Thanksgiving with the Indians

Did you know that Rwandans don’t celebrate Thanksgiving?  Obviously!  The pilgrims never landed here, but the Asian Indians have opened a few delicious restaurants.  So we ended the day celebrating with them.

Thanksgiving began on Wednesday evening with all the preparations.  I actually made pumpkin bread from scratch!  Yes, me who doesn’t like to cook and especially doesn’t like to bake!  Check out me cutting the pumpkin with electricity and then without, by candlelight.  Thankfully, the power was only out for about 20 minutes that evening.  To my surprise the pumpkin bread turned out well and tasted almost like pumpkin bread from a can. 

I spent Thanksgiving morning teaching English.  We talked about American Thanksgiving Traditions and enjoyed the homemade pumpkin bread and banana muffins with a cup of hot tea.  Tea being a mug of hot whole milk, fresh from the cow, seasoned with lemongrass and loaded with sugar.  I always appreciate it when I’m allowed to put my own sugar in - it’s not quite so loaded that way!  And it’s very delicious.  It’s one of my new Rwandan cravings.  I can feel my bones getting stronger!!

The best part of the morning was explaining how Thanksgiving is a time for family.  As I was missing my family, the teachers interrupted me to tell me that they were my new family and I could celebrate Thanksgiving with them.  It’s been amazing at how quickly Rwanda has felt like home in so many ways.  I miss my friends and family terribly at times, but I’m so grateful for the Rwanda YFC staff who have eagerly welcomed me into their family.  It’s been a great and surprising gift!

 

 I’m also very grateful to have part of my biological family here with me.  Brad & Kiki have been here for four years and have two girls - Oliviana, age two, and the newly adopted Grace, age 5 months.  They’ve taken care of me, given me a safe place to adjust, and shown me the ropes of living cross-culturally.  But more than that I’m grateful for the chance to partner with them.  God has used them to accomplish mighty things through Kigali Christian School and it’s a pleasure to see it first hand and be a part of it.  

We celebrated Thanksgiving together by checking out a new Indian restaurant in town.  Preparing an American Thanksgiving meal just isn’t worth the effort (pulling the feathers out of your newly butchered turkey, making your own cream of mushroom soup, pumpkin desserts from scratch,...), so we decided Indian was a good alternative.  The food was delicious, especially the garlic nan, and best of all there were no dishes to do!  A great way to end a great day!

 Check out the album to the left for more pictures of Thanksgiving Day!

December 2009 Newsletter

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS...

I really will be home for the holidays - in my new home in Rwanda, that is.  I’ve spent my first few months with Brad and Kiki as I settle into Rwandan life.  However, this month I moved into my own place.  I look forward to settling in to my new neighborhood and having additional opportunities for entertaining and hospitality.

AND HAVE A NEW FAMILY TO CELEBRATE WITH

Meet my new brothers and sisters, the ECK staff.  I spent Thanksgiving morning teaching English,
explaining our Thanksgiving traditions and the
importance of family.  As I was saying,  “My family cannot be here...” I was interrupted in a unison outburst,  “No, we are your family.”

I’m so grateful for my new family here.  We’ve spentthe school break together in English training.  The staff are working hard and the training has been very enjoyable.  During this time, we’ve also been meditating on God’s grace.  It’s been a refreshing and unifying time as we prepare for the next school year to begin in January.

AND SO MANY REASONS TO BE THANKFUL:

• For the ways God pursues us with his love.  
• For all of you who are thinking and praying for me and Rwanda YFC 
• For my new Rwandan family and the beginning of lifelong friendships 
• For a successful school year with our P6 (6th grade) students doing well on the national exams, in spite of the language change. 
• For the opportunity to follow the P6 students by adding a S1 (7th grade) class in January.