What In The World Have I Been Up To!

I know that many of you have been asking what in the world have I been up to since my last blog post. Well I am just 6 days short of having been in Rwanda for 5 months.

Since my last post I have been busy adjusting to my new job and living in Kigali. Work wise I am still in the learning curve but running at the speed of light some days with all of the expectations of my position. But I survive being the classic over achiever many of you know me to be. Things will probably really get interesting after I make my year.

On the social front, I have made at least one friend and have several acquaintances.

So let’s see the really interesting stuff that people probably care about. I am a member of the First and Second Tour Officers group and a co-lead I hosted a reception at the Ambassador’s Residence with another colleague. Theme was “Art and Jazz” we had a local musician and displayed the art work of six local artists. The event was a huge success.

I participated as an official observer for the Rwanda National Election Committee during their Senatorial Elections. It was very interesting learning experience, especially I was in a rural part of the country and they speak no English. Fortunately for me had a colleague that is Rwandese and I speak some basic French. The process that I observed was really like the US Electoral College. I was serving at one of the western provincial district polling stations. During the general election the people in each village and town in the district had voted for their senatorial choice. So on the day I was observing, the representative from each town and its surrounding villages was voting for the Senators that were voted on by the people. The district that I was serving in had 9 candidates but they would only elect 3 senators. All in all is it was a long day and a good learning experience about the democratic process in Rwanda --- even though I still don’t quite understand it all.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!! Well people I am talking about real football --- known as soccer to all my American family and friends. In Africa football is a really BIG deal just like American football is in the states. So needless to say is a male dominated sport, even in little league --- not like in America where lots of little girls play soccer in parks/recreations and high school leagues. So in Kigali one of my co-workers is the coach for the second girls’ football team in Kigali.  The girls range in age from 13-15. I went to their first game. They played a game against an existing team and it was very apparent that they were already use to playing together as a team where the girls I went to see where not. Sadly to say they lost and were very very disappointed but they played a good game. The highlight of the game of me was ---- before the game started all the girls from both teams lined-up and I went out on to the field and greeted each girl and wished them well in their game. I was like the on the spot guest of honor because I was the only American at the game along with my friends who were visiting from Uganda and Tanzania --- but the kids were not as fascinated by them because they were African as well. This was a big deal because parents rarely attend the games of their children and I am talking about all the boys’ teams here. So the girls were really excited that people came out to see them play.      

So most of my spare time is spent working with my ministry Barnabas International (www.barnabasintl.org). We now have a weekly Bible Study Group named UnNoticed Bible Study. We are having quarterly social events. I am doing Christian counseling sessions in both Rwanda and Uganda. As I write this blog I am in Kampala, Uganda for  a week ---- I have had several individual and group counseling sessions, conducted a ministers workshop, will be having a ministers retreat, planned a mission trip to China, etc. ------ I am have partners with a small church in a mountain village of Rwanda. I go there about once a month to preach. It is very interesting having to preach and someone has to translate what you are saying. Well you just have to check out the website and calendar of events to keep up with what’s going on with the ministry.   In Rwanda I have now joined a local church named Rwanda for Jesus. I will more than likely be more than just a pew member there as well.

That’s All Folks!!!

I KNOW, I KNOW but this is Africa and it takes so long to upload pictures. I will be uploading some soon I promise.