From Jessica -- The highlight of our week was Sunday...work day at KICS (Kigali International Community School.) The school is being started by several ex-pat families who have tried the Rwandan schools with no luck. After hearing their stories, we decided to skip the trauma and go straight to KICS. We began at 9 a.m. with worship and prayer. (Todd played his first guitar in Africa.) It was unusual and sweet for us to share that time with the children of the school. Afterward, we jumped into various projects...creating bulletin boards, planting flowers, making name tags, assembling playground equipment, etc. There was an excitement and enthusiasm about being a part of a grassroots effort to create something special for our kids. There are about 30 students at the school from the U.S., the Netherlands, the Philippines, Canada and Kenya. We met most of Rebecca and Ben’s teachers, classmates and their families. Rebecca and Ben enjoyed “helping,” and they’re excited about school starting on Thursday.

 

We celebrated Rebecca’s 6th birthday on September 8th with a pancake breakfast at the Cavins’, then swimming, presents, dinner and cake at the Intercontinental Hotel that evening. We continue to be pleasantly surprised and thankful for her adjustment here, given her shy, sensitive nature.

 

We’re learning that in general, the highs are very high and the lows are very low. Saturday was my toughest day so far. The kids and I were stir crazy and there was no where to go. I felt glued to the kitchen...cooking is getting the best of me for a variety of reasons (no chicken, no dishwasher, no disposal, water must be boiled and filtered, produce must be soaked in a solution, ants and geckos sneak in the large cracks under the doors, etc.) We thought we found someone to help with cooking and cleaning, but she’s moving to Uganda soon so we’re looking for someone else. I went to bed that night thinking maybe I was in way over my head. Then came Sunday with the enthusiasm of the KICS work day, and I was on cloud nine.

 

Thank you for all the emails of encouragement we’ve received. I must admit it feels awkward or self-absorbed to journal our thoughts for so many. I’m new at this, so I find myself second-guessing if I’m sharing the right information, especially the negative stuff. But I figure if I can’t be honest, it’s not worth doing. So bear with me.