Still Summer in Rwanda...

We are a few weeks into the spring semester and things are going strong. My students are doing well and we are starting to hit a rhythm with our lessons. I have found that teaching can be a pretty big roller coaster ride. The peaks include my love for my students, the relationships I am building, happiness when they do well on assignments and are proud of it, they are engaged in class, and behave well. The valleys are when things fall apart in the areas previously mentioned. I still get very frustrated when students do not do well. Maybe it’s a pride issue, but I expect all the students to do well. I can’t wrap my head around a student failing and me not being able to do something about it. Unfortunately, that is sometimes the case. That area has been a big struggle for me. It is a daily battle to stay motivated and positive toward students that do not give much effort. My prayers in the morning tend to lean on that subject!

I went to a “Best and Worst of America” party this past weekend. I went to the market to scour the racks for awesome American garb (since a lot of it comes from America anyway). It was rainy and election day so not many people had set up their booths at the market yet. The selection was a bit disappointing, but I found these two jems. I will withhold my own opinion and let whoever is reading decide if my shirt represents the best or worst of the USA. I got varied comments during the party. My shoes however... they are awesome. I hope I hang on to them until my next patriotic holiday whilst on Lake Hamilton in Arkansas.


The weather here is still great. It hasn’t rained in awhile so it has been very hot the past few days. I have been getting constant updates from friends and family back Stateside about the crazy weather! Although I am itching to hit the ski slopes because of all the snow, I think I’ll enjoy my 80˚  and sunny weather every day for the next few months!

I have been struggling to get in the Word as much as I would like. After a few months, I have gained my bearings and feel comfortable in Kigali. I have been trying to do and see as much as possible, and that has cut into my time with the Lord. I love my sleep as well, so whenever it gets late and I think I’ll read my Bible, I end up just falling asleep! My relationship with the Lord is still growing because of the experiences and relationships I am cultivating. I have had the opportunity to have amazing talks with people about our faiths. A group of friends and I just started a new Bible study group. I am really looking forward to growing in my faith with people with which I really connect. Our first meeting discussed part of David’s life and the story of Bathsheba and him. A few points during our discussion really leaped out to me. First, the root of David’s sin was that he stayed back during the war and was idle (2 Samuel 11:1). I really didn’t catch that part of it until it was mentioned in our talk. Being stagnant in your faith and your life are the worst things you could do! The second point was after David was told Uriah was dead, he did not show any remorse (v. 2). He had covered up sin after sin, and had become callous to his own sin. I have fallen victim to that time after time. We all get desensitized. Whether it be cussing, cheating, sexual immorality, or really crappy television programs. I have been so happy to be in a situation here in Kigali (and at KICS) to where that barrage of bad input is kept at a minimum. Still, I have to take a step back here occasionally and look at how I am actually conducting myself. Lastly, in the middle of 2 Samuel 12, the Lord punishes David for his sin. He does not take his life, but takes his child’s and affects the lives of the people around him. I forget that my sin can have bigger consequences than I imagined. David’s pride led him to think he could have whatever he wanted, which led him to take Bathsheba, which led to all the punishment the Lord had to deal out. I don’t think he imagined that was how it would play out. I doubt he was using much of his brain at all in that situation! And I can relate to that as well. I forget sometimes that we as Christians need to be constantly on top of our games. We have the ability to be great influences in our communities, but can squander that opportunity with a few bad decisions.  We finished the study with reading Psalm 51, David’s psalm after Nathan came to him and busted him for committing adultery. I think my favorite verses are:

1- Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion.

12- Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.

17- The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.