Monday, September 15, 2008

I am going to Rwanda


I watched a magnificent sunset in Cancun.
I ran a marathon.
I had a baby.
I battled cancer.
I went skydiving.

Perhaps you ran in a marathon and remember the weeks of training, sore muscles, and determination to reach a goal. Maybe you can recall the moments between contractions when absence of pain seemed like unspeakable bliss, and the first moments with your newborn.

Maybe you've never been to Cancun, but you've heard of it, and know that sunsets can be beautiful. Or you know that skydiving is jumping out of a plane with a parachute, but you'd never want to try it.

We can relate to people's stories on different levels - from head knowledge or experience...

I am going to Rwanda.

How do you relate to that? Have you been to Africa? Do you relate through a book you've read or a movie you've seen? Is travel not your thing and geography not your strong point?

While I've never done any of the things listed at the beginning of this post, I am going to Rwanda.

At the moment, I relate to that statement, although it is my own, from a knowledge-only level, almost as a foreign listener: Yes, I know where Rwanda is (as I picture an outline of Africa and a tiny country in its center). I'm going. I know the dates of the trip, and a handful of names belonging to people I'll meet when I'm there. I know the purpose and the goals.

But I've never been to Africa. I haven't seen, heard, tasted, smelled, touched. I don't know how I'll be changed. But, yes, Rwanda. It exists. I'm going there. I don't have pictures of the sunset, scars from the surgery, or sneaks worn out by 26 miles.

I wonder what it will be like!?
Hope you'll join in for the journey!

~nancy

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