Rwanda: Jane's House

One of the highlights of the trip was going to Jane's house for a church-feast-dancing-Mark and Chelsea honoring-singing-visiting with students-crazy good time.

Jane is the hands and feet of His Chase in Rwanda.  She is the talented, generous, with-it person who is in charge of all kinds of things that I can't even begin to list or understand.  She is a mother to all.  She is the definition of grace.  She handles more in a day than I do all year, and she handles it well.

Our team, along with the 125 or so students that His Chase enrolled in King David boarding school, descended upon Jane's house.  We worshipped together.  The student choir sang some moving songs that I enjoyed very much.

After church we feasted.  I would find it difficult to prepare food for 150 people in my kitchen at home, but Jane's team of helpers made it seem like a piece of cake even without some of the appliances I consider indispensable.

Cooking with firewood, outside.  They made a ton of food, people!

And they even employed Jackie who, for the record, never cooks at home, yet was somehow roped into shredding the cabbage and carrots for the Rwanda style coleslaw dish.

Here I am with my first ever serving of true Rwandan food.  

After lunch there were festivities.  Mark and Chelsea Jacobs, the founders of his Chase received an award, several people spoke, letters were read and best of all some students performed a traditional dance.  I was mesmerized.

We had time to hang out and visit with the students.  I got to know Aurore (whom I had met the day before) even better.  She tried to teach me some songs in Kinyarwanda.  The day before she gave me an extensive Kinyarwanda speaking lesson.  She was a great teacher!  I have her to thank for quite a few phrases I was able to use throughout the rest of the trip.  I consider her a special friend, and I am so glad our paths crossed.

The gate into Jane's property was open, and the party was loud, so quite a few neighborhood kids wandered into the yard and hung around for hours.  After everyone had eaten, Jane put out left-overs for these children.  I walked over and snapped this photograph which has quickly become very close to my heart.  There are a lot of hungry children in the world.  In Rwanda.  In Texas.  How do we, pardon, I mean how do I manage to ignore it so much of the time?

I'm thankful to Jane and her husband Peter for opening their home and hearts to so many.  Their hospitality is a blessing and example to me.