Peyton's Memoirs from Rwanda

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

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