Back to School...Duh Duh Duuuuuh

Monday was our first day of school. It is very strange to be back in school. I admit it is a little difficult trying to get into study/reading mode, not being in SLO and being in a different continent.

I am definitely beginning to recognize my extremely high western expectations and standards I have for optimal comfort when I am in school. While I was reading yesterday I could not help but think how I missed all the wonderful, quaint coffee shops back at home (Oh, Sallie Lou’s, how I miss you so!). I would have killed for a soy-iced mocha to drink while reading my book called “Walking with the Poor” (Disgustingly ironic? Yes. I’m horrible; trust me, it is becoming evermore apparent).

We have only been in school for two days and it is quite possible that the main thing I have learned is that there is so much I do not know. We are taking two courses, one called “Issues in Peacebuilding” and the other is Sociology course called “Social Context for Development”. Our peacebuilding class is taught by Rwandan Pastor Anastase. We went to the building where he runs PHARP (peacebuiding healing and reconciliation program). We met 14 young women who have been orphaned because of the genocide and there they learn how to sew. He explained that this not only gives them a skill with which they can go out and build a life, but the center also serves as a foundation of hope. These girls find a community, a new family, and they are comforted by the Lord’s greater love as they worship and read scripture together every morning.

Worshipping with those girls was one of the most beautiful things I have seen in Rwanda thus far. They sing and dance without reserve before our Maker in gratitude that is astonishing when considering they have so little, materially. They grabbed our hands to dance with them in the middle of the circle. Even though the songs where in Kinyarwanda (the local Bantu language), it was truly wonderful coming together in praising our common God. Our Lord has no boundaries and His love and power surpasses all language barriers unites His children. I loved that short experience of authentic community with my fellow sisters in Christ. I can definitely learn a lot from the way they love the Lord with reckless abandon. I desire to adore Him as they do.

We are learning a lot in classes. Today we looked at genocides throughout history and the patterns in mentalities and ideologies that lead to them. In our social context classes we are looking at different schools of thought's theories on how to eradicate poverty and the reason there is poverty. There are so many different dynamics to this issue, I feel as if I will never understand it. But scripture promises that in our weakness (in this case, my lack of knowledge), He is made strong, so Amen to that! I am thankful God has my back when my intellect is so inadequate in grasping greater concepts.

More to come on what we are learning, but I don’t think I understand enough to be able to reiterate anything without extreme effort. But to anyone who is reading I would really appreciate prayer, if you happen to remember. I need help being open to processing things that I have been running away from. I expected Africa to be a wonderful method of escape and it seems that the Lord has different plans! Pray the Lord softens my heart. I want to be more like Jesus and He was filled with compassion for all people.