What a big day here!

We knew that once we started working with the church it was going to be an eye opener here in Rwanda, but we didn't know the extent.
Today we scratched the surface of a people ripe with questions, struggling with poverty, unemployment, generations of family lost in 100 days, children caring for younger children, seeking education, and wanting very badly to be like Americans in their opportunites but not knowing how to get there. Every question we encountered today felt as if they wanted change to have already happened in their country. For example... we need to have computers so we can learn about the internet, however we don't have the money and means to get them. What can we do? Or... How can I improve my position in life when Rwanda does not have the infrastructure to get me there, like America? What can we do? Or... how can I make a decision to be with another person if in the back of my mind I'm afraid that they'll kill me? What can I do?
Well, any one of these questions are daunting on their own. However we know that God did not cause the genocide in their country, but He alone can bring good from it. Encouraging our new Rwanda friends is not difficult when you know this truth. How would it feel to know that the lack of men in your country could result in you not being married, in a culture that has always encouraged the women to stay home and multiply as their main job in life? This is a confusing time. But this country is in such flux that women are encouraged to work and help to care for their families and dowries of cows are still the practice here before marriage (how'd you like to be worth 4 cows when your friend is worth 6?)
The Rwandan Pastor here asked us to provide his congretation with a message of personal testimony and tie it back to the PEACE plan our church (Saddleback) is promoting and this Rwandan country is looking to follow. As such we each got up today and took one letter each from the word PEACE and explained what it meant to us personally and how the Rwandan congregation could use it too. We were rewarded with such warm thank you's and hugs, songs and dances.
Tomorrow, they've asked us to return and show them a song in English that we know, to speak for 1 hour to their congregation and to continue with the children's program that we also began today. Yes, we were expecting only about 20 kids to attend the children's program we planned for them, however over 100 children arrived! We were greeted with warm smiles, happy hugs, and adorable little voices learning to say Hello in english. Taylor and Samantha, along with the other children helped to act out the bible story we taught, helped to compete a craft with the children and also played games with them as well.
We're all being touched in so many ways, far too much to mention in an email or I fear it would take me another hour to write! As it's midnight here in Rwanda I'm going to stop and say thank you for reading about our great adventure, thank you for praying for us. Please know that I'm reading all of your comments to our whole family each day, however the internet connection here is unbelievably slow and just getting our blog updated daily takes about an hour by the time each page loads! I promise to respond personally to each of your questions when our family returns.

With much love,
Kelly

ps - many times I've tried to add pictures from here, however the connection is so slow that it times out before I can get it added! I promise to post a link when we get home to all our pictures.