our new friend, Vetarine

The past week or so has been filled with really wonderful days and I’m very grateful for them. I was rather convicted about my crummy attitude earlier this week and after spending a lot of time reflecting, reading and praying, I am happy to report that I am doing much better internally.

So what’s been happening with us here lately? The better question would be, what hasn’t happened? There are numerous stories from each individual day, let alone since the last time I blogged. Here’s my favorite:

Perhaps the coolest experience of our past week (and for me, one of my favorite from this whole trip) was hanging out in town with our new friend, Vetarine. He is a 12 year old crippled boy who begs everyday in the taxi park, whom I have absolutely fallen in love with. For the past few weeks, I’ve been remembering to bring fruit or a small snack in my bag every time we go to town so that we might be able to offer him something other than a smile and a handshake. Last week, Hilliary and I decided it’d be really awesome to try and take him out to a meal with us but he politely said that he was too scared ☺ (We’re pretty scary, I know.) Instead, he asked for porridge for his family and we were able to meet his brother and sister who, along with Vetarine, live with their oldest brother because their parents are in a far off village. They said if we came back another day, they’d all come out to eat with us.

Two days ago, we decided to go back to town just to see Vetarine. Upon seeing us get off the bus, a warm smile spread across his face despite his attempts to silently hide it. We asked if he would like to come eat with us somewhere, but he seemed a little embarrassed and motioned that he’d have no way to get there because of his crippled legs. Instead, Hill and I went to a restaurant, came back and we had a small little picnic with our gentle spirited friend and his brothers and sisters. Words can’t adequately describe how I felt sitting there on the curb sharing a meal of tortillas and meatballs with these dirty children whose smiles and laughter could have lit up an entire night sky. We had a lovely time sitting in the sun together, laughing over silly things. Vetarine especially seemed to enjoy himself. Despite being older than his siblings, he is clearly skinnier and his clothes are far worse. He also had scabs on his head, which I learned is most likely from him sleeping in the dirt night after night. Bugs then bite his little head, leaving scabs that then get covered with dirt.

In the midst of laughing together, Vetarine’s brother Daniel realized how much time had past and he hurriedly put Vetarine on his back, to carry him back to the dirt to beg. It made my heart ache watching him go but he still had a large and grateful smile on his gentle face. How can this be the reality of life for a 12 year old child? My mind can’t grasp how much his childhood has been stolen from him by poverty and illness. How can he not have enough time to sit and be a kid because he has to rush back to the red African dirt to crawl around for money? Hilliary are going back today with coloring books, crayons and food to hopefully spend time together allowing these precious individuals to be children if even for a few moments.

Other than this, we have been busier as we’re now teaching counseling and keyboarding, which have both been going very well. It’s also been crazy realizing that nearly all the women we’re teaching crafts to are HIV positive.

Another interesting side-note: we have been hitchhiking to class now because there’s a huge shortage of buses! Don’t worry mom and dad, I’d honestly be 5 times more afraid of hitchhiking in America than here. While waiting on the road yesterday for a bus or for some sort of ride to come our way, the street suddenly filled with police cars and by the time we figured out what was going on, PAUL KAGAME, the PRESIDENT of Rwanda was passing. And get this, as he passed and saw us waving, he waved back! We were rather excited.

Okay, sorry this is so long. I have many more stories but they will have to wait. Thank you all for your continued prayers. God has been listening and answering very faithfully and I continue to ask you for your support in this way.

Soon,
Megs

PS. my blog still won't let me post pictures and I'm really bummed :(