In Kigali

So after a brutal 24 hours of traveling, we finally made it to Kigali on Tuesday afternoon. Customs and baggage were a breeze and after everyone had their stuff, we were met by our tour guide, Mark and driver, Emmanuel from Rwanda Eco Tours. With Mark and Emmanuel, we started to make our rounds to the host families but not before stopping for currency exchange and some bottled water. We used the rest of our first day in Rwanda to get settled in, take naps and get acquainted with host families. Judging from the discussions during the car ride this morning, it appears as if everyone is getting along great with their families!

Today was our first day at Home of Hope Orphanage. Apparently we were a little eager to start out project, so we arrived before the nuns and kids had finished their morning prayers. The group was able to chat while we waited outside for a few moments. We were soon welcomed by the nun who was to give us a tour of the facility and the rooms we would be painting. On our way down the steps into the facility and before we had even stepped foot inside, we were met by squeals and a gaggle of toddlers who greeted us with hugs. Each of the kids picked their favorite of the group who they then latched onto for the remainder of the tour. I can't speak for the rest of the group, but these were by far some of the most loving and personable little kids I've ever met. We were able to spend some time with the kids before we got to work on pre-painting prep. We laid drop clothes, taped baseboards, door frames and windows and strategized our approach. This pretty much took up the morning portion of the day.

During our lunch break, the group headed up the hill to a sort of town center with shops and restaurants. We ate lunch at Bourbon Coffee, a pretty western cafe were we were able to get snacks. At lunch, Cyrus Nkusi, Headmaster of the Kigali City School, joined us to introduce himself. With Cyrus, we were able to discuss what we will be doing with our time at the school. We were also able to talk about how to promote a sponsorship program for students who are unable to afford school fees. For just $350/year, one student is able to attend Kigali City School, which just ranked as the number one primary school in the country. We agreed that this Sunday, instead of our day off, we would meet with Cyrus and the students in need to learn more about them, sponsorship and how we can make sure these kids get a chance at a great education.

After our meeting with Cyrus, the group ran some errands. We were able to purchase cell phones with international and national calling/texting capabilities to help us keep in touch with each other and home. We also found paint supplies to help us begin our project upon our return to the orphanage. By the time we got back, there was little left in the day but we decided to start plugging away at putting primer on one of the rooms to be painted. This will give us a jump start when we return Friday.

Stay posted as we get further along in our projects!