Here we go!

Well, I should be in bed, but I am doing last minute checks to make sure I don't forget anything.

I tucked the girls in and read them stories. I told them that I would tell all the kids in Rwanda about them.

I printed my Rwanda-English dictionary (found only in a blog from a girl named Morgan), and hope to learn enough to be polite and communicate with our co-workers.

Right now, it looks like our materials won't arrive until Tuesday or Wednesday, so I think we will start with VBS, and then work like crazy the last 4-5 days in Rwanda. Pray for a speedy delivery so that we can make sure we finish before we leave.

My real desire is that God does something profound. I have no expectations about what that should be, but I want to be there to see it unfold. My prayer all along has been to give me a passion and a purpose, and for Him to do all the rest.

I was thinking about the concept of Builder's without Borders, and remebered back to flying over the north African desert last time I went over. You didn't see and borders from the sky. There are no limits, no boundaries, no insurmountable odds. We go where God wants us. Where he has prepared the way.

I remember the faces of the kids. They had nothing, were living in huts, and many had lost their parents. But they had hope. They had joy. They believe in tomorrow, but live every "today".

For me, this trip is less about doing something for them, than it is to see how hope, faith, love and passion for work can bring worlds together, make opportunities for poor kids living in small huts, and make grown men cry when they hear 300 kids sing songs to God at the beginning of school.

I know....sounds like some big expectations.

We have a big God.

Signing off until August 2nd - when I will be in Kigali, Rwanda

Window on The World

For those of you that are computer saavy - you can actually see our construction site (and our previous construction efforts) from the sky using Google Earth.

The coordinates are as follows:

Latitude - 1°55'57.40"S

Longitute - 30° 6'59.76"E

Look for the 5 long buildings, which are the school facilities that were built in previous years. If you look just a little to the southeast, you will see a larger Training Center that was the first building built by Builders Without Borders. The new construction site is the large open area immediately to the right (northeast) of the Training Center.

T Minus Three Days

July 28, 2009

It is Tuesday night, and I have finally finished packing my "checked" bag. It was a challenge getting all the tools, candy and toys in my bag, while still leaving sufficient room for the clothes. After a couple of attempts, I gave in and pulled out a small second bag to help me stay under the 50 pounds per bag rule......It is amazing how heavy the candy is - particularly Tootsie Rolls! And "no", the candy isn't for me, it is for the kids at the school and in the neighborhood. They like to watch us work all day, and it is one of the highlights of the day to spend a little time playing around with the kids in the village.

Tomorrow night I finish packing my backpack, which will be the only thing I carry on the plane. It will need to carry all of my entertainment, documents, spare clothes and hygene supplies needed for a 2 day trip. Last trip I didn't even think about the "hygene" supplies, and by the time we got there, my contacts were glued to my eyes, and all I could think about was brushing my teeth.

Our 2 day trip should be fun...we leave Fort Myers at 7 am on Friday, July 31st, and don't actually get to Rwanda until 2:00 am on August 2nd. That includes stops in Chicago, London, Nairobi and finally Kigali. We have about a 6 hour layover in Chicago, which we hope is enough time to run into the city for a slice of pizza and a Segway tour of downtown.

The Preview

Less than five days from now, about 35 of us will be gathering at Southwest Florida International Airport to start the two day journey to Rwanda.

Despite some challenges with our original flight, and the delivery of our shipping containers, we are looking forward to the experiences God has set before us.

Whatever happens, we know that He is in, and hope that our efforts bring glory to God, and a better life to the children and families in Rwanda.

I hope to update this blog with pictures, notes and updates on how our two projects are going.

The first project is vacation bible school for over 300 kids.

The second project is completing a two story classroom and office building.

Of course, we are planning some free time activities including dinners with local families, trips to the National Park, and some shopping along the way.

I hope this blog shares a little of our experiences, and helps interest you in participating on our next trip.

Mitch