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Rwanda: Day Four

Today was my first day of class, Maggie's first day with the kids and Hays's first day of work.  I would have to say that my first day and Hays's first day were both raging successes.  Not so much for Maggie (we'll get to that later).
I loved my class.  This one is Advocacy and Human rights and it was wonderful!  The people in my classes are right in the middle of advocacy with their jobs and it was so interesting.  I loved hearing so many different points of views coming from so many different countries.  I feel like my worlview is so much more complete as a result of this program.  I heard a great term today--I was talking about how many Americans today feel like they are playing an active role in advocacy because they hashtag (#) something or because they like it on Facebook and someone shared with me the term "slacktivism."  I love it!  It so speaks to what I was talking about.  Anyway, that was a little bit off subject, but a word I don't want to forget.  I learned tons today and I am looking forward to the remaining 12 hours of class time I have just in this one class!

Hays loved his internship.  He caught a "moto" this morning right outside of our gate and headed to work alone.  His job is to design a big field day type of activity for 2,000 people (yes, three zeros behind that 2).  This event will be on Thursday and Hays is planning the activities and the prizes.  He has a budget and he has to figure out how to make this event happen.  At this event, his company (Rwandan Trading Company--click HERE for details) will be handing out scholarships for some kids to get for school next year.  So fun.  He was so excited today and I loved hearing about his adventure!
Maggie struggled a little bit.  The kids (mostly Tiki) are testing her right now and it is exhausting.  She is trying to keep them behaving while I am in class and it didn't work out so well today.  Hopefully we have worked out a better system for tomorrow and she won't be so worn out.  Prayers for her are welcome!

Meanwhile Tiki wants to live in Rwanda.  I think he wants to live WITH US in Rwanda because he says he doesn't want to leave us, so that's good news.  I think he loves all of the people who look like him and I think he loves the sense of "freedom" he feels like all of the children have.  He is only seeing a tiny glimpse of Rwandan life, but he is keen on it.  I hope he can continue to fall in love with his country--that was my goal for this trip!

Overall, today was good.  The weather was beautiful and sunny and the people we all got to interact with were wonderful.  It was another great day on our Rwandan adventure!!!

More to come tomorrow (tomorrow may sound a lot like today since I'll be in class all day and Hays will be at work all day and Maggie will have the kids all day).

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