Opa In Rwanda

When we learned my dad would be in Rwanda for a day and half, we packed our bags and drove to Ruhengeri where he would be staying. Not knowing how long we would have together we prepared to spend the night in a guesthouse. My phone rang right when we arrived at the parking lot of Kanigi guesthouse at the foot of the vulcano's; home to the gorilla's. (the ones Diane Fossey worked with). It was my dad on the other end of the phone saying it would be better for us to stay in Kigali as he would have to leave very early in the morning. Surprised we had already arrived he quickly came to greet us.
We had a wonderful time together. We ended up spending the night in Ruhengeri town just so we could have a few more hours together. Though short it was so nice to see my dad.

My dad (opa) had never seen his newest two granddaughters. They both warmed up to him quickly and opa had no problem falling in love with them.

Yaida having a great time with her very proud opa.

Zoey is definately an opa's girl. She made sure she got all her snuggles in.
It had been over a year and half since we had last seen eachother, then for us to meet the day after Christmas was a special time. With Christmas music still playing in the back ground of the rstaurant we ate we all realized what a special blessing these precious hours together were.

Putting Christmas in Perspective

It is so easy to block our minds and be focused on ourselfs. We found our girls getting so focused on potential gifts and forget the true meaning of Christmas. Nani realized the poor would not get anything nor be aware of Jesus being God's perfect gift to us.

So we loaded 2 boxes with new shoes and many cloths in the car and took a random dirt road outside Kigali. we drove a ways in until we noticed great poverty, we started to hand out cloths and shoes, hugging people and wishing them a good Christmas. The photo's speak for themselfs. People we surpised and happy. And for us... it helped to bring life in perspective again and to put our focus back on Christ, the reason for Christmas.

Putting Christmas in Perspective 1

Nani has such a heart for the poor. She put the flip flops on this young boy and was so excited as if she herself had just received new shoes. We got the boy a new shirt also. He was so happy!

Noeli Nziza. Merry Christmas!

Christmas in Rwanda

Christmas was a special event this year, with two new daughters and my beautiful big girls who really understand Christ. When thinking about family and friends I found myself getting sentimental, not so much desiring to go to them, but for them to be with us... I have been overwhelmed with the feeling of family. Growing up as an only child the sense of family was foreign to me. But watching my daughters sit around listening to the Christmas story, talking about it, singing Christmas songs, enjoying their presents and helping the babies open theirs, I felt blessed. Now I know what family looks like, what it feels like, more then ever before.

Yaida's Christmas could have been so different. The thought of all the orphans, the poor who would spend their day cultivating as if it were a day like no other sobered my day. When merry Christmas is really not so merry... Yaida, she blesses us so much with her joy, the thought of her by herself in the orphanage chokes me up. Thank you Lord for bringing her into our family!

Jasmin loved opening presents, as we cheered her on she would dance for us before ripping the paper!
Nani and Zoey had asked for a kitten in a box with a bow on it... and so it happened to their great surprise and excitement. It is the cutest little thing ever the name is still being discussed.

One of Travis' presents was TACO BELL items... Here he is on Cloud 9! He believes in heaven again! Thanks Aaron and Kendra, you made his day!

Thank you to everyone who has sent Christmas greetings our way and blessings in various ways! At noght we hosted a hug christmas party. With about 50 people showing up in our way to small house we had lots of fun, played games and ate wonderful food. We even had turkey and stuffing. I made a waldorf salad (an expensive treat here, thanks to all who sent us Walnuts!) and tripple fudge chocolate cake (thanks Steph!) with loads of garlic bread, yummie tea's (thank you Mirjam!) and gooedies for the kids (thanks Aaron and Kendra). Everyone seemed to have brought and shared their best kept recipe's and western goodies. It was a great time. To know that home is where your heart is and to see this in action is powerful. Here we were a load of people without family, but with new found life long friends that made Christmas a special experience.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We wish you a wonderful Christmas and blessings of Health, Joy, and Peace for 2007!

Travis, Astrid, Nani, Zoey Jasmin & Yaida

Muzungu Umuganda

Today we were able to bring 13 people out with us to Zoko and work on the house of Abdu. We worked on his house in November also, compare the photo from the November blog and remark the enourmous progress.






Good job Cyp and Kyle!
Those rocks will make excellent foundation for the stale.












These mud bricks are some of the ons we made last time... They are so heavy... what is in them?










The progress, the walls are almost coplete,,, very exciting!

Nani showing off her muscles from all the hard work she had been doing.

Bernard and Kyla, nice teamwork. Those dried mudd bricks are heavy!

Todd and Travis terracing the land for the future building of the animal stable.

Koen and his new friend gathering mudd for the mortar.

Zoey hoeing under supervision of Emerithe and Ki.

Young and old; all had a share in the work today. New friendships were build.

Lauren went for the mudd brick making.. A skill she mastered very well during November's umuganda. The kids were all excited to have their teacher with them and loved helping her.

Some of the GFR sponsored families and all the people that came out from Kigali to help and encourage Abdu and his family! Thank you to all of you that came and joined us today! We had a great time with you, your hard work is much appreciated! Thanks.

Snowmen in Africa

I went to the craft store to get the hot glue, felts,and other items I needed for the snowmen project I wanted to do with Nani and Zoey. I quickly ran by the fabric store and picked up some materials for the scarfs and hats of the snowmen...

No not really... It goes more like this; I looked for some old kids socks for hats and used my dust rag for a scarf. I found some black wire from headphones that don't work, for the making of the mouth. Thanks to the Nelson's package I had wrap that would be the snowman's body color and styrofoam chips to use for filling of the hats. The nose was the hardest as marker didn't work on the foam, but I found a jello box in my kitchen that was orange... Needless to say there was no hot glue, nor felt to use, but as a team the girls and I succeeded in making these good looking snowmen. Topped off with powdered sugar it looks like it really snowed (I just pray the ants won't be attracted to it!!!)

All snowmen are made by Nani and Zoey and are now on display in our livingroom!

Klap een in je handjes! (a Dutch song)

Klap eens in je handjes , blij, blij, blij...Op je kleine bolletje allebei...

Handjes in de hoogte, handjes in de zij...Zo varen de scheepjes voorbij...

"Make me your child"

Poverty is al around us 24/7. It is a hard reality and not always easy to deal with properly. Wherever I stop my car people will surround the car asking for food or money. It is so sad, heartbreaking.
I go through times where I do my best to ignore the poor as much as possible, or am I just not wanting to feel compassion as compassion moves me to action? Hmmm...
Out in the streets and in the villages I can pick and chose whom I want to help. I can see a need and do my best to fill it or I can close the eyes of my heart and pretend the needy do not exsists. But what to do with a need as highlighted in the letter?
"Would you make me your child forever?"

We have been asked many things and have provided many ways to help, but this... Really what do we do? This poor young orphan boy has no roof over his head and lost the ability to continue school as there is no income due to the death of his mom.

Do we feel honored or insulted by such a request? Do we use wisdom by ignoring him or reach out and provide "I do not know what..." ?

I am reminded of scriptures; True religion that the Father wants is to take care of the widows and orphans... You will always have the poor among you... You are an hypocrit by saying to a poor man; God bless you and do not help him in his need...

This boy wants a mommy and daddy... My heart breaks... Where is the church, where are the mothers and fathers of the boy's community... Where is the remaining family the boy has... where, where, where...
Am I responsible for this boy? Will God hold me accountable for what I decide to do or not do concerning his situation?

You see, poverty is all around, making living in Africa confronting and difficult. I used to be "free" from the peoples cries for help inside my home. But here is this letter in my home with a burning question; "Will you make me your child..." What a desperate cry, what a responsibility... what will I do...
What would you do?

Sinterklaas in Rwanda!

St. Nicholas, the original version of Santa is still respected and celebrated in the Netherlands and Belgium. And just like last year St. Nicholas came to Rwanda at the residence of the ambassador of the Netherlands in Kigali. Nani and Zoey also took part of the celebration and Jasmin and Yaida loved the pepernoten (ginger snaps) laying all over the place.

Jan Finnema, playing St. Nicholas, was recognized by his children, but this did not hinder them from experiencing a fun time. Yaida did not know that she actually knows this Zwarte Piet, played by Leontien.

The girls went home with tummies filled with perpnoten, candies, dutch cheese and Travis and I really enjoyed the crocet and haring. It was a fun event. We all felt very Dutch for a moment.

Akagera 1

We took mom on a day safari to the National park Akagera in the east of Rwanda. It was a rainy day, giving Trav the ultimate fun of getting the car as filthy as possible. We saw many fun animals and really enjoyed the beauty of Gods creation.

I spy with my little eyes...

Akagera Continued

It was just amazing that the giraffes would allow us to get so close to them. They are such beautiful creatures.

Boo!

Nani and Zoey kept track of all the animals we saw that day.