Preschool in Kigali and a Goodbye Party!

This weekend there are 3 guests here in Kigali from CMU!  Hedda, arrived Thurs. evening and is the first professor for CMU/Rwanda to arrive and Hyong, a guest lecturer, and his wife Anita Kim arrive Friday.  So, we will have a busy weekend and early next week....so Thursday afternoon I headed out to get all the shopping done.  The morning was spent taking the 5 folks from CMU's architecture dept. to the market and letting them find gifts galore to take home with them.  They loved the market!

After that I stopped by to see the Preschool where Isabelle teaches and these are some
moments from there.  It was fun to be with little kids... but i still miss my own little ones!

 They each have their own "rug" to play on and when they
are done they must put all the things they get out away!

 Time to get their attention to practice for the closing program
for the year.  Isabelle was terrific with the kids and
they listen and love her. 

 They had finished designing their own neighborhoods
 and were taking them home today.

Practicing the songs first!

 One little boy, Paul had brought in hats for everyone to wear so they
kept switching them.

 Fire Fighters and clowns are popular everywhere.

 And now it is dance time!  

 Great movement and excitement!  

The entire school on this location ( preschool and kindergartens downstairs
and the "middle school" upstairs) is a private school in one of the big 
old houses.  They have converted it to a school and the 
classes are very small.  The 7th grader, I tutor, goes to school in the upstairs of 
this building. Unique arrangement.  But you see lots of resources here!  
It was fun to see where Isabelle works and meet her kids! 
There were a lot of kids belonging to the Moms I exercise with in this school. 
So, it was fun to see them, too!




AFTER A RUSHED TRIP TO THE AIRPORT AROUND 6, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE BRUSSELS FLIGHT HAD BEEN CANCELLED SO HYOUNG AND ANITA WEREN'T THERE.   SO WE JUST HEADED TO THE GOING AWAY PARTY FOR DAVE AND JANA, THE PASTOR AND HIS WIFE OF OUR CHURCH.

The church looked a lot like the Barclay
set up for a banquet.  People were just starting to come--Even though we were
an hour late!  
The youth worship team band played 
and did all kinds of music.  
There are about 5 rotating worship teams. 

So, there was lots of music and dancing, stories and tributes 
and then they were
presented with a traditional gifts. 
They were wrapped in these 
big round things... that I use for 
photo holders on the wall.
They are woven banana 
fibers and are about 3' around.






This picture gives you a better idea--- They are folded in 1/2 and contain the gifts! 
Each of them was presented with one and then 
they (Dave and Jana) disappeared for a while..

When they returned... they were dressed like
this...

These gifts --traditional Rwandan outfits
were inside the "wrappings".

Dave's outfit is the traditional
herders outfit ... (note
the rope in his hand).
Jana's is a celebration outfit
and she looked beautiful in it! 

This is Eddie giving the talk
about the outfits.  He is
Canadian and his wife Bonita
and their family are also leaving for 1 year
come July.  They are also great people.
We are going to miss all of these folks.

 So with the lighting of the "fireworks" on top of the cake--
the party began to wind down.

They will be leaving on Monday --to live in Wheaton, Ill. as missionaries and will be building relationships with the Rwandans living in the Chicago area, as well as others.  

After being in Africa for the last 19 years... 7 of which, were pastoring the CCR church here in Kigali, they will notice and perhaps not be prepared for all the changes

in American Culture.  So, please keep them and there 5 children in your prayers as they face reentry.  Three of their children are their biological kids and 2 are their 

Rwandan kids!

They had a vision for starting a church here with an English speaking service and a church that provides ministry to children and youth....The Lord has honored their service with a rich outpouring in all areas so we thank the Lord for them and pray that the Lord will continue to show this church where it should "grow"....

All for now... off to get some more groceries before all the company
starts coming over for meals/desserts!

P.S.  Somehow or another the Kim's got on another flight and arrived here in the middle of the night last night, (but their luggage didn't).  They will be here until Tues....and we will take them to visit the Gorillas on Mon and Tues.  Hope their hiking shoes arrive in the meantime!

Have a great weekend.
It is bright and sunny here today and about 65 degrees! 

Love to all,
margie