60.. haha i love you dad. they thought i looked alot different... which i prob do.
also they LOVE obama here... for several reasons i think. and they all want to be white! they all are jealous of my white skin.. saying its beautiful. and i feel the same towards them! just shows we need to be more content with who we are and what we have... everyone. we can always think of ways to improve ourselves... in our own eyes at least.
walking back to the bus teddy took me through this open market type place... where i met her other sister.. and she bought me beautiful fabric for maria to make me a dress or something! i was so overwhelmed. i had toget up on this platform and look at all these fabrics... i was surrounded by faborics of all colors.. and below me were rwandan woman sewing. it was a really really fun thing :)
i also found green coffee beans for robbie!!! havent bought them.. but now i know where to go to get them.
hmmm... it was really hot today.
found out i DONT have to wear all long shirts and pants... lame! i was told only long shirts and pants. ha... man! oh well.
anyways.. back at the house i found karen... who had had her own adventure today... it was the sweetest thign! she knows im struggling.. and her and linda went and searched the streets until they found Youth with a Mission... like 5-6 miles away! which is an organization i can hook up with in the afternoons when i want... andh ave nothing else to do... and do work with both americans.. my age.. adn rwandans. work with children... adults... orphanges... and people who are suffering from HIV and AIDS. thats exciting to me!
i also have kind of connected with a soccer club here... might bring some balls and play with the kids!! its near the preschool... and karen wants to take me to the mother teresa orphanage.. where i would just play with kids... who have no one... and barley anyone goes and helps there. oh that sounds like my kind of thing.
OH today at the end of class... the teacher who i was telling you about came in and had the kids say a prayer before i left... it was precious!
so things are looking up. i can come home whenever i want... and since today i have many more options. i know alot of peopel are praying for me... and emailing me. thank you!! its helping me more then you know
i remember telling everyone in america that i would miss them for the first week.. and then prob forget and get so wrapped up. i think i forget im still in the first week of this... feelsl ike the 3rd weeks or something. so maybe in the coming days... i wont even want to leave...
but id rather leave here earlier then i wanted...then drag it out and not enjoy it. because that means im leaving excited and happy with what i was doing... rather then just staying and doing it to do it... theres a medium to that to.
learned more kinyarwanda today!! its such a difficult language... haha that will take forever.
hm. thats it.
OH i cant put up pictures because im in an internet cafe... dont have the pictures on the computer.. and the oens from my phone.. cant get on the internet because.. i dont have it. ha. hm.
thats it :)
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
I am off to Rwanda for 2 months! I am staying in a little village in Kigali,Rwanda. I will be teaching English to preschoolers, working with RAP-SIDA an organization fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS, playing with children in orphanages , as well as working with a local church! I am so excited!!! I do not know if I will actually be able to write here... who knows about internet. But we will see!!
2 comments:
Dearest Becca,
You are simply terrific! There is no one else like you. Your blogs are so open and honest and vulnerable. You teach us so much. Take your time deciding what you want to do. There are lots of options.
Do you want the soccer balls? They were collected for kids in Rwanda, so I'm thinking we should send them addressed to someone else that you trust there. Then, even if they arrive after you leave the balls will still get distributed and used in the different orphanages and soccer clubs. We can do the same with school supplies, whether you are still there or not, I'm sure they would appreciate getting those things and would put them to good use.
I think there is a way to get medications to you quickly. I can check it out. So just let us know what you decide and you want to do. If you decide to reschedule coming home, of course we'd love that. If you want to stay, we will support you in that, too. You have all the options open to you.
Mom and I will talk about Uganda. I want to check the political and border situation to be sure it's safe.
Please do go to the US Consulate Office there. You can just talk to them and introduce yourself. They monitor and issue advisories and safety concerns, and are usually very aware of what is going on. Get to know them a bit. Then if you have any kind of problem they will already know you and be able to help you much faster. I suggest you have them photocopy your passport so they will also have that on hand if anything should happen to your original. And they can contact you if anything comes up they think you should know about. Remember that you must have and protect your passport in a safe place with you, particularly if you cross borders.
I wish I was there with my camera gear. I would so love to photograph the people and places, and you doing your work there. You'll just have to do it for me, ok?
Love you, miss you, think about you all the time.
Your Dad
Hey beautiful!
Don't sell yourself short Ms. Eisenberg! You are capable of and are DOING far more than you give yourself credit for. Don't be afraid to be afraid; it's okay. Don't worry about having doubts, it's okay. God's so attracted to our weakness, he loves our raw honesty because it leaves Him space to speak and work in you. You are not in Africa for anyone here, so don't consider our expectations. God has wrapped you up in His divinely PERFECT timing and plan and has taken you away with Him so that you are forced to rely on Him solely. No family, no friends, no media, not even the comfort food you're used to. In this space He has your attention and desperation more than ever before. He is the same in Rwanda as He is at home, but you get to see a whole different side of His face. It's beautiful!
Whether His love affair with you in Rwanda takes 2 weeks or 10 weeks, He will not waste your obedience and your time with Him.
Now that you have the freedom to decide; ENJOY yourself. You are in Africa sweet girl. I'm jealous :).
Praying for you daily!
Post a Comment