Day 1

My first full day in Kigali was quite full and productive! I arrived last night on-time, and after some supper was able to get 10 solid hours of sleep!

This morning I was given a tour of KICS and saw my classroom for the first time! (Lisa took a picture for me, but sadly I have lost the picture L ) I love my purple… sorry, Hyacinth, classroom! I can’t wait to see what it looks like with all the posters and borders I brought with me. I will try extra hard to get a picture of that put up on facebook J

The new teacher’s met at the Dennis’ house I we had some to share about ourselves and get to know each other as we begin this adventure together! I met one of the of the girls who is going to be my roommate. Her name is Hannah and she is from England, and we are going to be very good friends!

After this we all went to Afrika Bite, a buffet restaurant with very yummy food (picture lost here as well). I was welcomed to Rwanda with a mandatory moto-taxi ride! I gladly gave my return money to a fellow teacher so he could ride to a store for a phone (and then I took his spot in the car back to the house. I was able to take one suitcase of supplies to my classroom so far and unload it, and hopefully the second one will go soon!

I got to peek at the house I’m going to be living in – it’s amazing!! The lady in charge of “supplying” the house decorated with a purple theme! My bedroom has a king-sized bed with beautiful sheets and blankets (and matching lavender towels)… the room has curtains, an armoire, and a desk – all a beautiful cherry color. The kitchen is fully supplied with dishes, cooking utensils, pots, pans, a small fridge and even a microwave! (yay – I get to heat up my coffee that I drink to slow!). There are two full bathrooms, one upstairs, and one downstairs. All three bedrooms are upstairs. (I will take pictures when I can).

Tonight I believe the plan is to eat dinner, watch a movie and go to bed early!

Do you have questions for me?! Go ahead and ask – I’m sure I’m leaving out a lot of details.

Good night!

The Journey Begins...

I consider myself a planner. I like to know what lies ahead, and I like to be in control. Planning this move to Kigali has been hard because I don’t really know what to plan and what to expect. So, I resigned myself to the fact that I would get on the plane, then show up in Kigali and I would just “go with the flow”.

Well, even that got interrupted! Today as I got off my first flight to Washington DC, I knew there was a short layover of less than an hour, but I did not panic. I have traveled a lot, and I figured it would be ok. I walked off the plane, took a right, found a monitor and realized I was going in the wrong direction and needed to head back all the way to the other end of the C terminal. Took a quick stop in the restroom to fix my dried out blurry contacts, and then walked straight to the gate. No one was in line, no boarding or final boarding call, the door was shut. I missed my flight.

I am grateful I don’t often experience the emotions that happened next. Panic, fear, frustration, anger. At myself, at United, at life. In the hours that followed I found that there is ONE flight per day between Washington DC and Brussels, and there is ONE flight every TWO days from Brussels to Kigali. Ugh!

Over an hour to get my flights rebooked, and several phone calls later, I am safe and sound at a hotel, and will be spending the next 2 days in DC.

After the panic and anger faded, I tried to find the positive in what seems like a terrible beginning to my year in Rwanda.

I have a whole day to myself tomorrow. No deadlines, no appointments, nothing to pack, no one to see. Just me and God. Maybe this could be good?! Or great!

So tomorrow I spend the day in DC, our country’s capital, taking in one last bite of America before I leave for 10 months. I am excited and looking forward to this turn in my adventure.

And on Wednesday I will be showing up really really really really early for my flight. :)

4 days and counting...

Well, vacation is ending and the final packing and "good-bye" days are upon me. In a few hours my mom, my sister and I will be on our way to Green Bay (thank you Aunt Sue!) to head back to California.

It's hard to say what I'm feeling at this point. I'm excited to be going home, to see my friends, to spend as many waking hours with you all as possible, but I am so terribly sad to be saying good-bye.

As new adventures and experiences await me on the other side of the planet, I continue to covet your prayers, emails, calls, texts, and facebook posts :)

Love and blessings~

Dropping My Nets!

Hear is the beginning of my story on God's leading to Kigali, Rwanda...

“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:4-5 NIV).

I have been praying through this verse frequently as of late. For several months I have felt God leading me in a direction, but I did not know where. He has made me unsettled though I am in a very comfortable setting. I love my community, my church, my job, and my friends. I am blessed indeed!

In June, as I was reading a devotional, I was asked the question “Would you be willing to drop everything for Jesus right now and just go?” I looked at that book and said “Honestly, no.” This made me sad. I wished I could have the courage to leave my community and go where Jesus asked me to go.

Then things changed as I started to piece together several events and conversations. Through the next several days I spent a lot of time in prayer and then with some key people in my life. I realized God had opened a door and asked me to walk through, that He would guide me, and that I needed to follow.

So this has all lead up to my taking a one year leave of absence from Lakewood Christian and teaching at a school for missionary kids in Kigali, Rwanda!

It began with our friend, Lisa Sudman, and her family. Since they returned to Africa two years ago, Lisa found herself helping with administrative needs at Kigali International Community School. As you may know, she has been trying to recruit teachers to give one year of their time to this school. I believe God has been preparing me for this opportunity for a long time, and am excited now to “drop my nets!” and go!

There are many details that have already been worked out (and more to come!), and I am confident that God is in control of all of them. This is a huge step of faith, and I know that I cannot do any of this on my own. Accepting this opportunity involves my whole community, and I am continually blessed by your support. I have a list of prayer requests at the bottom of this blog page, and I will continue to update this list throughout the year.

I will be continuing to raise support throughout the year to cover my daily costs of food and travel. If you are interested in helping me this way there is some more information at the bottom of the blog page.

I am going to miss you this next year but I am also excited for what lies ahead - I know I have much to learn, to appreciate, to experience. Thank you for being a part of my life and my journey. I am blessed to be part of yours.