Viewing Everything as a Gift to be Treasured.

12/23/09


This morning it began pouring and thundering at like 4am. We don't have thunderstorms too often, usually just a few small bouts of rain that maybe lasts 20 minutes or even less than this. Well, this thunderstorm lasted 5 hours! Sr. Gisele and Sr. Charlotte tried driving to Mass – now, to me this is absolutely ridiculous because the parish is seriously,  next door. I was so confused as to why we were getting in the car. But fortunately our guard did not come to open the gate so we just used our umbrellas and walked. Well there were only about 20 people at Mass this morning, quite contrary to the usual 200 that are present every day. And it was dark dark dark! Very cozy really. The electricity was coming and going, the lights kept flickering and the mic was working about half the time. This was really a problem because the rain pounding on the tin roof is a huge and awesome sound that fills the whole church. And there were some thunder boomies that made everyone jump because they sounded like they were right outside. So the lectors had to come down from the sanctuary to read in order for us to hear them. Father did not give a homily because we wouldn't have been able to hear him anyways. But people trickled in throughout Mass (as they always do…) and by the end there were maybe 40 people. But by the end of Mass the rain was still as hard as it was at the beginning, so Fr. Antoine brought the Blessed Sacrament out and we had adoration for at least the next hour. We left after about an hour, and then the rain had slowed a bit. But it was just such a cozy and prayerful morning because of this insane storm!

We also had our meeting with the Animators to flesh out the details of Noheli Y'Abana – the children's Christmas show we're doing on Monday. Honoline, one of the animators from Rubavu, brought a small box of the Rubavu kids' contribution to the poor. At this Christmas show the kids bring a little gift that they will put in the collection basket. The Rubavu gave a few handful of beans and a few bars of soap. I think this is so beautiful…these kids, especially the ones at Rubavu, are extremely poor. They really live in poverty, destitute poverty. And here they are giving what they can to help others in need. Its not much that they could give, but it sure is an incredible gesture and a beautiful lesson for all of us.

I have also been moved by the way these children appreciate what they have. At the end of Patronage, the kids received a small present. The Malaika (littlest ones) each received a pencil and two crayons. The Abapetro (middle ones) received a pencil and three crayons. The Abastrong (oldest) received a small box of 12 colored pencils. These children were so happy to receive these things, and they didn't complain that some received more than others or she got a blue crayon and I got yellow but I don't like yellow, etc. Or at least I don't think they did…they only speak Kinyarwanda so I have no idea what they were saying as we distributed these gifts. But Sr. Charlotte reported that they kids were very appreciative. They will use these things in school and will take extremely good care of them. We have also been making about 400 paper hats that say "Merry Christmas," "Joyeux Noël," or "Noheli Nziza" on them.

These will be given out at the Christmas show to every child who comes to see it. Again, another example of a very simple gift that means so much to a child who has so little. I am learning a lot about gratitude from the Rwandese; they are very good at viewing everything as a gift to be treasured.