We met the team coming from Saskatchewan at the airport last
Sunday. We had stayed at a hostel the night before and were surprised when we
went for breakfast that morning and it seemed like they were not ready, even
though they said breakfast would be served from 7-10 am. The team was supposed to
land at 1:53pm, and Betty the organizer of the camp said she would be there to
pick them up at 2:30. We were confused when they didn’t show up until 3:30-4pm
but did not think too much of it as well, this is Africa. Most people run on
African time. It wasn’t until that evening that we found out about the time
change in Rwanda. The poor people at the hostel served us breakfast at 6am! It
all worked out though. We found the team easily due to my sign making
abilities, and were on our way to Gahini in a couple of matatus that they had
rented. I got the fold down seat that worked just great until we turned right.
Then I needed to hold on or my seat would tip really far to the side. It made
for an exciting journey!
We started camp on Wednesday morning. The camp runs at a
retreat/conference centre called Seeds of Peace. Some of the money that the
centre makes goes towards being able to run the camp. We knew basically nothing
of what to expect going into the first day which made it interesting, but fun. They
start each morning with song time. There are certain kids who are great leaders
and love to sing, so they will start out a call song. They say the first line,
and then everyone repeats them. They clap and sing and dance and one song just
kind of blends in with the next. I am learning some of them! Or at least I am
learning my gibberish version of them as well as when to clap, when to spin and
when to jump back and forth super fast. It is great fun! The kids are pumped to
be at camp! There are 150 each week and unfortunately only 4 weeks of camp so I
think there are quite a few kids that get turned away. It runs for 12 to 18
year olds for four days from 9am until 3:30pm. Each day we arrive at 8:45 to
get there ‘early’ but most of the kids are already there singing away! The
dancing and singing seriously makes you sweat! Nothing like a good morning
workout! After singing they have chapel, and then activity time. The kids are
split into four different colors with wristbands that compete throughout the
week. Each color goes to a different activity; swimming, football (soccer),
arts and crafts or traditional dancing. They rotate through all of these
throughout the day. The traditional dance is super fun! They also have a big
game with everyone at the very end of the day. The first day was basically elimination
rock, paper, scissors. But instead of the traditional game they say Gorilla,
Man and Gun.
I haven't been spending all of my time at camp. Seven of us instead did village ministry, and were only at Seeds of Peace for the morning songs and chapel, as well as some of the afternoon activities. We went through the
town of Gahini and told kids to come to the church. There, we played games,
sang songs, did skits and then someone gave a short message. It was kind of
fun, but also more challenging at the same time because of the language barrier. We need to use translators. I don’t know how much is lost in translation, but
the kids seem to have a good time! The first and third day we were at the same
church, and the second day we went to one on the opposite side of Gahini. We
had told the kids that the third day would be at the original church, and when
we got there after camp on Saturday morning there were 35 kids waiting for us
to get started. We had over 100 by the time we were in the church! I have
learned some pretty fun games also from them. Both involving a lot of running!
Saturday afternoon we went back to the camp and I got to be
a judge for the competitions between Red Storm, the Pink Flamingoes, Yellow Superstar
and the Purple Missionaries. We marked each team out of 100 for their team
cheer, their memorization of a bible verse, and their traditional dancing. Team
Yellow won, both the competitions and the whole week. They were so
excited…rightfully so…they won a lollipop! (I actually could have been just as
pumped as the kids about that…I feel like I am on a sweets shortage!) The
traditional dancing was awesome! One of the other judges, Sam (who is Rwandan
but spent 4 years living in South Carolina and is really good at English) said
that if Mo, the dance teacher had been there he would not have been impressed
at all, but I was! Some of those kids can really move! I am jealous! It is
going to be my goal to come home with more African ‘flavor’ in my dancing! The
camp ended with Slip’n’slide! It was pretty unreal! It went down a hill and
into the lake. The lake is perfect for it because there is a big drop off
right at the edge of the grass. Some of us stood at the bottom catching kids. I
was at the top with two others trying to give some organization to it. I almost
got pushed down the kids were so eager to go!! After the kids all left us
counselors went. It was so much fun! We were jumping people and making trains.
There was a wedding going on at the Seeds of Peace and we ended up being the
pre-reception entertainment because they were all lined up along the edge of
the slip’n’slide! It was hilarious.
Afterwards we went up and showed the Jesus film in
Kinyarwandan (the local language) in a hall. I say up because the place we are
staying, as well as this hall, is up a HUGE hill from Seeds of Peace. I am
getting in shape just by walking the hill multiple times a day! It takes about
15 minutes to walk up, less down. There were only a few kids watching the film
at first but by the end of the movie the place was packed! Some of us had to
stand, the benches were filled with as many bums could squish onto a bench and
there were even a couple people watching through the windows. I don’t think
they get to watch very many videos here so it was exciting for them. The best
part for me was their reactions to the film. When Jesus entered the scene, both
in the very beginning, and after he had risen from the dead the kids gasped.
After his miracles and resurrection they clapped and cheered, and then shushed
everyone so that they could hear again. It was awesome!
We have a couple days off and are spending today in Kigali.
I think we are going to play soccer with a local U18 team, and then go for
pizza to the house of a couple. The wife used to live in Saskatchewan but married a Rwandan man and now thy live here in Kigali. Tuesday camp starts again!
I think we are trying to have less of us there each week. The camp began in
2007 by some people from Saskatchewan, with the goal of it being fully run by
Rwandan’s as soon as possible. They are doing a pretty good job from what I can
tell! But I hope I am able to help out a bit so that I can learn some
Traditional dance.
I hope everyone at home is well and enjoying the snow!
