The Final Days!

Welllll....Hello everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying their last few days of summer. Things are really wrapping up here in Kigali. Last Friday Jim, Emily, and I combined all of our efforts on the e-sponsorship project into one final draft report, basically explaining everything. Even though we were pushed for time, making things a little stressful, we were able to finish and send it out to various people for feedback. Overall we have recieved very positive feedback and feel that e-sponorship has a huge amount of potential. For the most part, e-sponsorship has been an enjoyable and exciting project to help draft and has allowed Jim, Emily, and I to feel like we had really contributed. Along with the resettlement camp Jim and I were invovled with, which is still in the Switzerland funding stage, was an incredible expierence. Catering to exactly the types of areas I want to be involved in, these two expierences were both truely, beyond a doubt, God provided blessings that have made my work here in Rwanda an unexplainable expierence to which I have genuinely benefited from.

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Apart from my work, I have only 7 days left and will make them enjoyable. Last Friday, two new members arrived to the guest house, David and Jason. They flew in from Capetown, South Africa where they had been filming a documentary about poverty for over a month. Continuing their documentary, they will be staying for 10 days filming a couple of different keys areas in Rwanda. For those that don't know, after Rwanda I am traveling to Capetown to visit a friend (Craig) for 10 days that will be studying at Capetown University next semester. The crazy part is that David and Jason are returning to Capetown on the same flight, also they will be flying from Capetown to London on my flight. What are the chances? So rather then spending over 30 hours traveling by myself, I now will only be traveling from London to Phoenix alone for 12 hours. Which is still long and will require me to talk to myself, but is not nearly as bad. Also in Capetown they have invited me to tag along in the townships and observe them filming and meet a few of the people they have come in contact with. From the little they have already told me, I am looking forward to contrasting the differences between the challenges faced in South Africa compared to Rwanda. So I am super excited!

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(Mom disregard the next three lines) I actually talked to Craig randomly on Skype yesterday and he proposed the idea of participating with the World's Largest Bungee Jump in Capetown!!!!! Hmmmmm.....if the price is right count me in.

Continuing, Sunday night I recieved a phone call from a friend named, Ibrahim, to come hoop it up (play basketball). Ohhh yea! I figured this was a perfect opportunity to show Rwanda my flawless b-ball skills. After David and Jason expressed interest, we decided that it was time and headed out towards the court. After arriving we noticed that only 1 of the 4 basketball hoops had a rim, forcing us to wait in line for a half court 3 on 3 match. After winning our first game, I felt my old 16 year old self coming back. I felt the jump shot, the dribble, the rebound skills tingling in my fingertips. That was short lived though. Let's just put it this way, the 21 year old Aaron is not nearly in the same physical condition the 16 year old Aaron was. During and after the first game David and I were gasping for oxygen, which allowed the second team to dominate us. But I will say we did represent for Mazungu's everywhere. It was a lot of fun and I think the kids really enjoyed having some crazy Mazungu's on the court. Hopefully we will have an opportunity to play again before I leave.

A couple of weeks ago Jim and I went to work with Karen, another Intern that works with Peace Healing and Reconcilation Program (PHARP). The PHARP office has around 30 women that arrive every week day for a morning devotional, English lessons, and sewing class. These types of interactions provide fellowship to help with reconciling individuals from seperate ethinc groups by encouraging forgivness and unity. This is only one of the many programs PHARP provides to address the emotional effects of the genocide. I feel this is one of the most long lasting and detrimental effects of the genocide that is largely ignored. PHARP is really amazing at addressing those areas and assisting individuals to find closure with what has happened. Jim and I visited to observe as well as to get measured? A few weeks ago, Jim and I purchased African material at the market so the ladies at PHARP could sew us together African outfits. That is right African outfits: pants, a shirt, and a hat. This provides them a little income and for ourselves a way to look good. Today we went back to PHARP to pick up our outfits. It was awesome. After changing in a back room Jim and I came out walking down the hall as if we were on a catwalk. We entertained for a little while strutting back and forth as the women erupted in laughter. The outfits are awesome and are exactly what we wanted (As seen in the pictures). So that made for a excitng and enjoyable morning. We then went back to the FHI/R office for lunch and here I am writing on my blog.

For those of you that want to know exact dates of my traveling here they are: August 8th I leave Kigali at 11:00 and arrive in Capetown at 8:00 p.m. Then on August 18th I leave Capetown to London, where I have a 7 hour layover, and then from London to Arizona arriving on August 19th at 5:45 p.m. The horrible thing is that clases start the next morning on the 20th. I love you all and can't wait to hear about Aubrey and Clint's baby, Grandma it's good to always hear from, Joe and Ashley I will keep the next year of your guy's life in prayer, which is well needed, Amy your awesome, Adam go take a nap, Mom your beautiful, Dad go eat a burger!