The past few weeks have been a whirlwind and I think I am finally recovering. First, on Aug. 1 the team from Black Rock arrived and we went to that far off place, Nyamasheke. Then, a day after seeing the team off I went to Goma, DRCongo, to work with the World Relief staff there for 3 days. Add two days in the office and a weekend and that's my August until now.
Nyamasheke with Black Rock
The team from Black Rock was great (but of course I have to write that because some of them will probably see this!), seriously though, they were a fun group to spend a week with. The week entailed a lot of driving back and forth on bumpy, dusty (really dusty - it is the dry season) roads but a lot a good work was done. While in Nyamasheke there was construction done on 3 homes, 12 home visits were made, and 1 half-day OVC (Orphan and Vulnerable Children) camp.
(Home with roof being constructed)
(OVC Camp - Over 40 students attended)
Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
The Black Rock team left on Saturday, the 8th, I relaxed on Sunday and went to Goma on Monday the 10th. Goma is a different world from Rwanda, especially Kigali. Even the dry season in Rwanda is lush compared to Goma where there is little vegetation due to the several volcanic eruptions within the past century. Even the people were much different. They were more direct, whereas Rwandans tend to be more reserved.
While in Goma I worked with the WR Congo staff training them on all of the tools necessary to write a newsletter. It was a full and tiring 3 days, but I was able to pass along some useful information that will hopefully help them in the future. WR in Congo does more relief and resettlement work than WR Rwanda, which is more development focused. In Congo, WR does agriculture training with those resettling their lands and also distributes food and supplies to Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) of the various fighting that has been happening in the country.
Return to Kigali
Since returning to Kigali, I have spent two days in the office working on various items wrapping up the past couple weeks as well as preparing to move into my last week in the office. I cannot believe that I will be back in the U.S. in 10 days -they are going to go so much faster than I already imagine.
