bringing hope. imbubazi.

today's activities wore me out.

we are settled in Gusini & at the hotel and without running water working, I just took a baby wipe bath & am sitting in bed.

but I had to write to tell you a little bit about our day at Imbubazi!

it is a beautiful orphanage nestled in a flower plantation.

it was started by an American woman in 1994 after the genocide

there are mostly older kids that live at this beautiful place 7 km down a pot holed filled dirt road in Rwanda

we all said today so many times, "girls are just girls" - and it's true

no matter where you live, girls love to do all the same things: make jewelry, sit around & talk, sing & dance! and that we did!

I can't wait to show you pictures of the girls with their awesome necktie necklaces we made with them, show you video of everyone busting move learning their traditional dance, or video of us singing (with Sid playing guitar) amazing grace in their dorm room.

connecting with the girls was hard work, but at the end of the day we made friends that we will pray for & think about often.  my special friends were Sandra & Marissa - Marissa wants to be a chef & Sandra a doctor!  They love Jesus, and reading their bibles.  marissas's fave book is Proverbs & Sandra's is Acts.  they both have big dreams and bright futures.  it was an honor to spend the day with them!

at the end of the day we got to pass out the sheets & backpacks we collected & brought!!! 

it was so fun - they got a huge round of applause.  

one of the boys spoke and it brought tears to my eyes when he said, "thank you for coming & giving us hope to live again"

I know some people are against short term missions, but when someone tells you thank you for bringing them HOPE to live again.....it's hard to argue that you aren't making a difference.

so much more but I'm so tired....

so many funny stories from our team but I'm still laughing at Michaels quote on the bus leaving...

"i can't believe that in a matter of 10 minutes I was first playing with puppies, then I was shown the most beautiful garden I've ever seen, then I was pulled into a choir of people in lavender".

yea....it's a story!

we are going to Noel tomorrow!!

and get to meet up with Jenn, Chris & Alain

if you have been following you know the crazy story there  & WHAT a GOD thing it is that we are all going to be together in Rwanda. pray for their travel from Kigali and just a great day loving on kids!

more tomorrow....