Last stories...

Mwarlamutse! (Good morning). I awoke this morning to great surprise – my alarm had yet to sing its cheerful, off-beat melody. 6am found me wide awake, ready to pack my bags, go on one last walk around the cobblestone and dirt roads of quiet morning, and start the process of saying goodbye. As I packed, I heard the morning noises of this place: jumbled radio stations, kids’ sleepy voices greeting one another, water splashing on the cement kitchen floor, birds squawking unabashedly. This place is home, well, another home, to me. The people here are family, a second community. To say I am blessed is an understatement.

The kids head back to school Monday: some to Sonrise, some to Remera. When I ask them what they think about going back, most are excited, some are sad to leave home. Yesterday, in our last lessons, I asked the kids what they hoped for. Each and every one of them want to improve in some subject, mostly French. French is so hard for them! I pat their backs and tell them, kids, you already know two languages! It’s only a matter of time and you will know French, too! Their eagerness for greatness is unfailing.

Some highlights of the last week:

Sport! The tantines asked me a few days ago if I’d do “sport” with them, meaning lead them in exercise. I led them through some circuit training moves (thanks Kate and Stacy!), yoga, and a little jogging. We all laughed incredibly hard. Yoga was awkward. I bent the auntie’s limbs and adjusted posture to the best I could, but with a language barrier, their poses weren’t exactly yoga. We endured. The moves must have worked something, because each of them griped about their sore muscles the next day!

Visitors! A wonderful family from New York is currently visiting Rwanda. They joined the kids and I three mornings this past week. They jumped right in, getting to know kids, bringing their own talents.. The youngest boy is a phenomenal drummer and led the kids in a rousing game of “pass around the beat.” We were rockin’.

4-year old English! Dorcas and Ariane amaze me. Their English is SO good, although they are very sneaky about letting you know that. Last night, as they sat on my lap before dinner, they started pointing at my face and naming all the parts (nose, eyes, ears, etc.) Then, Dorcas starts telling me a story in sentences. No prompting, nothing. Incredible. Language acquisition is so interesting. They are at such a formative age, and I’m so glad they have their big brothers and sisters to speak English around them! Bilingual kids in the making…

For all of you who have been reading our reflections and stories, thank you. I hope we can give you a glimpse into the lives of these incredible children and adults at New Hope Homes. This is Abby, signing off, from Rwanda. Peace to you!