Play For Hope

As we tumbled up the “old wooden roller-coaster” road in our lightly packed van of eleven (the minibus taxis easily hold 15-20 without halting their calls for more), the atmosphere of East Africa that I know and love caught in all my senses. After a week full of uncertainties and some doubts about coming here with my almost two-year-old, I realized at that moment what I learned almost five years ago upon leaving Malawi. It will be more difficult for us to return to the States than it is has been for us to live here. I cannot explain to you why, but I feel a love and compassion for this place and its people. Matt reminded me the other day that when you spend any significant time in a place, that place becomes a part of you as you internalize the experiences you are having and the relationships you are building. I have found this to be so true as I learn more and more each day, as I meet new people and as I come to accept and love everything here just as it is at the moment in time. Tomorrow this moment will be different, it will be yesterdays moment and it will be what it was. This simplicity may be saddening, but as Rwanda takes steps toward reconciliation, each new day that is filled with peace, love and caring (like we see each day through the clinics and interactions we have), each new moment is a blessing. I think those few who survived by running for weeks on end through Kayumba forest or hiding in the swamps armpit deep in muck for months in 1994 may agree that the passing of time is a good thing right now. For me, I have learned that time can help healing, and I am thankful that the Lord has designed it to be this way. If you have a stretch of time that is filled with positive experiences, you can look back and be happy and thankful for this, you can look forward with hope that the future will hold more positive experiences, thus you can live in the here and now and be satisfied. Satisfaction dissipates fear, anger, discrimination... This summer I am privileged to be part of a team that is reaching out to hundreds if not thousands of people here in Rwanda and strives to impart positive experiences throughout each day. The result: Love, Faith, Hope