Departure Countdown

I leave for Rwanda tomorrow. Thanks to the incredible hearts of so many people I am bringing along 5 bags of supplies. A total of 350lbs of goodness. I've packed your wonderful wonderful outfits for each our 30 kids. My friend Erika was again my partner in crime to try to get things organized. I am also bringing lots of educational tools to help the kids with their skillsets. Some classic fun things are packed too: jump ropes, candy canes,CDs, DVD,s pick 'em up sticks, kurplunk etc. CJ stopped by today with some extra toothpaste, shoes and wraps that he couldn't get to Etheopia, so I am thrilled to add them to the mix. In the past 3 weeks we've also raised the funds to send nearly 4 more kids to Boarding School. We're looking for about $350 more if you have any year end tax deductions that you are looking for. You can donate online via this blog or at the website: calmministries.org. Kids in Rwanda, even at a very young age, believe that Education is the most powerful gift that they can receive. They take studying to be a real treasure. Many have asked how I get to Rwanda. The route is long: US to Amsterdam, then to Nairboi, then Burundi and ultimately Kigali, Rwanda. I land at 2:10 AM on the 31st to I should be thru customs and into the arms of the dear Mommies by 4AMish. The outbound layovers are not too bad this time. 3 hours in Amsterdam and another 3 in Nairobi. The return has a 6 hour layover in Nairobi and 10 in Amsterdam. I am especially excited about the 2 other folks that will be joining me from the States at various points of my trip....more about that as it unfolds. So often people say "gee, I would sure like to join you on one of your trips to Rwanda"...these 2 decided they really wanted to experience it close up and booked their flights. It's going to be so wonderful to share it with them. For now, I fight the exhaustion of endless days with limited to sleep to ensure I have just the right supplies and push through for another 12 hours. I will update this blog as I get access to the internet. No blackberry this time. I will also share a bit more background about our work if you are new to New Hope Homes, Rwanda. Here's to a safe journey and the insightful eyes so I can discover what's needed next.