Exciting News!
I am happy to announce that the partnership between Greater Vancouver and Rwanda YFC has grown in leaps and bounds this past year. Because of this, GVYFC is looking to hire someone to manage this project and the relationship between the two organisations. I am considering this opportunity for myself, and completely believe in the need for a project manager to take this partnership to the next level even if I am not the one to fill the role.
So I'd like to ask you to do 2 things. First, please pray for me as I consider this role, which would be available to me after completing my degree next year. Second, please prayerfully consider continuing your support of this project by supporting the project manager, even as I prayerfully consider the opportunity to serve in that position. No matter who fills this role, by supporting the new project manager, you will be helping to open many new doors for exciting and worthwhile work in both countries.
If you would like to support the project manager financially, please indicate so on the response form (there is no designated space, but just handwrite it in) or in the comments section if you give online. I will keep you up to date on my decision, but if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Thanks!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Laura's Letter, Rwanda, Sept 2010
Time Flies!
As I sit writing this, it has been one month since I returned to Canada, and I've realised that the last letter I wrote was my Midpoint Update... time really does fly, but I realise that my lack of communication is a bit inexcusable, and I apologise for not keeping you updated on my life and work in Rwanda. Since it has been so long since my last letter, I could probably write 20 pages or so, but I will try and keep it relatively brief by touching on a few of the activities I mentioned in my last letter.
Art Curriculum: Before I left Rwanda, Claude and I began putting together a more formal curriculum for him to work from and build on. I came to Rwanda having done purposely little pre-work on the curriculum with the intention of working with what was available in hopes that it would be a bit more sustainable. I think with the work we started and the resources I was able to leave (with the help of GVYFC), Claude will be able to develop an applicable, fun arts program for the students at KCS.
Extra-Curricular Activities: Well, this is one thing that I'm pretty sure won't continue now that I've left! While I think it was a very valuable time for both the Student Leaders and the Primary School students, unfortunately the Student Leaders' schedule leaves a bit of a vacuum of leadership for this program, making it unlikely to continue in my absence.
GVYFC Trips: I did a lot of work preparing the team in Rwanda to work seamlessly with the team from Canada for their 3 week trip. God did some amazing things and the whole team (Canadian & Rwandan) did such an incredible job connecting with the kids through camp, buidling an amazing playpark, helping out a local community with service projects, various renovation projects around the school, and letting God work in and through them. It was really incredible to see all the effort I put into preparing for this time work out so well. God is very good - Imana ninziza cyane!
Sponsorship Program: As I said in my last letter, I completed all of my work with the sponsorship program, but I wanted mention it because of the amazing work the team from Vancouver has done since they returned to Canada. The sponsorship program at KCS was at a bit of a standstill and as a result, no new sponsor students could be admitted. Since the return of the Vancouver team, they have secured over 30 new sponsors and as a result it looks like the school will be able to start admitting new sponsorship students in January!
Check out more photos of my time in Rwanda in the photo link on the top left!
Home Redux
In the letter I wrote just days before I left for Rwanda, I spoke about my flexible concept of home and how I hoped it would continue to stretch in such a way that I would find home in Rwanda. God has surely answered that prayer and the concept of home in multiple places is very much a reality to me right now. While I am trying to feel at home here in Vancouver, part of my heart is definitely still at home in Rwanda with my work, the children and the beautiful friendships I have with people there. As a result I often feel like my heart is being stretched in different directions, sometimes to the point of breaking. But my prayer is that God uses this stretching to grow my heart. And that as my heart expands He creates more space in there for His plan, because I know that no matter where I am, if I am in His plan, I will be at home.
Financial Update
Thank you so much for all of your support while I was in Rwanda - I can't even express how grateful I am for the opportunity that your prayers and financial support gave me. I was asked to stay on with YFC for an extra month to tie up all the loose ends and because of this, I am short on my funding. Would you consider making a donation to help me with this shortfall?
As well, even though I am back in Canada, the kids at KCS and the partnership between Vancouver and Rwanda YFC continues to be of great importance to me. If you are interested in supporting the work that Rwanda YFC does, please let me know. There are lots of options available, including sponsoring a student supporting any other of the programs I've mentioned, or check out the above memo for another exciting way to stay involved with the work in Rwanda.
Making a donation is easy. Just go online at http://www.youthunlimited.com/donate, choose the giving option you prefer, and make sure to designate where you want your gift to go in the comments box.
Thanks!
Prayer Points
As I sit writing this, it has been one month since I returned to Canada, and I've realised that the last letter I wrote was my Midpoint Update... time really does fly, but I realise that my lack of communication is a bit inexcusable, and I apologise for not keeping you updated on my life and work in Rwanda. Since it has been so long since my last letter, I could probably write 20 pages or so, but I will try and keep it relatively brief by touching on a few of the activities I mentioned in my last letter.Art Curriculum: Before I left Rwanda, Claude and I began putting together a more formal curriculum for him to work from and build on. I came to Rwanda having done purposely little pre-work on the curriculum with the intention of working with what was available in hopes that it would be a bit more sustainable. I think with the work we started and the resources I was able to leave (with the help of GVYFC), Claude will be able to develop an applicable, fun arts program for the students at KCS.
Extra-Curricular Activities: Well, this is one thing that I'm pretty sure won't continue now that I've left! While I think it was a very valuable time for both the Student Leaders and the Primary School students, unfortunately the Student Leaders' schedule leaves a bit of a vacuum of leadership for this program, making it unlikely to continue in my absence.
GVYFC Trips: I did a lot of work preparing the team in Rwanda to work seamlessly with the team from Canada for their 3 week trip. God did some amazing things and the whole team (Canadian & Rwandan) did such an incredible job connecting with the kids through camp, buidling an amazing playpark, helping out a local community with service projects, various renovation projects around the school, and letting God work in and through them. It was really incredible to see all the effort I put into preparing for this time work out so well. God is very good - Imana ninziza cyane!
Sponsorship Program: As I said in my last letter, I completed all of my work with the sponsorship program, but I wanted mention it because of the amazing work the team from Vancouver has done since they returned to Canada. The sponsorship program at KCS was at a bit of a standstill and as a result, no new sponsor students could be admitted. Since the return of the Vancouver team, they have secured over 30 new sponsors and as a result it looks like the school will be able to start admitting new sponsorship students in January!
Check out more photos of my time in Rwanda in the photo link on the top left!
Home Redux
In the letter I wrote just days before I left for Rwanda, I spoke about my flexible concept of home and how I hoped it would continue to stretch in such a way that I would find home in Rwanda. God has surely answered that prayer and the concept of home in multiple places is very much a reality to me right now. While I am trying to feel at home here in Vancouver, part of my heart is definitely still at home in Rwanda with my work, the children and the beautiful friendships I have with people there. As a result I often feel like my heart is being stretched in different directions, sometimes to the point of breaking. But my prayer is that God uses this stretching to grow my heart. And that as my heart expands He creates more space in there for His plan, because I know that no matter where I am, if I am in His plan, I will be at home.
Financial Update
Thank you so much for all of your support while I was in Rwanda - I can't even express how grateful I am for the opportunity that your prayers and financial support gave me. I was asked to stay on with YFC for an extra month to tie up all the loose ends and because of this, I am short on my funding. Would you consider making a donation to help me with this shortfall?
As well, even though I am back in Canada, the kids at KCS and the partnership between Vancouver and Rwanda YFC continues to be of great importance to me. If you are interested in supporting the work that Rwanda YFC does, please let me know. There are lots of options available, including sponsoring a student supporting any other of the programs I've mentioned, or check out the above memo for another exciting way to stay involved with the work in Rwanda.
Making a donation is easy. Just go online at http://www.youthunlimited.com/donate, choose the giving option you prefer, and make sure to designate where you want your gift to go in the comments box.
Thanks!
Prayer Points
- Claude as he continues to build the arts program at KCS
- The remaining funding needed to cover my added time with YFC
- The team of Canadian young people as they process through what God did in them while in Rwanda
- For more sponsors for the children who can't afford their tuition at KCS
- For me as I settle back into life in Vancouver and sort through what's next
_________________________________________________________
If you want to financially support the work in Rwanda,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.
PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Laura's Letter, Rwanda, June, 2010
Progress Update
I have completed more than half my time here in Rwanda, and I wanted to send a brief update on how things have gone so far.
Art Curriculum: I am in 14 art classes in an average week, and together with the art teachers at KCS, have made significant progress in enhancing the curriculum. We are constantly learning as we go, recording it for future use, and thinking of ways to make it sustainable when I leave.
Extra Curricular Activities: This is an ongoing learning experience of balancing my desire for smooth running, organized program with the inherent chaos of 500+ kids running around on a Friday afternoon! Though every week there are new challenges and sometimes it feels a bit like trial and error, the kids are having fun and the discipleship students are gaining valuable experience in leadership.
Sponsorship Program: I did almost 200 interviews with children (some with a translator, some without!) and took over 500 photos! It was a lot of fun to get to know more about the children - a LOT of work, but totally worth it as these children wouldn't be able to attend KCS without the program.
GVYFC Trips: I've been working hard to help plan the GVYFC trip this July - camp training with the discipleship students here, helping with budget information, and planning trips to various places in Rwanda.
Bible Study: Crystal and I have started a weekly Bible Study at our home with some of the teachers and staff. It's been three weeks and it's been a wonderful opportunity to go a little deeper in the Bible and to spend time with our friends and colleagues.
Blessed Ones: I've also had the opportunity to reconnect with some of the ladies I got to know on other trips. These are a group of ladies - called the Blessed Ones by RYFC - who worked on the YFC property and went through a counselling and job skills training program. Some of them have been able to start up small businesses and others are working towards that.
Most of the activities I've been involved in are still works in progress, but much of my last months here will be spent trying to make sure that I finish well and that the things I've been involved in are sustainable after I leave. Please continue to pray for me as I work towards that end.
Check out the new photos of my time in Rwanda in the photo link on the top left!
Giving Praise to Someone
The child in the photo to the left is Kabahaya Elvis and he is 7 years old. His father is a day labourer and his mother is unemployed. Without the sponsorship program, Elvis' parents would not be able to afford school fees.
Elvis is delayed in some areas, and has some behavioural problems - he runs around jabbering in Kinyarwanda at an incredible rate, and scribbling on pretty much any paper he can get his hands on. Fortunately, through the sponsorship program, Elvis is able to receive a good education at KCS. The classes here are kept small so his teacher is able to give him more of the attention he needs, and he is able to eat at least one nutritious meal a day at school.
It's kids like Elvis that make my job so worthwhile - I get to see children like him grow and learn throughout the year. Elvis still has his behavioural issues, and he might always be a bit behind, but even in the short time I've been here I've seen his behaviour improve immensely.
Elvis' Kinyarwanda name, Kabahaya, means, "giving praise to someone," and when I think about how different Elvis' life is because of RYFC, I can't help but give praise and thank God, because He is the "someone" that makes all of it possible.
Financial Update
A lot has happened since January and it has been incredibly worthwhile - and it has all been made possible with your financial support and prayer. Thank you so much for all you've contributed to this work! However, I still need to raise approximately $6000 for the remainder of my time to cover my expenses and project costs. Alongside that, I would also like to raise funding to contribute to the sustainability of ongoing programs. Please would you consider making a donation to help with this? Whether it's $50, $100, $500 or $5000, every donation enables more work here in Rwanda. Alternatively, you can make a monthly donation that will help in the long term.
Making a donation is easy. You can go to http://www.youthunlimited.com/donate and either print and send the form provided to GVYFC or give online. Just follow the directions and write Laura Solberg- Rwanda project in the comments box. Thanks!
Prayer Points
I have completed more than half my time here in Rwanda, and I wanted to send a brief update on how things have gone so far.
Art Curriculum: I am in 14 art classes in an average week, and together with the art teachers at KCS, have made significant progress in enhancing the curriculum. We are constantly learning as we go, recording it for future use, and thinking of ways to make it sustainable when I leave.Extra Curricular Activities: This is an ongoing learning experience of balancing my desire for smooth running, organized program with the inherent chaos of 500+ kids running around on a Friday afternoon! Though every week there are new challenges and sometimes it feels a bit like trial and error, the kids are having fun and the discipleship students are gaining valuable experience in leadership.
Sponsorship Program: I did almost 200 interviews with children (some with a translator, some without!) and took over 500 photos! It was a lot of fun to get to know more about the children - a LOT of work, but totally worth it as these children wouldn't be able to attend KCS without the program.
GVYFC Trips: I've been working hard to help plan the GVYFC trip this July - camp training with the discipleship students here, helping with budget information, and planning trips to various places in Rwanda.
Bible Study: Crystal and I have started a weekly Bible Study at our home with some of the teachers and staff. It's been three weeks and it's been a wonderful opportunity to go a little deeper in the Bible and to spend time with our friends and colleagues.
Blessed Ones: I've also had the opportunity to reconnect with some of the ladies I got to know on other trips. These are a group of ladies - called the Blessed Ones by RYFC - who worked on the YFC property and went through a counselling and job skills training program. Some of them have been able to start up small businesses and others are working towards that.Most of the activities I've been involved in are still works in progress, but much of my last months here will be spent trying to make sure that I finish well and that the things I've been involved in are sustainable after I leave. Please continue to pray for me as I work towards that end.
Check out the new photos of my time in Rwanda in the photo link on the top left!
Giving Praise to Someone
The child in the photo to the left is Kabahaya Elvis and he is 7 years old. His father is a day labourer and his mother is unemployed. Without the sponsorship program, Elvis' parents would not be able to afford school fees.Elvis is delayed in some areas, and has some behavioural problems - he runs around jabbering in Kinyarwanda at an incredible rate, and scribbling on pretty much any paper he can get his hands on. Fortunately, through the sponsorship program, Elvis is able to receive a good education at KCS. The classes here are kept small so his teacher is able to give him more of the attention he needs, and he is able to eat at least one nutritious meal a day at school.
It's kids like Elvis that make my job so worthwhile - I get to see children like him grow and learn throughout the year. Elvis still has his behavioural issues, and he might always be a bit behind, but even in the short time I've been here I've seen his behaviour improve immensely.
Elvis' Kinyarwanda name, Kabahaya, means, "giving praise to someone," and when I think about how different Elvis' life is because of RYFC, I can't help but give praise and thank God, because He is the "someone" that makes all of it possible.
Financial Update
A lot has happened since January and it has been incredibly worthwhile - and it has all been made possible with your financial support and prayer. Thank you so much for all you've contributed to this work! However, I still need to raise approximately $6000 for the remainder of my time to cover my expenses and project costs. Alongside that, I would also like to raise funding to contribute to the sustainability of ongoing programs. Please would you consider making a donation to help with this? Whether it's $50, $100, $500 or $5000, every donation enables more work here in Rwanda. Alternatively, you can make a monthly donation that will help in the long term.
Making a donation is easy. You can go to http://www.youthunlimited.com/donate and either print and send the form provided to GVYFC or give online. Just follow the directions and write Laura Solberg- Rwanda project in the comments box. Thanks!
Prayer Points
- God's leading in the sustainability of the activities I've been involved in
- The remaining funding needed for my time in Rwanda
- The planning that is going into the GVYFC visit in July
- For more sponsors for the children who can't afford their tuition at KCS
_________________________________________________________
If you want to financially support my work in Rwanda, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Laura's Letter, Rwanda, Issue 5, April 2010
Friends
I might not be the most outgoing or gregarious person, and I definitely need my space, but those who know me well know that friendships and relationships are pretty near the top of my priority list. I have some amazing friends in Canada, many of whom have supported me emotionally, spiritually and financially and made my time here in Rwanda possible. And now that I've been in Rwanda for over 2 months, I've made some wonderful friends here, as well. We work together, eat together, dance together and laugh together.
Last week, I had the opportunity to bring 2 groups of my friends together. A visit from some Vancouver YFC staff and friends meant a whole week of Rwandan/North American craziness!
It was super busy - exam week at the school meant the teachers and myself were giving and grading tests, and the partnership between Vancouver YFC and Rwanda YFC meant many meetings about summer camp planning, play park building, young leader training, and multiple other things - but in the midst of it all were the wonderful relationships that we've been building. Lunch together in the training centre, dinners overlooking the Kigali city lights, hanging out with the teachers and students during extra curricular time, and a dance party at our house - where the photo of Jen, a friend who lives in Vancouver, with Judith and Immaculate, two of my friends who live here in Kigali, was taken - were all very special times for me.
It may seem to some like I am focusing on the "free time" we had together, but it is really those times when we are able to just be friends that have such a huge impact on the work we are doing together, both in Rwanda and in Canada. Stronger friendships mean more effective work. We know better how to channel resources; what works and what doesn't; what to pray for; when things go wrong we can respond together; and when things go well we can celebrate with each other.
During the visit there was great progress made on planning the summer camp that the team from Vancouver is arranging, including how to work more seamlessly with the young leaders here in Rwanda; materials were resourced, costs figured and tools found for the amazing play park that will be built during the the summer trip; plans were set in place to work more closely with a village that Rwanda YFC already has connections with in ways that could be transformative for those who live there; and a video was filmed that will be able to communicate much more to supporters about the work that goes on here than any newsletter could!
All these things are practical steps forward in the working partnership that Vancouver and Rwanda YFC have, but none of them would be possible without the friendships that we are building.
Check out the new photos of my time in Rwanda in the photo link on the top left!
Speaking of Friends
One of my favourite things about my job here is working with my friend Claude. The first time I met Claude was when I was here in the summer of 2008 and he took me shopping for all the art supplies we would need for camp. This time, I get to work very closely with Claude again as he is the Upper Primary Arts teacher. Claude is the kind of coworker that everyone likes working with; the kind of teacher that all the children love and respect; and the kind of person that I am blessed to be able to call my friend.
At 29 years old, he and his wife have an ADORABLE daughter and also support their two sisters to go to secondary school (in Rwanda, often older siblings, especially brothers, take in younger siblings and pay for their education when the parents are not around or are unable to).
Both him and his wife feel a strong calling to help those who are less fortunate, and they both do it with such amazing grace - and big smiles, too! Pray for Claude and his wife as they pursue their calling to help those around them.
First Term Celebration
One term down and two more to go for the 2010 school year at Kigali Christian School. We ended the term with a celebration - the top five students in each class were recognized with prizes and there was lots of cheering by parents, teachers and classmates. The whole celebration was fun, but what was especially great for me was to see two of the Extra Curricular Clubs perform what they had been learning all term. The Traditional Dance Club was organized by a teacher and the Drama Club was led by one of the Student Leaders I've been working with. It was great for the students to be recognized for their academic achievements, and also to have the opportunity to showcase some of the things they've been doing at school besides studying!
CLICK HERE TO DONATE ONLINE
Prayer Points
If you want to financially support my work in Rwanda,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.
I might not be the most outgoing or gregarious person, and I definitely need my space, but those who know me well know that friendships and relationships are pretty near the top of my priority list. I have some amazing friends in Canada, many of whom have supported me emotionally, spiritually and financially and made my time here in Rwanda possible. And now that I've been in Rwanda for over 2 months, I've made some wonderful friends here, as well. We work together, eat together, dance together and laugh together.Last week, I had the opportunity to bring 2 groups of my friends together. A visit from some Vancouver YFC staff and friends meant a whole week of Rwandan/North American craziness!
It was super busy - exam week at the school meant the teachers and myself were giving and grading tests, and the partnership between Vancouver YFC and Rwanda YFC meant many meetings about summer camp planning, play park building, young leader training, and multiple other things - but in the midst of it all were the wonderful relationships that we've been building. Lunch together in the training centre, dinners overlooking the Kigali city lights, hanging out with the teachers and students during extra curricular time, and a dance party at our house - where the photo of Jen, a friend who lives in Vancouver, with Judith and Immaculate, two of my friends who live here in Kigali, was taken - were all very special times for me.
It may seem to some like I am focusing on the "free time" we had together, but it is really those times when we are able to just be friends that have such a huge impact on the work we are doing together, both in Rwanda and in Canada. Stronger friendships mean more effective work. We know better how to channel resources; what works and what doesn't; what to pray for; when things go wrong we can respond together; and when things go well we can celebrate with each other.
During the visit there was great progress made on planning the summer camp that the team from Vancouver is arranging, including how to work more seamlessly with the young leaders here in Rwanda; materials were resourced, costs figured and tools found for the amazing play park that will be built during the the summer trip; plans were set in place to work more closely with a village that Rwanda YFC already has connections with in ways that could be transformative for those who live there; and a video was filmed that will be able to communicate much more to supporters about the work that goes on here than any newsletter could!
All these things are practical steps forward in the working partnership that Vancouver and Rwanda YFC have, but none of them would be possible without the friendships that we are building.
Check out the new photos of my time in Rwanda in the photo link on the top left!
Speaking of Friends
One of my favourite things about my job here is working with my friend Claude. The first time I met Claude was when I was here in the summer of 2008 and he took me shopping for all the art supplies we would need for camp. This time, I get to work very closely with Claude again as he is the Upper Primary Arts teacher. Claude is the kind of coworker that everyone likes working with; the kind of teacher that all the children love and respect; and the kind of person that I am blessed to be able to call my friend.
At 29 years old, he and his wife have an ADORABLE daughter and also support their two sisters to go to secondary school (in Rwanda, often older siblings, especially brothers, take in younger siblings and pay for their education when the parents are not around or are unable to).
Both him and his wife feel a strong calling to help those who are less fortunate, and they both do it with such amazing grace - and big smiles, too! Pray for Claude and his wife as they pursue their calling to help those around them.First Term Celebration
One term down and two more to go for the 2010 school year at Kigali Christian School. We ended the term with a celebration - the top five students in each class were recognized with prizes and there was lots of cheering by parents, teachers and classmates. The whole celebration was fun, but what was especially great for me was to see two of the Extra Curricular Clubs perform what they had been learning all term. The Traditional Dance Club was organized by a teacher and the Drama Club was led by one of the Student Leaders I've been working with. It was great for the students to be recognized for their academic achievements, and also to have the opportunity to showcase some of the things they've been doing at school besides studying!
CLICK HERE TO DONATE ONLINE
Prayer Points
- The friendships that are integral to the GVYFC/RYFC partnership
- The beginning of the second term
- Claude and his family
- All of the planning that is going into the GVYFC visit in July
- For more sponsors for the children who can't afford their tuition at KCS
_________________________________________________________
If you want to financially support my work in Rwanda,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Laura's Letter, Rwanda, Issue 4, February 2010
The Big Picture
I think it is true that most of the time we have very little idea of what is going on around us, but in some places it is easier to fool ourselves into thinking that we do. In Vancouver, it is much easier for me to think that I know what is going on - I understand most of the culture and language; I know my routines and how things work; I feel like I have a pretty good idea of the "big picture." But in reality, the big picture I see in Vancouver is a very limited one. It is just one culture and language in a world of many, and how I experience how things work and my routines is very different from most of the other people in my city, let alone the rest of the world. So it is really only a small piece of the picture. It is not the big picture at all, but it sometimes feels like it is.
In Rwanda, it never feels like I see the big picture. In fact, it usually feels like I can't even make out the details in the small bit of the picture I do have! The unknown is part of the adventure and the truth is I spend most of every day feeling very aware that I don't really know what is going on around me.
First of all, I don't understand the language. Sometimes this is a good thing, (like when the construction workers heckle us on our walk to work) but mostly it is a little frustrating and I wish I knew when someone was asking me a question, or explaining something to me, or trying to tell me something important. And friendships and relationships are very different here in ways that I can't quite get my head around. And nothing seems to work like I think it should. And things that are easy for me at home, I can't seem to figure out here. And every day I see evidence of poverty and inequality and things that seem so completely unfair.
I don't know where any of these things fit in God's big picture, and that makes it all the more obvious that I need to focus on the few small bits of my little picture that I know to be true. Things like God is loving and just. He sees the real big picture and all He requires of me is to love mercy, do justice and walk humbly with Him. What a wonderful reminder! And all of the uncomfortable feelings of having my false big picture swept away in a foreign culture will be worth it if I can learn to hold on just a little bit tighter to the few true bits of His big picture that I can see.
Check out the new photos of where I live and work in the photo link on the left!
Work, Work, Work
To be honest, the first while I was here, I was starting to wonder if I was going to have anything to do. The teachers were all busy getting ready for the start of school, and after school began they were trying to sort out the chaos that is inherent in the start of a new year. I did not want to add to their stress or interrupt their work, and I wasn't entirely sure how to go about getting them on board with trying a new way of teaching art - especially since I couldn't even figure out how to meet with any of them!
But, now that school is up and going (classes started on 2 February) my schedule has also kicked in. I have had multiple meetings with school administrators and Rwanda YFC staff to solidify my role; I've begun meeting with the teachers and am in 13 art classes a week; I've met with the student leaders to begin organizing after school clubs; and I am now working hard at trying to figure out how I will have time to work on my university paper while I'm here! All in all, I think I am going to have a fairly busy schedule and my initial fears of not having enough to do will probably prove quite unfounded!
Support
I have felt very encouraged in the preparation and first stages of my work here in Rwanda and I want to thank everyone who has supported me in various ways. My fundraising has gone very well so far, but I am still in need of a bit more funding to reach my budget goal. I am also much more aware now of the importance of prayer support for not only myself, but all of the staff and volunteers here in Rwanda. If you feel you can support me either prayerfully, financially, or both, please either fill out the enclosed response form, or contact the GVYFC office or myself directly. Thanks again for all you do to support my work!
CLICK HERE TO DONATE ONLINE
Prayer Points
If you want to financially support my work in Rwanda,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.
I think it is true that most of the time we have very little idea of what is going on around us, but in some places it is easier to fool ourselves into thinking that we do. In Vancouver, it is much easier for me to think that I know what is going on - I understand most of the culture and language; I know my routines and how things work; I feel like I have a pretty good idea of the "big picture." But in reality, the big picture I see in Vancouver is a very limited one. It is just one culture and language in a world of many, and how I experience how things work and my routines is very different from most of the other people in my city, let alone the rest of the world. So it is really only a small piece of the picture. It is not the big picture at all, but it sometimes feels like it is.In Rwanda, it never feels like I see the big picture. In fact, it usually feels like I can't even make out the details in the small bit of the picture I do have! The unknown is part of the adventure and the truth is I spend most of every day feeling very aware that I don't really know what is going on around me.
First of all, I don't understand the language. Sometimes this is a good thing, (like when the construction workers heckle us on our walk to work) but mostly it is a little frustrating and I wish I knew when someone was asking me a question, or explaining something to me, or trying to tell me something important. And friendships and relationships are very different here in ways that I can't quite get my head around. And nothing seems to work like I think it should. And things that are easy for me at home, I can't seem to figure out here. And every day I see evidence of poverty and inequality and things that seem so completely unfair.
I don't know where any of these things fit in God's big picture, and that makes it all the more obvious that I need to focus on the few small bits of my little picture that I know to be true. Things like God is loving and just. He sees the real big picture and all He requires of me is to love mercy, do justice and walk humbly with Him. What a wonderful reminder! And all of the uncomfortable feelings of having my false big picture swept away in a foreign culture will be worth it if I can learn to hold on just a little bit tighter to the few true bits of His big picture that I can see.
Check out the new photos of where I live and work in the photo link on the left!
Work, Work, Work
To be honest, the first while I was here, I was starting to wonder if I was going to have anything to do. The teachers were all busy getting ready for the start of school, and after school began they were trying to sort out the chaos that is inherent in the start of a new year. I did not want to add to their stress or interrupt their work, and I wasn't entirely sure how to go about getting them on board with trying a new way of teaching art - especially since I couldn't even figure out how to meet with any of them!
But, now that school is up and going (classes started on 2 February) my schedule has also kicked in. I have had multiple meetings with school administrators and Rwanda YFC staff to solidify my role; I've begun meeting with the teachers and am in 13 art classes a week; I've met with the student leaders to begin organizing after school clubs; and I am now working hard at trying to figure out how I will have time to work on my university paper while I'm here! All in all, I think I am going to have a fairly busy schedule and my initial fears of not having enough to do will probably prove quite unfounded!
Support
I have felt very encouraged in the preparation and first stages of my work here in Rwanda and I want to thank everyone who has supported me in various ways. My fundraising has gone very well so far, but I am still in need of a bit more funding to reach my budget goal. I am also much more aware now of the importance of prayer support for not only myself, but all of the staff and volunteers here in Rwanda. If you feel you can support me either prayerfully, financially, or both, please either fill out the enclosed response form, or contact the GVYFC office or myself directly. Thanks again for all you do to support my work!
CLICK HERE TO DONATE ONLINE
Prayer Points
- That I would learn to hold tighter to the few true bits of God's big picture
- Increased enrolment for the secondary grades at KCS
- The teachers who are learning to speak and teach in English at the same time
- The art classes and after school clubs that I am helping with
- The remainder of my fundraising goal
_________________________________________________________
If you want to financially support my work in Rwanda,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Laura's Letter, Rwanda, Issue 3, January 2010
Home
The house where I will live while in Rwanda: A view from the outside; friends having their first meal in the house I will share with my soon-to-be roommate, Crystal; and the view from the front porch. Looks pretty great. Looks like home! (sorry that the photos are low resolution - I just grabbed them from my roommates online photo album!)
I've come to know that the word "home" is a very flexible one. I started to realize this one time while in Alberta visiting my family. Someone asked me when I was returning to BC. I answered with something like, "I fly home on..." and realized that, though I'd come "home" to visit family, I would also be returning "home" to BC when I left.
This new, flexible concept of home has become a reality for me as I've set up my life in the Lower Mainland for the past eight years while at the same time maintaining a connection with my home in Alberta, and it is expanding even more as I prepare to leave for Rwanda.
As I write this, I am sitting in my parents' home — the house I grew up in. It is home in a very real sense. I have eighteen years of memories here. People I love live close by. I feel comfortable, loved, taken care of. I'm home here.
At the same time, I feel tinges of homesickness for Vancouver. I have my own space and life there. I go to school there. I know the bus system, and how to find my way around. My church is there. My friends are there. I feel at home there.
And, as I think about leaving for Rwanda in a couple of days, I look forward to setting up a home there too. I've seen photos of the house I will live in. There are people there that I know and love, and people who I will come to know and love. By the time I return to Canada in August, I will have found a home in Rwanda as well.
I used to feel a little bit guilty about my flexible concept of home — like the feeling of home-ness in BC somehow diminished the home-ness of Alberta. But now I think I'm beginning to appreciate the flexibility of "home." What a wonderful thing to know that home doesn't have to depend on your physical surroundings. I'm blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life, in so many different places, that I can have two, or three (or maybe even more!) places to call home!
FUNDING UPDATE
I have only just over $4000 left to raise - Thanks so much for all your support!
If you are interested in partnering with me financially, please visit youthunlimited.com for online giving, or contact me for more information.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE ONLINE
Prayer Points
If you want to help send me to Rwanda,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.
The house where I will live while in Rwanda: A view from the outside; friends having their first meal in the house I will share with my soon-to-be roommate, Crystal; and the view from the front porch. Looks pretty great. Looks like home! (sorry that the photos are low resolution - I just grabbed them from my roommates online photo album!)I've come to know that the word "home" is a very flexible one. I started to realize this one time while in Alberta visiting my family. Someone asked me when I was returning to BC. I answered with something like, "I fly home on..." and realized that, though I'd come "home" to visit family, I would also be returning "home" to BC when I left.
This new, flexible concept of home has become a reality for me as I've set up my life in the Lower Mainland for the past eight years while at the same time maintaining a connection with my home in Alberta, and it is expanding even more as I prepare to leave for Rwanda.
As I write this, I am sitting in my parents' home — the house I grew up in. It is home in a very real sense. I have eighteen years of memories here. People I love live close by. I feel comfortable, loved, taken care of. I'm home here.
At the same time, I feel tinges of homesickness for Vancouver. I have my own space and life there. I go to school there. I know the bus system, and how to find my way around. My church is there. My friends are there. I feel at home there.
And, as I think about leaving for Rwanda in a couple of days, I look forward to setting up a home there too. I've seen photos of the house I will live in. There are people there that I know and love, and people who I will come to know and love. By the time I return to Canada in August, I will have found a home in Rwanda as well.
I used to feel a little bit guilty about my flexible concept of home — like the feeling of home-ness in BC somehow diminished the home-ness of Alberta. But now I think I'm beginning to appreciate the flexibility of "home." What a wonderful thing to know that home doesn't have to depend on your physical surroundings. I'm blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life, in so many different places, that I can have two, or three (or maybe even more!) places to call home!
FUNDING UPDATE
I have only just over $4000 left to raise - Thanks so much for all your support!
If you are interested in partnering with me financially, please visit youthunlimited.com for online giving, or contact me for more information.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE ONLINE
Prayer Points
- The transition to my new home and work in Kigali
- The Greater Vancouver YFC staff as they plan and prepare for their trip to Rwanda in July
- The remainder of my fund raising goal
_________________________________________________________
If you want to help send me to Rwanda,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.
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