Firstly, I would like to quickly mention that everyone is home safe and sound.
The main purpose of this post, however, is to show how much our visit meant to the Rwandans: we were a story in their national newspaper!!!
http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14673&article=42742
Monday, 4 July 2011
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Group safely on the way home
After a visit to Ntarama memorial and the Comfort Village nearby the group returned to Kigali to get ready for the flight home. Although the flight confirmation said the flight left at 21:10 (Sunday Air Airline: KLM Flight: KL564 Status Confirmed Departure: Kigali Amsterdam
Stops: 0 PNR Ref: 8GAUSR) the flight time was in fact 20:10 which led to a bit of a last minute rush. However, everyone is safely on the plane and on their way home looking forward to seeing family again and Lorne sausage, haggis rolls and bacon butties for breakfast! Buses are confirmed to pick them up at Edinburgh and return them to the Broch car park. Happy reunions!
Hello everyone, sorry for the delay but unfortunatly the internet cut out on us last night just as we were about to write the blog.
Yesterday was another evenful and emotional day for us all. We went to visit the street children again, but this time it was much more emotional as we were taken to where some of the street children used to live. Before leaving we were told some of their stories. One of the boys John told us that he became a street child in 2000 after his father died, he told us that life on the streets were extremly hard for a young boy of just 13, the only way he could survive was to turn to drugs and stealing. He told us that he was the worlds best thief as no one ever caught him, even though this seemed funny at the time looking back at it made us all realised how tough life for these young children actually is. Luckly now their life has turned around and they are using their experiences to teach the younger children right from wrong. When we went to visit where one of the young boys stayed, I don't think any of us were prepared for what we saw. We were led down to a drain pipe and told that nine people used to stay in there, the smell that came from inside was one of the most disgusting smells I have ever smelt in my life, John also told us that when it rained they used to be washed out from the pipe and down into where all the rubbish had gathered. One of the other boys there David told us that in one corner was where they done the toilet and in the other corner is where they used to grow their drugs. To think that only a couple of years ago these young men and women used to stay in such horrendous condition and resort to awful things to try and stay alive is unbelieveable , as now they are bright young people that can set an excellent example for the rest of the street children out there. It also proves that no matter how tough life gets you can never give up, as if they can make it through and turn out to be brillant young people then so can we.
Yesterday was another evenful and emotional day for us all. We went to visit the street children again, but this time it was much more emotional as we were taken to where some of the street children used to live. Before leaving we were told some of their stories. One of the boys John told us that he became a street child in 2000 after his father died, he told us that life on the streets were extremly hard for a young boy of just 13, the only way he could survive was to turn to drugs and stealing. He told us that he was the worlds best thief as no one ever caught him, even though this seemed funny at the time looking back at it made us all realised how tough life for these young children actually is. Luckly now their life has turned around and they are using their experiences to teach the younger children right from wrong. When we went to visit where one of the young boys stayed, I don't think any of us were prepared for what we saw. We were led down to a drain pipe and told that nine people used to stay in there, the smell that came from inside was one of the most disgusting smells I have ever smelt in my life, John also told us that when it rained they used to be washed out from the pipe and down into where all the rubbish had gathered. One of the other boys there David told us that in one corner was where they done the toilet and in the other corner is where they used to grow their drugs. To think that only a couple of years ago these young men and women used to stay in such horrendous condition and resort to awful things to try and stay alive is unbelieveable , as now they are bright young people that can set an excellent example for the rest of the street children out there. It also proves that no matter how tough life gets you can never give up, as if they can make it through and turn out to be brillant young people then so can we.
From Callum (Comfort Rwanda)
I would like to take this opportunity of commending the pupils of Kilsyth Academy on the way they have conducted themselves on this trip. They have been a credit to themselves, their school and their country. Their behaviour has been excellent with absolutely nothing of concern throughout the trip. But even more importantly their engagement with the people of Rwanda and especially our partners in Rwanda who have worked hard to welcome and inform them has been very encouraging. They have not only got their hands dirty in practical help but they have shown consistent respect and interest in the people they have met. They have rarely complained when conditions have been difficult and when the heat, culture, driving and constant countless children have been draining. The children on the street kids rescue have loved them and their insights during the nightly 'reflections' have shown that they have thought deeply about the issues they have met. Parents have reason to be very proud as has the school!
Dr Callum Henderson (Chair, Comfort Rwanda)
Dr Callum Henderson (Chair, Comfort Rwanda)
Saturday, 2 July 2011
Blog delay
The internet connection was not working earlier so the blog will be posted tomorrow morning. Sorry! Callum Henderson
Friday, 1 July 2011
Well it's been another amazing day in this incredible country we love to call Rwanda. I think it's fair to say that even after 5 years of coming to this unbelievable nation you still never know what to expect and today was certainly no exception. Most of us enjoyed a very welcome lie-in this morning before heading off to the pool for some much needed R&R (yes parents we're spending your money chill-axing by the pool and drinking coca-cola ... !!!).
However it wasn't long before we were back on the road and headed back out for what was going to prove to be a very intense four hours at the Street Kids' Rescue Project. When we arrived we were once again swarmed by an army of children that we are finally beginning to recognise and able to reply in our scant Kinyarwandan to. It's quite an amazing experience to know that these children who have known so little love in their lives are so excited that we 'bazungu' would bother to spend so much time and money to make them feel like we care. Anyway, back to the project, soon enough we were getting stuck in with the kids with Victoria teaching the children the legendary rainbow song with a rather dodgy-looking rainbow illustration, Jack wowing everyone with his characature-drawing abilities and Erica being slightly stressed showing children how to make hamma beads. Nevertheless amidst the chaos we were able to spend some quality time with the kids being continually amazed by their incredible creativity, intelligence and talents. It seems that every day we seem to learn more from them than we could ever try to teach them. After the craziness of the crafts we all headed down to the sports field to do some sports and were once again wowed by their gymnastic abilities and though it's safe to say no one was ever at any given point completely sure of what was going on, we had an amazing and incredibly fun time but thank goodness for the incredibly gracious, patient leaders without whom the day would have been a mess!!
Much as we loved the street kids we all breathed a sigh of relief when we got back to the safety of the bus but it was a quick turnaround before we were back out to dinner with a very dear friend of ours Ben Kayumba, although he was a new face to the most of the group. Ben has an amazing story of strength and forgiveness when he returned to Rwanda during the genocide through his own free will after the murder of his fiancee to run various projects with Compassion, reaching out to orphans and survivors of the genocide. He is a man of incredible grace and compassion with an unshakable inner strength and the heart and wisdom of an angel who welcomed us all into his home as if we were members of his own family. We had an absolutely delicious dinner and some enthralling conversation along the way!! It's impossible to get away from the fact that everyone in Rwanda is affected by the genocide but also the fact that there is an undeniable hope that shines so far into the darkness that it is impossible for the darkness to overcome. Everyone here is so filled with this hope and eager to share it with us for which we are honoured. Can't wait for tomorrow to come around and we can do it all again!!
Thanks once again for all your support - it's brilliant to know we have so many people thinking of us back home and it won't be long before you'll all have your kids back and happy to eat a nice roast dinner and sleep in a room without looking at a gecko crawling along your roof ... not that I'm jealous or anything!!
See you soon, stay safe, from Ailidh and the team :) xx
However it wasn't long before we were back on the road and headed back out for what was going to prove to be a very intense four hours at the Street Kids' Rescue Project. When we arrived we were once again swarmed by an army of children that we are finally beginning to recognise and able to reply in our scant Kinyarwandan to. It's quite an amazing experience to know that these children who have known so little love in their lives are so excited that we 'bazungu' would bother to spend so much time and money to make them feel like we care. Anyway, back to the project, soon enough we were getting stuck in with the kids with Victoria teaching the children the legendary rainbow song with a rather dodgy-looking rainbow illustration, Jack wowing everyone with his characature-drawing abilities and Erica being slightly stressed showing children how to make hamma beads. Nevertheless amidst the chaos we were able to spend some quality time with the kids being continually amazed by their incredible creativity, intelligence and talents. It seems that every day we seem to learn more from them than we could ever try to teach them. After the craziness of the crafts we all headed down to the sports field to do some sports and were once again wowed by their gymnastic abilities and though it's safe to say no one was ever at any given point completely sure of what was going on, we had an amazing and incredibly fun time but thank goodness for the incredibly gracious, patient leaders without whom the day would have been a mess!!
Much as we loved the street kids we all breathed a sigh of relief when we got back to the safety of the bus but it was a quick turnaround before we were back out to dinner with a very dear friend of ours Ben Kayumba, although he was a new face to the most of the group. Ben has an amazing story of strength and forgiveness when he returned to Rwanda during the genocide through his own free will after the murder of his fiancee to run various projects with Compassion, reaching out to orphans and survivors of the genocide. He is a man of incredible grace and compassion with an unshakable inner strength and the heart and wisdom of an angel who welcomed us all into his home as if we were members of his own family. We had an absolutely delicious dinner and some enthralling conversation along the way!! It's impossible to get away from the fact that everyone in Rwanda is affected by the genocide but also the fact that there is an undeniable hope that shines so far into the darkness that it is impossible for the darkness to overcome. Everyone here is so filled with this hope and eager to share it with us for which we are honoured. Can't wait for tomorrow to come around and we can do it all again!!
Thanks once again for all your support - it's brilliant to know we have so many people thinking of us back home and it won't be long before you'll all have your kids back and happy to eat a nice roast dinner and sleep in a room without looking at a gecko crawling along your roof ... not that I'm jealous or anything!!
See you soon, stay safe, from Ailidh and the team :) xx
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