The Village Weavers are Back

I've written about the village weavers before. They're bright yellow birds who weave nests that hang from tree limbs like Christmas ornaments. But like the Christmas season, they fly south for the summer.

But they're back, flashing brilliant yellow as they weave their sturdy nests, filling the selected trees with music.

It feels different this year. Last year, I watched with wonder as they wove their domestic hopes out of rushes and grass. This year, there's a twinge of sadness, knowing that when they leave in a few months, I will not be here for their return.

Not that mission life is one glorious round of spiritual experiences from which I dread to tear myself from. It has very high highs and some lows, too.

Having malaria wasn't on my bucket list, but now that I've experienced it, I'm glad it's off (and that it didn't END my bucket list.) It mostly wasn't too bad, since I had been taking Doxycycline (improperly, we realized too late,) (don't take it with Calcium-rich foods or drinks!) I knew I had gotten a mosquito bite, but it had healed up (more slowly than usual). Three weeks later symptoms developed. But since I was already aware of the possibility, Jeff got me the medicine quickly after a few days and it worked promptly. There was only about 45 minutes when I truly felt like I was dying! No pictures to go with that episode, (You're welcome!)

Now I have a head cold that trying to sneeze my face off, but I get these this time of year, usually only once, so I'm getting it over with.

The good news is that our English Connect classes for missionaries are going well, with more missionaries engaging. We're seeing steady progress. It's such a cool program. Most of the missionaries are native French speakers but there are a few Malagasy speakers and out one native Spanish speaker, Elder Aguilar, speaks English as well as I do.

Progress in teaching music conducting and piano keyboarding is slow, BUT SURE! We still have the problem of promising new students forgetting or skipping their lessons, but the established students are doing well.

The District Primary for the children is beginning to function better, despite the difficult circumstances we still endure with the churches being closed so that all 9 country-wide branches meet in the same Kigali building. (Busses bring people from the outlying areas.)

The Sister part of the new Senior couple (Sister Robinson) and I are working with the District Young Women's Presidency to get plans for camp and regular activities and separate lesson spaces planned for the new year. That's also progress. She's already made some fun things for the primary kits that the leaders (and children) loved.

We've almost finished our current round of "ministering training" for the 5 branches we're assigned to help. We're waiting on a new Elder's Quorum President in one branch before we can finish up.

The YSA are starting to be less dependent on us, so that makes us happy. We're hoping they'll feel completely ready to fly solo when we leave. We made the District YSA a kit with games and ideas and instructions for potential activities to use and reuse.

Monday night, we gathered at the downtown church building, (We can use them for activities but not worship) and after practicing a few Christmas hymns/carols, we went caroling in the downtown no-car zone.

We had about 130 YSA come that night, which we believe is a record for Monday night activities. We sang "Joy to the World," "Angels we Have Heard on High," "Silent Night," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

We have 6 1/2 months left in our mission. There are so many people we have come to know, love and worry over.

Here's a fun little story. Paul H. served his mission in Ghana and his childhood sweetheart Reziki was called to a different mission in Ghana at the same time. So he got home several months before she did. That was the situation when we first arrived here. But within weeks after her return, they were married. This is Paul, Riziki and baby Renee on her blessing day.

Paul is now serving as a counselor in the mission presidency.

There are cultural things that we LOVE LOVE LOVE. Rwandans are generally an affectionate, grateful and cheerful people. When we walk for exercise it's fun to look someone in the face and smile at them and watch their face transform by their beautiful smiles. The little children are unspeakably cute, too.

Of course there are cultural things we HATE: Bride Price for one, chronic tardiness, and horrible driving habits for others.

I love the markets with their heaped up fruits and vegetables, rows of shoes and used clothing. I love the fabric /tailoring shops with their colorful cloth offerings hung on the walls like a brilliantly hued quilt. I love the baskets. I love buying delicious bananas and avocadoes from the head baskets of the women who pass by our apartment.

I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. But there's no question that it's also a sacrifice to be away from family and friends. Yet those we love here are also our brothers and sisters and we all share the same hope in Jesus Christ.