CMU/RWANDA--THE NON-TECHY VERSION

PART I

This is the entrance to CMU/RWANDA!


I took these pictures and played 
with Bruce'e barren office while he was away.  It sure didn't look like a Director's office...


These are the results!  Well, the real results are in Part II.


 But now for a tour of where things are now...

B's office is the last office on the right at the end of this hall on the 4th floor!

The Furniture for the "reception area" has
not yet arrived.

These will be the classrooms... This is on
another wing of Telecom House- The offices
are one one wing and the classes will be in another one.




This is just the beginning.  
The Grand Opening is the first week in June..  
Think they'll make it?

Took these on April 10th

There is a little bit of work to be done! 

And now for the barren office...

        

If you take away the plant.. this is what Bruce's office looked like before we did anything.

However---these are views from his office.  They are Great!

It was time to start decorating Bruce's office so we headed for the pottery place along side of the road!  

They had plenty of plants and pottery!  

 Some friends we made along the way.

 Innocent with about 1/2 of the collection! 


Lionel and Innocent are "fighting" for me with the folks to make sure i don't pay too much!  I told them compared to the States and what plants and pots cost.. this was really reasonable.  They kept at it until they got the price they thought was fair!  I just felt guilty! 


From here we headed back to Telecom House....and Bruce's office....


( continued in Part II)

Not Just Another Sunday!

This was Saturday!  My view from the kitchen patio yesterday morning!
Magnificent!  Bruce got home safely last night from being in the States the last two weeks.  We had a great evening and then because he was a tired...Bruce slept in.  We went to late church at 11:30 but that was no accident.  I believe the Lord planned all that.

 No sun today.  It was pouring as we left the house.

I drove to church (since Bruce opened and closed the gate) and on the way there... about 4 blocks away all of a sudden there were about 9 little kids running to the car with their hands out.  Here in Kigali when you see that it means they are asking for a ride.  (When we first arrived, i thought people were putting their hands out for a hand out)... But no, folks just want to hitch a ride.  Anyway... here were all these kids... no adult with them

walking to church all by themselves. 

Well, it was raining pretty heavily and i thought we should give them a ride.  I asked them if they were going to church and they said, YES!  Bruce said.. how will they all fit in here?  I said, don't worry... they'll just pile in. And pile in they did.  Bruce even opened up the back and several got in there and we were off. 

I don't know what I expected from that point on.. but i suppose i thought the kids would  go to church and be with their friends or something like that... but guess what?  They never left our sides.  Bruce and i walked in with our newly adopted family... all 9 of them.  We more than filled a row!! Only 1 girl spoke English and she spoke fairly well-

and then William sat down next to Bruce who spoke English very well.  He was older but as we found out later, lives in the same village as all the other kids.  

So, there we were with all our kids, singing, clapping, praising the Lord together. They would try the English songs and we would try to sing in Kinyarwanda.  But then the worship leader asked us to get in small groups for intercessory prayer.  I moved my chair ahead of the kids to start a small circle and immediately all the kids were circled up ready to pray.  

I asked the girl who spoke English whose name i can say but not spell if she would ask the others what they would like us to pray for them. 

 And then... the unexpected happened.  

One little boy said, the poor, another--all the hurting people--one other said to pray for all the people who lost family in the genocide and when i asked the little girl how i could pray for her.  She said, " oh... i don't want you to pray for me... i just want to give God all the glory and praise for all the things He is doing in my life."  ( I think she was 11-12). 

So, i prayed first for those things and then i asked her if she would like to pray.  She said, can i pray in Kinyarwanda?   Of course!  But first, she said --how can we pray for you?  I told her that i was really missing my grandkids back in America.... and she immediately told the others and they all looked at me like awwwww.... It was so sweet.   But then she prayed.  And as she prayed the other little ones were agreeing with her. I have NO idea what she said... but i do know that her words just flooded over me.  She was so filled with the Spirit of the Lord.  When she finished and we all looked up... all the kids were smiling at me as they saw tears streaming down my face.  GOD IS AT WORK EVERYWHERE AND IN ANYONE WHO WILL LET HIM WORK IN THEM!  I was totally overwhelmed with joy and the sweetness of that time of intercessory prayer with those children.  It is a moment i will never forget.  Heather would call it being Interrupted by Grace!  I certainly was. 

The sermon was on having faith and why we don't ask for more when we need it! 

After the service ended at 1:30, the kids all still by our sides walked out of the church with us.  I asked them if they would like a ride and William asked if he could come, too

since they all live in the same village.  As William and Sarkosey (sp) and i walked along

they told me that there were 5 families represented among them.  So, Bruce popped the 2 back seats together to make a second row and all 10 of them piled in again and we were off-- with them giving us directions of where they lived.  

 

They actually live down the hill from our house in a little village off the main street sort of behind the store fronts.  

So we finally pulled up to their houses... little mud brick 10x10 houses, rooms really.  One of the Moms was standing at her door and as the children kept pouring out of the car she was just grinning with her hand on her cheek--shaking her head as if to say.. How did all those kids fit in there?  After many hugs and handshakes and me promising to come visit their school next Sat. at noon... (when they meet for music)... we pulled away.  Leaving our new little family to each go back to their own!  

The astonishing thing about these kids?   Truly inspiring!!  They had all walked, unsupervised to church IN THE RAIN... for about 2- 2 1/2 miles!   Not only in the rain, but in all the mud... and only 2 of them could even understand the Word and words being spoken.  That gave me reason to pause.  I have to be honest and say I know I wouldn't have done that.  Would you?   

I just thank the Lord that this was no ordinary Sunday.  I saw the Lord through

these children's eyes and I have seen how much they love him... no matter what language they spoke or what the weather was.  Nothing can keep us from the love of God!  No matter how young or old!  And nothing was going to keep those kids from being in the Lord's House today!  What a blessing and inspiration they were to me.  I hope they were to you, too!

love,

margie

I'll take pictures of the kids next week... i was so overwhelmed that i didn't even think about it this morning!

 

 

LET THE RAIN BEGIN...

THEY HAVE ALL TOLD ME IT WAS COMING......BUT

THIS IS WHAT IT USUALLY LOOKS LIKE FROM OUR WINDOWS....

BUT TODAY---THE RAINS HAVE BEEN FALLING SINCE EARLY MORNING.
   

 THE HILLS HAVE ALMOST DISAPPEARED

 AT LEAST WE CAN SEE THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE

 BUT YOU'D NEVER KNOW THIS WAS THE LAND OF A 1000 HILLS.

 LET THE RIVER FLOW!
 THE GREATEST PROBLEM WITH THE RAIN?...
IT'S THE RED CLAY MUD! 

IT DESIGNS ALL THE UNPAVED STREETS HERE WITH VERY

UNIQUE "HARD ON YOUR CAR" RUTS!  

BUT I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT IT IS RAINING TODAY.
  

TODAY ENDS THE WEEK LONG GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCE
 AND IT SEEMS ONLY FITTING THAT THE SUN ISN'T SHINING.

In reading Oswald Chambers today, he quotes Ps. 55:22, "Cast you burden upon the Lord".  Actually he says we should roll our burden onto the Lord's shoulders.  To quote him, "Commit to God 'that He has given you': not fling it off, but put it over onto Him and yourself with it, and the burden is lightened by the sense of companionship.  Never disassociate yourself from the burden."  No one here can disassociate from the burden.

I think this is exactly what this week is about here in Rwanda. The people of this country have chosen to let the Lord bear their burden and that not only gives them a sense of companionship with the Lord but with each other, too!  There is so much grace, forgiveness and reconciliation here and that cannot be done by man alone!

It is only through the power of the Lord that people can love and forgive each other, anywhere, but especially here in Rwanda.  Innocent was telling me this morning that his Pastor's wife's entire family was slaughtered and she was the only survivor.  She has written a book, which we will have to get, but he said her story is not just that she survived, but that she has met the killers --those that killed all of her family members--face to face and she has shown them the power of forgiveness through Christ.

I cannot comprehend this.  Innocent said that another survivor has written a theme song for each year of the remembrance and this year's was saying that you cannot understand if you haven't gone through the pain.  That is exactly how i feel as an outsider-looking in.  These people have gone through so much pain, but the power of forgiveness and reconciliation
has overpowered the pain for most.  God is blessing this country.  

Just now, i looked up after writing that last sentence and realized that the rain has stopped and the sun is coming out.  What a great analogy of this week.... In truth... the rain has stopped and the "Son" is coming out!!!  Thank you for praying for the people of Rwanda this week.  We have much to learn from the wonderful people is this special place. 

 The sun starting to peek through around noon.

I have to go run some errands, Bruce is coming home tomorrow after being gone 

for 2 weeks and i need to finish up some surprises.  I'll be back.  

Back now and the day is almost over now... The sun goes down at 6pm.  

I took this picture at 5pm

Quite a contrast from this morning.... and again.. 

quite a contrast between now and 18 years ago.   

Maybe i was wrong to think the sun shouldn't be shining today!  

The Lord is sending a very warm and reassuring message through its brightness.

My prayer for this nation is that God will turn all their sorrow into joy 

as they roll all their burdens onto Him!  

I guess that is my prayer for you, too!

much love,

margie

        

                 This year's theme.                                       5:45pm -- The hills are back!

Mommy Creamsicle announces baby Orange Push-up!

Just sitting on my window sill!

Looking a little weak in the knees!  Must have done too many push-ups!  

Little Orange Push Up isn't too bright!  She kept peckin' at her own image
in the window... It was really funny.  Maybe she'll get smarter with age.

Going back to find her friend....la, la, lalala.

"I don't see my friend anywhere. I guess she left!"
Maybe she'll be back later, Push Up!

Hope you like our new little baby!
Hop

Things I Love about Being in Kigali!



The Weather ---It is nearly perfect every day.... It might rain.. but usually late in the day
or during the night.  75-80 degrees daylight.  55-60 nighttime!

The Storms----as they move over the valley and each one has a different beauty.

 

Never Having to Wear Socks!  (but my feet are always dirty!!!)

Never Hearing the Garbage Truck 

  

 This is the garbage truck! Really! Twice a week.

 This is our garage man... except she is a lady!

She collects our trash and all the yard debris and hedge clippings!!

Oh, by the way.. since there is no mail.. bill collectors just come and knock on the gate when you owe for trash pick-up, water, security, etc. Some people have a doorbell at the gate but we do not have one.  So Innocent just has to have sharp ears!

African Worship

                          Their Harmonies, their Hearts, the Honoring of our Lord Jesus.

And all of the talent!

The Saw Mill--Furniture Store!!!!!!

 This is a subculture all its own and i love going here.

The Markets

I'm even making homemade salsa now!

The People

The Attitude of the People... 


No Victims Here!  Even 18 years after the massive Genocide....
(Jenoside in Kinyarwanda language) their only vision is the future!

These huge billboards are all over town this week.

The Flowers and Birds--you've seen a lot of these.

The HILLS!
The Land of a 1000 Hills!

From our house looking Southwest

Driving Northwest of Kigali into Banana Plantation land

Still going Northwest

 About one hour South

Traveling South one hour

 Heading South-----Hills in every direction

And last, but not least....Bruce!


Without this guy i wouldn't even be here!

Relaxed Mode

Early Morning Engaged Mode

And those are just a few of the things!  Also included are walking, having time to think

and

pray and read my Bible more regularly and sometimes just--- being still!

love,

margie

Coming Soon to a blog near you:

CMU/Rwanda