Peyton's Memoirs from Rwanda

The Craziest Experience of My Life – Part II: The Recovery

// March 16th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

I thought that for this second part of the story, I would let you see the account through the eyes of someone else who was there. Kelly is a gifted writer and her painstaking attention to detail is amazing. She has an astounding memory. In fact, the rest of the house often refers to her as “Google”…or “Googs” in short. Ask her a question and she will undoubtedly have an answer for it. So without further ado, picking up where I left off from the robbery, here is Kelly’s account from our crazy under-cover police operation in Gisenyi.

http://kellyuosdwis.blogspot.com/2010/03/fateful-day-in-march.html

The Craziest Experience of My Life – Part I: The Robbery

// March 9th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // Uncategorized

Months ago, when I decided to pursue living in Africa, I told many of you that one of my reasons for doing so was simply that I wanted to have some good stories to tell one day. You know. When you are old, with grandchildren sitting on knee, you dream of being able to look back and recall your life experiences…sharing incredible tales and “whoppers” with them, as they look on with beady eyes and mouths gaped open in disbelief. The kind of stories where they say, “Tell us again! Again! Again! Again! Oh please!” And you say, “Oh, I’ve told you that one a hundred times.” To which they reply, “I know, but it’s my favorite!” Well my friends, when I said that I wanted stories, I never could have imagined that I would have one quite like this to tell…the craziest experience of my life.

Once upon a time, in a land far far away…Ok. So really, just two weeks ago, in Rwanda, in the middle of Africa. It was 5:30 in the morning. I had woken up earlier than usual, to skype with my favorite person. I quickly took a shower to wake myself up, slipped on some sweats and opened the door from our room to the den, preparing to get chat t 6:00 am. However, as I flicked on the light to the living area, something immediately clicked in my mind that everything was not right as it should have been. I noticed that my netbook was not where I had left it, charging the night before on the arm of the couch. Perhaps someone had borrowed it, I thought. Then, I noticed that neither Kelly nor Anna’s laptops were on the coffee table where they had left them. Hmmmm. Maybe they had taken them into their rooms to use the night before? And then, I saw that my other laptop, on the kitchen table, was also missing along with my backpack leaning next to it. My vision narrowed, my mind became blurry and there was a faint ringing in my ears. My heart began to speed up and my breathing shortened. I grabbed the front door…locked. Then, I jogged to the back of the house and to my horror, the back door sat there…wide open. No Bob in the breezeway to greet me in the morning, as usual, with his french press and laptop, busy at work at the crack of dawn. The horror hit me like a swift punch to the gut…we had been robbed.

I woke up Anna and told her the news as softly as possible. We began waking everyone up to tell them the bad news. Someone had been in our house, as we slept, had taken our things, and left, without a trace. Of course, our night guard had no idea what had happened…completely oblivious. To make matters worse, his English is very poor. Mostly all he can muster up is, “I’m fiiiiiiiiiiiine.” So, we contacted Bishop John’s son, Andrew, who came over promptly to translate and put us in contact with the police. We called all of our guards to come to our house immediately, to be aware of what had taken place and ask them questions concerning the matter.

While waiting eagerly for the police to arrive, we examined the yard and the perimeter walls around the house. To my great surprise, Bob discovered that the thief had taken my Bible and my journals out of my backpack and thrown them into the grass by the side of the house. What a blessing! The computers were valuable, no doubt. But, not nearly as valuable or important to me than the very things they counted as rubbish…thrown to the ground. I was so thankful to have the returned so quickly! In all, they came away with those four laptops and chargers, my bag, with my camera, checkbooks, rain jacket, and other small items inside, a set of keys to our house, a broken skype cell phone from the house, a computer monitor, Griffin’s iTouch and Kindle, a router and some other wires, and some dvds. All of it, more than likely stuffed into my bag…on its way to who knows where!? They also left a large rock in one of the chairs in the living area. Whether it was to break open the door, or break open someone’s head if they came out, we’ll never know. Thank goodness! The circumstances could have been so much worse and we are all thankful for our safety through all of this.

The police arrived and began taking pictures and asking questions. They appeared just as shocked as we were. We decided that it had already been an emotional morning, so we took most of the day off to process the whole ordeal. Two more sets of police stopped by our house throughout the day. Each time, increasing in rank within the Rwandan police force. They assured us that they were not going to take this robbery lightly and that they would fully investigate the matter. We had all of the locks to the house changed that day. I managed to change all of my passwords, and I went by the bank and canceled those sets of checks. All of our guards were taken into police custody for the next three days for questioning, as the search for our stolen items and the criminal behind the robbery began. Bewildered and shocked, the long day had finally ended. As I lay my head down that night, all I could think was, “Welcome to Africa!”.

Part II: The Recovery (coming soon)

Muraho from Musanze!

// February 11th, 2010 // 6 Comments » // Uncategorized

I apologize to those of you who have been anxiously awaiting to hear from me over these past few weeks. Finding a reliable internet connection in Musanze is no easy task…and when you do, it isn’t all that fast. So, working on the website has been a bit of a problem since I arrived here. I am working on solving this problem though. The connection at the school seems to be better than most. I hope this will allow me to update you more often in the future.

I must admit, I have had little to report about from these past weeks. The majority of my days have been spent adjusting to life here in Musanze. The days have been filled with a lot of reading, reflection, spending time with my fellow volunteers, making my way around town – figuring out what is where, what the people are like, etc. The Sonrise School opened up for students at the beginning of February, but because of complications, classes did not begin until this past week. Caught in the middle of all of this, I could do nothing but wait to hear from the administration at the school about when I would be starting and what I would be doing.

I have good news though! I met with Bishop John and some of the school administration this past Tuesday to discuss my volunteering at Sonrise and finally got the clarity I was looking for. My role at Sonrise will be that of a computer attendant. My role as a teacher may be minimal at first, but will surely grow with time. I will be helping out in the computer labs, assisting students who need help with projects and classwork, making myself available whenever needed, tutoring and teaching in a more one-on-one environment I believe. I will also be filling in for teachers who are absent and assisting them anyway needed in the classroom. I will also be providing technical support to the school in the computer labs. There is also the possibility that the school may be devoting an entire computer lab to English development and I hope play a role in taking that project on. I will receive my schedule either today or tomorrow and will know then exactly what I will be doing in the upcoming weeks. Right now however, my main focus is to simply be here, developing relationships with the faculty and students.

In five days, I will have officially been in Rwanda for a month. Wow. It is hard to believe. It has flown by. Taking in all of the new sites, sounds and tastes has filled my time here so far. I have tried many things here that I probably never would have at home in Little Rock. My first night in Musanze, I tried goat brochettes for dinner…it was delicious! I was pleasantly surprised. A few days ago, I actually had rabbit for the first time…again, delicious! I was worried about what I would eat before I arrived, but it hasn’t been a problem so far. I am staying well fed and enjoy the local cuisine. I am staying full on a diet of rice and beans, fresh fruit and vegetables from the market, protein powder, eggs and peanut butter sandwiches. We get fresh baked wheat bread from the local baker at the Ishema Hotel. It is wonderful. I also make trips to the hotels and local restaurants near the house to enjoy a good meal. Another first for me was using the moto-taxis to get around. Normally, everything is in walking distance. However, Sonrise is a good 35 minutes walk from our house. I tested it out the other day…I was nice and sweaty by the time I made it home…but it was a beautiful walk nonetheless. Moto-taxis and passenger bikes are everywhere in Musanze and Kigali. This morning, I took a moto from the house to school and it took a mere 4 or 5 minutes. It will more than likely become my main mode of transportation when I am not hitching rides with Anna or Mark.

I am not exactly roughing it here. Our house is very nice and I am enjoying it very much. Altogether, there are six of us living in the house. There are seven if you count Kat, but she will be residing in Kigali shortly. The housemates and B2R volunteers are Anna (teaching English and TOEFL prep at Sonrise), Kelly (teaching English at Sonrise), Mark (the B2R business manager here in Rwanda), Griffin (tour coordinator at the Ishema Hotel), and Bob (engineer and construction specialist, the father of the group). We are all getting along very well and I am truly blessed to be with all of them. They are a selfless group who are hungry to do God’s will and play their part in transforming Rwanda. I hope to post pictures and a video tour of the house soon, so be watching.

Also, here is a video that Kelly put together to introduce our crew here in Musanze. I apologize in advance for being such a goof. Kelly found the videos of us messing around with the camera and decided to put them to good use. I am also a horrible dancer. Enjoy!

I have had many new and wonderful experiences while here in Musanze and will continue to update you on them as they come. I hope to provide you with some visual images of my new experiences soon!

- Peyton

First Week in Kigali

// January 20th, 2010 // 10 Comments » // Uncategorized

Well, I have officially been here for five days in this whirlwind called Kigali. Looking ahead to my time in Musanze, also known as Ruhengeri, I admit that I had thought little about Kigali in my preparations. But, it has been more exciting and interesting than I had anticipated. I’ve dreamed of the fertile mountains in Musanze, but the city-life of Kigali holds its own special place. Oh, there are hills all right…but they are covered with throngs of people, crowded roads, houses, street vendors, moto-taxis, and the busyness that accompanies the life of a country trying to grow economically. One minute, you may be peering into a crumbling house with broken floors and some jugs of water with several trinkets for sale, displayed on the wall; moments later, a rather impressive shopping mall, filled with Americanized cell phone shops, coffee houses, and a miniature version of Wal-Mart, called Nakkumat. This is what I love about Kigali. The atmosphere is 50/50. The feel of Western society is very much at bay, but the people are still very much Rwandan. They have adopted many things from our Oh-Too-Busy way of living, but the people here do not forget their past – they ARE Rwandans. And I appreciate this. We already have one America…and that is the only one the world needs. Still, I am certain that Musanze, tucked deep in the Virunga Mountains – a chain of eight volcanoes, will be nothing like the experience I have had here in Kigali. In fact, I hear that the difference between them is like night and day. And this gets me excited. I crave a simpler life. Not that I don’t enjoy Kigali…but I am more than ready to leave the hustle and bustle of city life behind. Cars, banks, buildings, and urbanization have their place…But I am ready to be surrounded by trees, grass, dirt, untouched countryside, mountains, and people who don’t know anything better than that…who don’t want anything more than that.

However, I am enjoying my time in Kigali immensely! Here are some of the things I’ve seen the past few days.

The picture above is of the gazebo outside of Tom’s house in Kigali. As of this moment, it is probably my favorite place on this earth. We have eaten dinner in it twice and the view is amazing at night. The hills all around are lit up with the glow of lights from houses all over Kigali. It is as if the stars got tired of hanging in the night sky and decided to touch down in Rwanda, wrapping themselves around the darkened hills in the distance. Picture soon to come!

This is one of the fourteen mass graves located at the Genocide Memorial in Kigali. There are estimated to be around 250,000 people buried in these graves at the memorial. An all too chilling reminder of the past affliction that Rwanda has suffered. I already knew of Rwanda’s history…but nothing could prepare me for this image.

A simple areal view of one of the many regions in Kigali. This is from the community located next to the KICS school.

Oh yeah! Bring it Rwanda…

The Bridge2Rwanda crew in action. A good looking one at that.

Produce at the local market in Kigali. This was by far, the most cultural experience I’ve had so far. This market trumps any farmers market I’ve ever been to. Oddly enough, I enjoy grocery shopping, so this was awesome. The locals definitely noticed the “muzungus” (white people) frequenting the market. We stuck out like a sore thumb!

Bananas, straight from the tree.

Some Rwandans aren’t too keen on having their picture taken. But these guys, that we bought tomatoes from, reveled in the opportunity.

The streets in the market.

We took a break at the market and ducked into this booth, where we downed some hard boiled eggs and cold beer. It definitely hit the spot.

So, those are a few shots from my time in Kigali thus far. Many more to come.

Not my own picture, but I couldn’t resist. This is just a taste of what lies ahead in Musanze! I hope to update you all soon. God bless.

- Peyton

Hello Rwanda!

// January 17th, 2010 // 15 Comments » // Uncategorized

Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone! This is it. I am here, sitting in Kigali, Rwanda. I arrived last night, or afternoon for most of you, safe and sound…minus my luggage. But, that’s just a small detail that will get straightened out. The sun is out, the weather is warm, and I am fully content with a cup of fresh coffee to greet my first full day in Africa.

I arrived to meet Mark and Anna, two of my roommates, last night, along with Kat, Kelly and Bob. Anna had already prepared a delicious dinner in advance – homemade pizza, which we ate in the relaxing gazebo outside at Tom’s house. It was a perfect introduction, as the lights and sounds of singing shined and echoed in the dark hills surrounding us. Since, I have been resting and trying to knock off the rust from being jet-lagged. I imagine it will take a few days to get into the swing of things, but I won’t allow being tired to rob me of the joy of being here.

Life is good. God is good. So good. I am finally here – in the place I have dreamed of and spoken of everyday for the past 7 months. The place where I believe God has called me to be. To live. To do His work. To risk. To be fully alive.

Welcome

// January 8th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

Friends,

Many of you may already be aware of the incredible opportunity I have been given, to live and work in Rwanda this year. However, I am sharing this so that you may have a greater understanding of what it is that I will be doing there and why I feel God has called me to this specific place.

The organization I am working for is called Bridge2Rwanda. It began with the common vision of two men, Dale Dawson and Bishop John Rucyahana, whose desire was to “build a bridge between here and Rwanda and transform lives at both ends.” Rwanda has been in a constant stage of rebuilding ever since the genocide that took place there in 1994, where over 1,000,000 Rwandans were savagely murdered in a government-fueled civil war. Fifteen years later, a devastated Rwanda is desperately seeking to transform, to not only become a star of Africa, but a light to the world. The people of Rwanda are hungry and it is our desire to help them grow. Bridge2Rwanda’s mission is to create a new generation of well-educated, entrepreneurial, servant leaders in Rwanda — young people committed to Jesus, their country, and to one another. Young people who are capable and equipped to accomplish a long-term and sustainable transformation of a nation.

I truly believe Rwanda is where the Lord is leading me right now. I graduated this past May, from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, with a degree in Information Systems. I have been truly blessed with the level of education I have received. Now, I desire to take this knowledge and put it to use, serving the people of Rwanda, helping them excel. When I arrive, I will begin serving and teaching at the Sonrise School, one of Rwanda’s top academically performing primary/secondary schools. I will serve in their IT program and computer center, teach computer classes to students, and provide technical support to the school. I do not expect my responsibilities to be limited to these areas alone and welcome whatever tasks they ask of me.

I am constantly drawn back to the vision of future glory in the book of Isaiah. “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.” (Isaiah 60:1-5). I see so much of Rwanda in this passage, to come from a point of complete brokenness to one full of hope for things to come. God is working in Rwanda and I believe I’m supposed to be there doing the same.

I leave for Rwanda on January 15th and will be there for the remainder of 2010. I ask that if you feel led to do so, please pray for me while I’m there, the entire Bridge2Rwanda team, and the people of Rwanda. I hope to keep you updated on my life, my experiences, the work we are doing there, and the transformation of the people of Rwanda. I hope you decide to make this journey with me!

In Him,
Peyton Greenwald