Road to Rwanda----When we visit the US

  Elisabeth Godbold Arnold quotes  From Marilyn R. Gardner: "When my mom and dad first moved overseas, they would travel by ship. Instead of frenzied airport arrivals and departures, they would wave from the balcony of a ship. They would wave until those they loved faded out of sight, and all that was left were tears on their faces and a wide ocean that would be their landscape for the next six weeks. They left slowly, and they entered slowly. Those long days and nights at sea prepared them for their next steps on land. It was a good way to travel. For six weeks you were literally between worlds, without expectations from either. Sometimes I wish it were still that way. We move so quickly between countries that it is hard to breathe. Currency, language, food, and customs change in a short plane ride. The cultural lines get blurred, and we have high expectations of how quickly we will adjust to whatever culture we find ourselves. No wonder we find ourselves exhausted, collapsed...

Road to Rwanda----Changes in Teaching

 We were very surprised and saddened to be told two days ago, that this would be the last semester that we would be teaching online for the Asian Mainland University (trying to be obscure in my writing)that we have been contracted to for six years. For three of those years we lived there and then after covid we have taught for an additional three years: oral and then written Engish.  Although this means that we at times have been overwhelmingly busy with about 100 essays a week to grade, it also has filled a place in our lives that we are having trouble imagining letting go of.  Evidently this decision is being made on the government level, and the university has no choice but to comply.  I understand that it is MUCH better for the students to have inperson teachers, rather than the rather poor substitute of online teaching.  Still, written English involves more grading of and reflection on papers than actual interaction.  It means that the limited amount o...

Road to Rwanda---Peace Is Out!

  Peace has finally been released from the nursing home. It was suppose to be for 90 days.  We left her in the nursing home the second week of July, 2022.  All of the funding stream, paperwork, appointments, protocols are finished and she was released today to live with a lovely and experienced family in Leominster, MA.  Everyone is excited.

Road to Rwanda-----"Give me money."

I have continued to struggle since returning with knowing how to handle children who accost us and ask for money.  This is a perpetual moral issue for me. When does one give to beggars and when does one not?  How much do you give to beggars? I have not a doubt that I will bear blood guiltiness for not being sensitive to the Lord's leading in this.   As I walked home from school on Thursday, it was particularly difficult.  Many, many children, even if they know no other English words know, "Give me money." Even some adults seem to think it is a way to greet one.  (A bus driver that I waved at as he drove past most mornings last year, leaned out of his window one of the last school days and said, "Give me money." This was an adult, employed man with a bus full of children behind him who heard his statement.)  Thursday as I walked, first one boy about 10 came up behind me and said, "Give me money." His clothes were dirty and ragged, but he also was not st...

Road to Rwanda----Matresses

 So we slept 2 nights on our bed that we have just returned to after a summer on US beds.  We have slept on this bed for a year. Last fall we went to the capital, 2 and a half hours away, and bought an expensive fluffy mattress cover.  The original mattress is only slightly better than a soft board.  We survived the year by using the mattress cover, but perhaps "survived" is the best description.  So, after 2 nights, and feeling like we were bruised in the morning, we decided we had to do something else.  We knew that there are form rubber mattressess downtown here and we decided we would go look at them.  Before we even left we discussed how we would get a mattress home.  We have memories of 30 years ago in Taiwan finding a good kingsize mattress left out for giving away.  We were young and adventurous and took our motorscooter and as Rick drove the scooter, I rode behind him with the mattress balanced on my back and held it by the tip of my...

Road to Rwanda......Home again, home again...

 Just want everyone to know that we arrived back home in Rwanda last night at 11 p.m.  It was a good and easy trip....and I can't always say that.  I slept a great deal of the way.  Rick did not, but he was able to stretchout and relax.  Of course when we arrived at our house at 11, the electricity had been turned off.  Good country where we can just go on our phones and pay that way and it was reinstated within about 10 minutes.  Our propane was out, but used up the very last available penny to replace the tank at 8 this morning...and then went to the bank, so we are fine again, now.  The internet cannot be turned back on until Monday, but I am up here at school using their wifi.  I promised myself that I would walk the mile to and from school for the next 2 weeks to work on those US pounds....but I just could not face in the middle of jetlag that walk up hill to get here. I will walk the mile down hill.  It is so tempting not to becaus...