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Sunday, August 23, 2009

Today was a good day.

The last few posts don’t seem to indicate it, but not every day is a good day. Most every day there is some point where I am frustrated, exhausted, and feel no particular love for these kids and would like nothing better than to be back in Canada. Most every day also includes moments of unexplainable joy, new revelations, and beautiful worship. It is a life of extremes here, it seems. The good stuff makes it onto the blog, and the bad stuff fades from memory. I’m not particular fond of whiney people, and do my best not to be one. The bad stuff does serve a purpose – it makes the good stuff all the more real.

Today actually started off rather poorly, as my Congolese roommate decides to sit-up in bed at 6 AM and start praying, which is a splendid thing to do, but best done quietly at this time of day with two others sleeping in the room. No such luck. I find myself uncommonly annoyed – and annoyed at myself for being annoyed. I pray for some grace. I find little. I stuff my noise-isolating headphones in my ears. Ah, God IS good.

The morning spends itself at church. I am once again brought to tears during the worship time. Jabe church is 3/3 in this department. The New Hope choir sings two songs – they rock the house. One of the songs includes a traditional Rwandese dance done by six of the girls. This is probably my 10^th time watching it – I could watch it another 10 times. There is a joy on their faces every time they do it that I can’t quite explain.

Note: This picture is actually from the President’s concert, not Jabe church.

I break out the telephoto on our return to the orphanage. This thing takes awesome shots all by itself.

I’m invited to Reuben’s place for lunch. All his children are home, and I bring my camera. Good times.

Reuben’s kids are all highly photogenic. I wish I could do a proper photoshoot with them.

There a number of other men here for lunch as well. I feel a bit odd sitting with all of them at the table (while the children serve). I am still getting used to being a guest of honor just about everywhere I go.

I take a good-sized first helping (I’ve found they like it when I eat lots). Mama Bea (Reuben’s wife) promptly adds two big scoops of rice. No questions asked. Shoot. The same thing happens when I go for seconds. I am a fat man by the end of it all.

I hang out with the kids again, and show them the goodness of jumping shots.

I love Reuben’s family. Q-U-A-L-I-T-Y. Each one. I’m going to miss them. Here David, I told them I’d send you the family picture I took. I’ll email it to you – here’s a preview for now (actually, Esther, the youngest, is missing):

In the evening is church at New Hope – my favorite part of the week. There are lots of people visiting today. I found out a few days ago that some of the younger kids had prophetic dreams back in Spring that they would have lots of visitors in the month of August. Wow.

Why am I still surprised?

Church is the usual – singing, laughter, prayer, preaching. The usual is good. In fact, it is fan-tas-tic.

And the jamming continues after the guests leave.

I think about joining them for their nightly devotions, but vote for some shuteye. I’ll start going tomorrow. For me the day ends by 12:30 – I find out later that it ended at 5 AM for some of them.

Monday, August 24, 2009 (9:00 PM)

It is official. I don’t want to leave.

Much as this trip has been incredible, much of it hasn’t been terribly easy, and there have been plenty of times that I wished I could be back in familiar and comfortable surroundings. Even when things were going well here, I’ve felt I would be ready to leave come the end of August. Not so sure anymore. I’m not entirely sure what got me over the hill, but something clicked yesterday and now I feel like I could spend a whole lot more time here.

Good thing I don’t have a choice about coming home.