Bridge2Rwanda » anna reed http://www.bridge2rwanda.org Rwanda, Africa News and Commentary Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:56:35 +0000 en hourly 1 “I will prepare and someday my chance will come.” -Abraham Lincoln http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2010/11/i-will-prepare-and-someday-my-chance-will-come-abraham-lincoln/ http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2010/11/i-will-prepare-and-someday-my-chance-will-come-abraham-lincoln/#comments Mon, 08 Nov 2010 08:04:51 +0000 shofert http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/?p=2519

Manirakiza Emmanuel

By: Anna Reed

I have posted several times about one of my students at Sonrise, Emmanuel (see Anna’s blog post “Emmanuel,’God with us’”). I have known from the beginning that he is special….I was just waiting for the rest of the world to discover him. And they finally have. Just a brief history…Emmanuel is a double orphan from the genocide. His mother died in a refugee camp in the Congo right after the genocide, and then he was separated from his sisters in the camp. He literally wandered alone through the bushes of the Congo…when he was about 5 years old….dodging bullets, running from rebels and wild animals, and surviving off the little food he could find. After several years he made his way back to Rwanda and was miraculously reunited with his sisters, destined to live a life of poverty and despair with no parents. But instead Emmanuel was chosen as one of the neediest children in the country to attend Sonrise School the year that it started.

So fast-forward a few years. Emmanuel is in S5 (11th grade) and is the top student in his class. He is well known around Sonrise for his incredible leadership, his talent in preaching and public speaking, and most of all his love and compassion for his fellow students. There is not a student or staff member at Sonrise that does not love him dearly. Most students know that he is an orphan, but they have no idea the hardships that he has had to endure. He takes every opportunity that comes his way and seizes it, having no excuses or self-pity for the troubles he has faced.

The opportunity arose for Emmanuel to apply to the best academy in Africa. African Leadership Academy located in Johannesburg, South Africa focuses on teaching leadership and entrepreneurship skills to the top African students for their last two years of high school. Every year they choose the top students from every country on the continent to train as future leaders of Africa. This year they chose 3 students from Rwanda….and one of those students was Emmanuel. Amazingly enough, another of those students was one of Emmanuel’s best friends from Sonrise and one of my other students, Dieudonne. Two students from Sonrise were chosen out of the thousands of applicants from all over the continent!

Just imagine….a little orphaned boy trying to survive on his own in the harsh jungles of the Congo to a student in the best academy on the continent and destined to become a leader. Emmanuel also received a $50,000 scholarship to attend the academy, which is a lot of money to anyone but to him is absolutely unfathomable.

Emmanuel and Anna

I have tears in my eyes as I am writing this, because I have grown to love Emmanuel as my own family. He has the purest heart of any person I have ever known. He is pure goodness, wisdom, and compassion. He can win the love of any small child or entertain the intellectual thoughts of any grown man. I have to admit that I selfishly am a little bittersweet about his leaving. I feel like a mother sending her child off to college. Emmanuel told me some of the sweetest words I have ever heard… “Thank you for being the mother I never had and for doing all the things for me that my mother would have done.” But the funny thing is that he is the one who encourages me and gives me a renewed passion everyday for what I am doing here in Rwanda. Words cannot describe him; you just have to meet him. Someday you will….because mark my word, someday he will change the world!

]]> http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2010/11/i-will-prepare-and-someday-my-chance-will-come-abraham-lincoln/feed/ 0 Sometimes one life at a time. http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2010/08/sometimes-one-life-at-a-time/ http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2010/08/sometimes-one-life-at-a-time/#comments Sun, 22 Aug 2010 16:15:30 +0000 shofert http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/?p=1886 By: Tom Allen

Bridge2Rwanda is in the business of transforming lives at both ends of the bridge that has been built between the United States and Rwanda. In a world of overwhelming need, which life should you hope to transform? Jesus proposes the one He has placed in front of you. What are the most common tools of transformation? Love, time, a listening ear, encouragement, sound counsel, skills… and sometimes medical intervention (remember the Good Samaritan?) and poverty alleviation. Some of the initiatives and strategies of Bridge2Rwanda are intended to reach and touch many, particularly those intended to unleash the innate energy of micro entrepreneurs. Sometimes the effort is intended to touch and transform the life of one.

Anna Reed befriended 13-year old Jean Baptiste in a place I have frequently referred to as “a very remote village”. He is a brilliant child, who lives in grinding poverty, but he does not seem to know it. All who meet him are struck by his boundless enthusiasm, irrepressible smile, and insatiable appetite for learning. In a region where only Kinyarwanda is spoken, he delights in greeting you in very good English,… and then Chinese.

Jean Baptiste.

Jean Baptiste in his home.

Jean Baptiste is indeed brilliant, but his marks (test scores, grades) in his modest school were unimpressive. In Africa, “education” and “note-taking” are synonymous. The teacher writes on the chalkboard (that is, a wall that has been painted black) and the students copy it word for word, and then later recopy it. No discussion. No critical thinking. No creativity. This is not “the Rwandan way”, but rather the remnants of the colonial way for all of Africa.

Jean Baptiste’s marks were poor because he had not taken a single note in a year. He sat in school,  he listened, but he took no notes because of a fast growing tumor in his hand that he had watched grow for six years. Apparently, a doctor had looked at it and determined that there was nothing he could do. Anna noticed it. We photographed it and sent it to various doctors. We had an American veterinarian from Tyson Foods look at it (Hey, you use ALL available resources!). We learned that it was not soft tissue or a cyst, but rather bone growing on bone,… a bone tumor. Clearly, it was not going to get better, but rather mark the end of the steep trajectory of Jean Baptiste’s life,… until Anna went into action.

Jean Baptiste's hand with the tumor.

Over the course of a few weeks, arrangements were made to transport Jean Baptiste to King Faisal Hospital in Kigali to be treated by Dr. Alex Butera, the best orthopedic surgeon in East Africa. It is a 2½ hour drive on a good, fast road. Just 5 miles from his village, Jean Baptiste, who had never traveled anywhere, became amazed by the distance he was covering. “Are we there yet?” was revealed to be a universal phrase in the language of childhood, whereas car sickness proved to be a universal discomfort.

The day became a day of “firsts”: First trip to Kigali, or ANY city. Upon entering Kigali, he was amazed by the many cars, the tall buildings, and the large fountain in the center of the “roundabout”. What is that?!? He could not understand where all the water was coming from,… or going. And many other “firsts”: The ceiling fans in our home were as frightening as they were fascinating. The toilet required detailed instructions. And the warm, soapy bath will be remembered and talked about for years. Fancy foods were not much appreciated, and a cold soda with ice caused his face to shrivel like a prune. Too much music coming out of speakers, in both the car and our home, was just too much.

Then it was time to drive to King Faisal Hospital for examination and admission, but first past the Ministry of Education, the Office of President Kagame, and the US Embassy (“the Office of President Obama”), and other such sites. This was “space travel” for Jean Baptiste, and an inexpressible joy for Anna and me. (Arguably, Anna and I were more amazed and joy-filled by the whole experience than was Jean Baptiste. We both vacillated between giddiness and tears, ourselves overwhelmed by a joy that money cannot buy.)

The time came to meet Dr. Butera, a very soft-spoken, tender-hearted man in a military camouflage uniform. As I have already explained, Jean Baptiste has an insatiable appetite to learn. Coincidentally, earlier in the day he learned the word “integrity”, so as Dr. Butera extended his large, strong hand to shake Jean Baptiste’s hand, he was greeted with “Dr. Butera:You a man integrity. Thank you very much”.

Jean Baptiste was admitted and surgery was scheduled for the following day,… and Anna and I were permitted to scrub and stand in. Oh, the stories we could tell about the pre-op x-rays, drawing blood, the hospital bed, trays of hospital food, nurses, and again, a porcelain toilet. But I must get on with the surgery, which was fabulously successful due to Dr. Butera’s great skill, care, and patience. It was a procedure which might have been done in 30 minutes, destroying muscles, tendons, and nerves. Instead, Dr. Butera, “a man integrity”, patiently and delicately proceeded as if he were working on the hand of the President or an ambassador, carefully retracting the skin, tendons, and nerves, and then extracting the bone tumor with a minimum of trauma to healthy bones and tissues. It was amazing to observe. Jean Baptiste will have full function of his hand and will soon be taking copious notes in school.

Anna and Dr. Butera.

The tumor exposed.

Anna and Jean Baptiste.

Jean Baptiste was unbelievably precious in Post Op Recovery, where there were many people doing their various jobs. When Jean Baptiste’s eyes fell upon anyone, he would boldly demand: “You! You! What is your name?” When a person responded, Jean Baptiste exclaimed their name with great emotion and sincerity, and said “Thank You! Thank you very much!” When Dr. Butera walked in, Jean Baptiste exclaimed: “Behold! The man of integrity!” (except for the “Behold!” part, which is just a bit of literary license.)

And Jean Baptiste wants to also “THANK!” Jim Scotti of Redondo Beach who paid for the surgery. Indeed, Jim, a life has been transformed.

]]> http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2010/08/sometimes-one-life-at-a-time/feed/ 1 “Come to the school to laugh, play, and learn!” http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2010/08/come-to-the-school-to-laugh-play-and-learn/ http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2010/08/come-to-the-school-to-laugh-play-and-learn/#comments Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:13:45 +0000 shofert http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/?p=1864 Play is universal, everyone loves it, and the Bridge2Rwanda team is no exception. As apart of an orientation program, our team had the opportunity to play and learn with the kids of Mwiko School in the village of Nke Nke. Frances Bajdiko-Bova through an initiative with Mothering Across Continents (MAC), hosted a kids’ camp and English language program at Mwiko this past month. MAC connects and equips women as guardians, advocates, funders, promoters and replicators of innovative pilots. Frances is a great example of an empowered MAC woman.

Frances and B2R teacher Anna Reed with the kids.

The kids and the B2R team enjoyed reading, singing, and playing with a colorful parachute together. None of the kids ever said they were bored or asked, “whats next?”, because they were perfectly happy sitting on the ground playing ‘cow, cow, chicken’, our Rwandan impromptu version of ‘duck,duck, goose’. The days were filled with new experiences such as face painting and blowing bubbles, which were embraced with great expression and enthusiasm.

The children painted pictures, decorated paper airplanes, and made friendship bracelets. This type of play encourages them to express their imagination and allows them to escape from the hardness of the poverty they live in. The children treasured every little piece of paper, string, and bead, and the B2R team treasured making new friendships and reuniting with old ones.

Blayne Sharpe enjoying his time with Jean Lambert.

Although these children go to a school without enough books, they hunger for an education and are constantly looking for something new to learn. Our team sat amidst children who dream of becoming doctors, teachers, and country leaders. Even in one of the most remote parts of Rwanda, these children know that an education is vital for them to break the chains of poverty. Driven by a spirit of determination, these children represent the bright and wonderful future of Rwanda!

www.motheringacrosscontinents.org

Photos courtesy of Mark Darrough

]]> http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2010/08/come-to-the-school-to-laugh-play-and-learn/feed/ 0 Empowering Volunteers http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2009/12/empowering-volunteers/ http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2009/12/empowering-volunteers/#comments Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:11:55 +0000 Blayne Sharpe http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/?p=914 Bridge2Rwanda has the mission of empowering individuals to use their skills to serve the country and people of Rwanda.

 Rwandans call them “borrowed talent” The media calls them “social entrepreneurs” People of faith call them “a new generation of missionaries” You can call them “an investment in a better world”

This January, Bridge2Rwanda is sending a group of energized – ‘20 somethings’ – to make the largest on ground support in the history of the organization.

Peyton Greenwald, a recent graduate from the University of Arkansas will be moving to Rwanda in January 2010. Peyton will serve Bridge2Rwanda as an IT advisor and tutor at Sonrise High School.

After graduating from Clemson with a degree in Secondary Education/English, Kelly Simpson traveled to Tanzania to work in an orphanage. During her trip, Kelly came to meet the B2R team in Rwanda and a seed was planted. After returning to the US, Kelly decided to join Bridge2Rwanda and will be moving to work at Sonrise in the ESL program.

 

University of Central Arkansas graduate, Kat Watson, will be moving with the team in January. Kat will serve directly under our Country Director Tom Allen, using her skills to host teams and individuals coming to Rwanda with Bridge2Rwanda.

Griffin Richards will bring his education and experience in hotel service as a volunteer consultant to the Ishema Hotel. Tourism and customer service initiatives are a primary focus of the Rwandan Government . The Ishema Hotel is located in Musanze which is a tourist destination for those traveling to see the Silverback Gorillas in the Virunga Mountains.

These individuals will join our current team in Rwanda.  This Fall, Bridge2Rwanda sent Anna Reed and Mark Darrough to serve. Readers can see their stories firsthand by following their blogs.

Interested in knowing how you could serve Rwanda, check out our job board or follow Bridge2Rwanda by signing up for our E News Letter!

 Donate or check out the profiles of team members by clicking here.

]]> http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2009/12/empowering-volunteers/feed/ 0 Visit Rwanda Through Staff Blogs http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2009/09/visit-rwanda-through-staff-blogs/ http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/2009/09/visit-rwanda-through-staff-blogs/#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:44:21 +0000 Blayne Sharpe http://www.bridge2rwanda.org/?p=726 Bridge2Rwanda is fortunate to have the blogging talents of staff members on ground in Rwanda.

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Tom Allen serves B2R as country director. A seasoned ex-pat to Rwanda, Tom has  many friends in local villages, governmental offices, and within the business community. With an adventurist spirit, Tom hosts all teams coming to Rwanda on behalf of B2R. Readers of his blog are able to come alongside Tom and his guests to out of the way places like his favorite remote village in Virunga. Tom’s blog provides an interesting viewpoint from a man who has fallen in love with the people of Rwanda.

Excerpt from Tom’s blog, http://tomallen3.blogspot.com/ :

Just another day…..like no other.

I am frequently asked: “What is a typical day for you, a former California lawyer now permanently residing in Rwanda?” I am delighted to explain that there is no such thing. Each day is a different adventure filled with unplanned surprises, and even the most challenging “surprises” are welcomed reminders that I am not in control. Some days are spent playing and dinning with billionaires, each of whom I have found to be very interesting and not at all as I might have presumed if I were to have foolishly indulged generalizations and stereotyping.

But in this post I share another kind of day,… my favorite kind of day,… the kind of day that anchors me in Africa.

Anna Reed is currently assigned to Musanze, Rwanda and is teaching English and ESL at the Sonrise School. Through her blog, B2R friends and followers can transport themselves to the beautiful village where she lives or to a classroom full of eager students. Being new to Rwanda, readers are able to be apart of Anna’s new adventures.

Excerpt from Anna’s blog, http://annanafrica.blogspot.com/ :

‘God roams the earth during the day, but returns at night to rest in Rwanda” – Traditional Rwandan proverb.                                                             

Muraho from Rwanda! In as little as a week, I have come to fully understand the meaning of the above statement. This beautiful country has welcomed this little American girl with open arms, and I have instantaneously fallen in love with it. I knew Rwanda was a special place and I knew Rwandan people were special people…I just didn’t fully grasp it until I stepped foot here. Rwanda is a beautiful country justly called “the land of a thousand hills”, (I would refer to them more as mountains!) and it is easy to see why it is worthy of being compared to God’s resting place on earth. The weather has been perfect, (about 75 degrees every day, which is pretty consistent year-round)….not to make all of you jealous in the hot Arkansas heat. The people are so friendly and precious, full of joy and life. When I meet someone new, I am always greeted with the gracious words of “you are most welcome here.” Perfect weather, beautiful landscape, friendly people….not bad so far!

Most who visit Rwanda explain that it is hard to put their experiences into words. Terms like ‘unexplainable’ and ‘words do not do justice’ are often used as descriptions, but Tom and Anna are wonderful at bringing bloggers into their experiences. All are encouraged to visit these blogs, but beware, you may be tempted to move!

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