Where do I begin?
Let's start simple...
It's the 11th of August, 2011 @ 10:20 am in Kigali, Rwanda.
I have 11 full days left in Africa.
I've been in Africa for 12 days thus far.
With the flood of thoughts and stories I want to share with you at the moment, I must first explain Rwanda for you. Before I left the states there was quite a bit of concern in a lot of your voices when I said I would be in Rwanda. Some were weary of my visit to Africa and others were worried as I would be specifically in Rwanda.
17 years ago there was a genocide here. Within 100 days more than 1 million Rwandans were killed in brutal and gruesome ways. Western culture unfortunately inspired this hatred and ultimately aided in the ethnic purity genocide between the Hutu and the Tuzi tribes. All countries, including the U.S.A., that could have quickly ended this small and disorganized destructive militia decided to flee the country in this time of need. Men, women, and children were ruthlessly killed in their homes, on the streets, and even in churches. AIDS was also used as a means of biochemical warfare to hurt women and the generations of children they may have. At the end of this ethnic purification genocide (100 days) the streets of Kigali (the capitol) were barren. No prisoners were taken, all were left for dead.
17 years later in 2011 Kigali, Rwanda couldn't be a more bustling city. It's amazing to see how much Rwanda has progressed since the genocide. Actually it's quite unbelievable. After things calmed down in Rwanda, the president begged Rwandans that had fled the country to return to their homeland. Many did and the result has been nothing but positive.
I have been fortunate enough to meet so many wonderful Rwandans in my short 12 days so far. Everyone is so willing to help you and most do not try to rip you off because you are a Umuzungu (white foreigner).
With all of this being said, Rwanda is safe. Actually, it is one of the safest countries in Africa.
Now onto business...
The first week I was here I helped Hope Shines with the CSC camp or the Child Support Centre camp. Since Hope Shines is a fairly new and small organization, it's main purpose is to help orphanages and child centres by providing monetary donations, supplies, and instilling hope in the children by coming back every year to do a camp. If you are interested in learning more about Hope Shines please check out their website at:
www.hopeshines.net
You can also donate online if you would like to support in that fashion. If you have more questions I can help answer them or direct you to someone that can!
The CSC camp works with children that are identified as orphans, but have at least one parent or guardian taking care of them. It's important to remember that even though raising a child or children in the states as a single parent is difficult, many have not dealt with psychological issues such as watching their loved ones slaughtered in front of them or watching your children suffer from HIV/AIDS because you were raped with an HIV+ militia man. The darkness that these people have seen is unreal.
I'll never forget that the first day we met all the translators that are helping us these three weeks and we were going around talking about the experiences we had in middle school. I talked about loosing my best friend, another American woman talked about being bullied. We got to one of the male translators and when he was eight he returned to his home in Rwanda to find all of his family members dead. I immediately thought it couldn't be worse, but then he continued to explain how there was no one around to help him bury them so he had to sleep in the house for 2 days until someone came to help him.
It's unreal.
These stories are not to make you pity the people of Rwanda, but to shed some light on how others live. Getting to know 50 children in Rwanda and how they live has completely shifted the way I view my own life, but it's even worse knowing that they are not the only ones living these horrors.
Ok, back to the CSC camp for a third time. It was wonderful. We separated the girls from the boys and the volunteers as well. I was the "mom" for 5 lovely little girls for the majority of the camp. I had 10 year old Ashet (or Rachel... That was her real name, but she wanted me to call her Ashet), 11 year old Parfeite, 13 year old Scovia, 13 year old Linda, and 15 year old Lydia. The first day they all looked at me as if I was crazy. My exaggerated hand gestures and goofy moves just made them stare at me even more. The language barrier didn't help either.
I remember going home thinking, "Well at least I know I'm trying to help. If the girls don't like me it'll just be 4 more days..."
By Wednesday I couldn't get them to be quiet. They opened up so much to me. We spent our spare time trying to learn more words in each other's native languages and play different cultural games.
By Friday there were tears as we all realized we would soon be saying good bye to one another. I couldn't escape their hugs without promising that I would find a way to come back to see them again.
It's something in their eyes that lights up when you realize that through our differences we are the same. Our wants and desires are similar as well as simple. They want to be loved.
Five years ago the founder of Hope Shines, April, picked up a little girl that just wanted to be held and realized that every child should feel loved. Hope Shines has returned every year to the same kids and we gain their trust more and more every time we return.
My heart has already been touched by these children. They are so open to learning and trusting you. From my experiences with elementary school children back in the states, I have to worry about hugging them being viewed as sexual assault or as abuse. Here the kids cling onto you. It's in the simplest moments that you realize that the legalities that most of us are used to living in aren't suitable for every culture or every person.
One day at the camp Parfeite was drawing and she showed me a picture she had drawn of a heart with April's name inside it. I praised her and told her it was so beautiful. Two minutes later I felt a tug on my shirt sleeve. As I looked down I met eyes with Parfeite and she pointed to another heart she had drawn beside the other with my name inside it. How can you not love that?
On top of the wonderful experiences I've had with the children, the volunteers with Hope Shines are phenomenal. Most of them are American, but I feel so honored to be surrounded by such well-traveled and caring people. I am one of the youngest volunteers, but age doesn't make a bit of difference. The fact that we are all here for the children is what matters. Every evening is filled with interesting discussions and stories that I can only hope that one day I can have myself and then share with others.
I have also met more wonderful people that are staying at the same hotel as us. Every day at breakfast we meet new people and hear their stories as well. Many are christian missionaries, but I have also met a girl interning at a children's organization for two months, a girl that just summited Mt. Kilamonjaro, and a woman who just returned from the Congo that is doing research for her tenure at Yale in the Divinity School. Single women travelers are taking over the world and it makes me feel very empowered as well as eager for my ventures soon to come in Germany.
If any of this can inspire you to travel to somewhere new then I have done my job. I've found that through my travels I meet so many interesting people from all over. As I leave them I then make a mental note that I need to visit where they live, hence making plans for a new trip. For example, one of Hope Shines employees is Clementine from the UK. Now I need to visit Scotland and the UK. I get to see a friend again as well as explore somewhere new!
After the 1st camp I go to go on my first safari on Saturday! What I remember most is lots of dirt roads and potholes... I'm not a fan.
It was actually not what I had expected, but seeing the animals was so awesome. Rwanda's nickname is The Land of One Thousand Hills and it is definitely true. The typical safari stereotype of flat terrain and elephants running beside you was not exactly fulfilled, but I'm most excited about the other safari I'll go on in the near future. I got to see zebras, giraffes, water buffalo, antelopes, baboons, warthogs, a mamba, hippos, and lots of birds! No elephants, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the next safari!
The past couple days have been filled with medical physicals at the orphanage where the second camp will be and today we begin the physicals of the CSC kids we worked with last week. I'm so excited to get to see them again!
The camp next week is an actual orphanage. It really pulls at my heart. Yesterday the "house moms" or the women that oversee a number of the kids told us how the kids got to the orphanage. Some were left in the trash, others were children of rape, others were abandoned in the forest, etc. As I get to know the children I can feel my heart breaking. I want to help them all and at this moment in my life can barely take care of myself.
I already have a favorite although I'd never show it. Her name is Anna Marie and she must be about 8. She doesn't know her actual age or her birthday, but I did her physical on Tuesday and yesterday (Wednesday) she found me again. She's so precious and I just want to be with her all the time.
At this moment I feel that Rwanda has been an amazing experience, but know that it's not the last time I'll be here. Unfortunately the expense of even getting over here is so expensive I don't know when I'll be able to make it again, but I know I will. On top of my promise to the children I also want to travel Rwanda some more. I want to see the gorillas and the volcanoes in the northern mountains and hike the southern part so badly.
Rwanda is such a beautiful country. The rolling hills can get exhausting to walk up and down, but it's worth the scenic view.
At the moment I need to sign off to get ready for my day. Within the next few days I'll try to document a few special stories of my time spent here assuming the internet gods are with me!
I hope all is well with you and that you are enjoying August's sunny weather!
With Care,
Chelsea
