Muraho!

It is just one week before our trip to Rwanda! Wow, it seems hard to believe. Since we booked our airline tickets, we have been very busy meeting to discuss logistics, creating a rough itinerary, solving practical issues (what to bring, how much money, transportation, etc) and discussing expectations, wishes and desires (to avoid any potential “conflicts of interests”). After a “sinking gut feeling” that we were overplanning. we decided to “Go where Rwanda takes us."

That being said, we both very much look forward to seeing a soccer match in Kigali, seeing Lake Kivu, standing on the Rwanda/Tanzania border watching the Rusumo Falls, hiking up an active volcano outside of Goma, DRC, distributing soccer equipment to kids, playing soccer with kids, hiking to see the mountain gorillas in Volcans National Park, doing a home stay and working with the Rwanda people through a cultural tourism organization (Amahoro Tours), and visiting Imbabazi Orphanage (the one Roz Carr started in 1994), Centre Marembo and other orphanages and organizations created after the 1994 Genocide. We also anticipate deep emotional experiences when visiting Genocide sites such as the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, the town of Kubuye (Immaculee’s house and bathroom) and the church Nyarubuye (to name just a few).

The thing we anticipate most however is just talking to the people of Rwanda and getting a feel for a culture that is so unlike ours.

We would love to say that we will make a blog entry everyday; however, we are unsure of internet access, etc. We even hope to include photos! Hang in there with us if we are inconsistent or sporadic.

We would like to thank everyone who has been so supportive of us, the class and this trip. We have gotten great advice and love.
If you would like to ask us a question during the trip or just drop a note of hello, please e-mail jcave@bsm-online.org or dkuntz@bsm-online.org. We will do our best to answer your Rwanda and/or Genocide questions.

Murakoze and murabeho!

Dave Kuntz and James Cave.