We are on our final week here in Rwanda. The team is all back together in Gisenyi where we are trying to appreciate the lake inbetween the massive rain storms that we are getting.
Our last week in Butare was amazing, we met up with widows and continued working with the orphans in the workshop. Our eyes burnt from doing so many bracelets with tiny beads, but it all worked out in the end. On the last day with them we sang songs, did some African dancing and gave them some gifts that we had made for them. It was an exciting day, but also sad. We were sad to leave Monique, they really were the best 2 weeks of this whole outreach. We laughed constantly and definitely became a very strong team. We decided to take Monique out for dinner to thank her for taking care of us and giving us such a warm welcome. We ate a delicious burger and fries, but our favourite part was giving her, her gift and card because she genuinely didn't expect anything, and compared to what she had given us, it was nothing. Sweet little Monique teared up and gave us each a huge hug, I was lucky enough to have mine captured on camera by Tabea so I will gladly show you one of the bravest women I now know. The next morning we woke up early to make Monique some French toast, or Pain Perdu as the French call it, and we then headed to the bus stop. It was our first tearful goodbye, but Monique told us she is coming to the airport to see us off which is so sweet! We then buckled in for our 2 and half hour trip to Kigali to meet up with the other team.
When we saw the other team it was weird to be honest, two weeks of separation and we had so much to talk about - it gave us just a mere glimpse of what it will be like to come home after 6 months! Anna-Lisa was rushed off to the hosptial for the second time in a week, while the rest of the team continued with our plans to go to Gisenyi. We gave Anna-Lisa our love and prayed that she would be okay. Poor girl has had extremely bad stomach pains, and looked awful. Once we arrived in Gisenyi (3 and half hours later) we were all tired from traveling but found out that Anna-Lisa was okay and they would be taking the later bus.
Being back in Gisenyi is good, however I did not miss the beds! We have all been busy telling stories about our different teams, and for Mikael's birthday we went out for dinner. I got to ride a moto-taxi (motorcycle) there! It was so exciting! I was really nervous before, first of all you can't even really be sure that the driver knows where you want to go bc they just go "uhh" in response to everything, second, ive seen how they drive and it is not comforting, and third it was pitch black outside on crazy dirt mountains. BUT with all that said I survived and am so glad that I decided to be spontaneous and just jump on one (others walked to the restaurant) I had wanted to do it since we arrived and now I have - go mee!!
I don't even know what to say at this point - other than that I can't believe this trip is over! It has gotten better and better as the weeks have passed. I am excited to go home, but also sad to leave these people that I have lived with for six months. We have had some great times, and its weird because you won't know when you will see them again.
You will be happy to know that bed bugs are going away, but as some leave others pop up - but all is well. We now all have been attacked and laugh as we sit like children scratching ourselves everywhere. Our shower has worms all over the floor so you hear squeals everytime someone attempts to be clean, and the power quite frequently goes off so we shower by flashlight not knowing where the worms have gone to. It sounds awful, but at the same time I really wouldn't trade it.
Im sure that i have missed out on so much - but it's really hard to condense it. We fly to Brussels on Friday, with the other YWAM team from Switzerland, so that will be fun and then fly into Paris Saturday morning :)
<3 can't wait! 4 more sleeps until France!!!!! 16 sleeps until home! ah!
