Today we walked a mile down to the valley to the source of the water, a natural spring. As we progressed down the steep mountainside it was difficult especially with a bad foot. We met villagers along the way who let us share a photo with them.
The children would follow us down with their yellow jugs for water. Along the way we hiked through banana trees that had under plantings of peas and beans. We also walked through fields of maize and cassava.
As you looked to the mountainside across the valley you could see children zigzag down paths to meet the muzugus (non-Rwandans). They were all running to see and touch us. I can't even begin to tell you the unbelievable emotions that surfaced. We spent about 15 minutes with the children.
Benjamin from Urukundo also explained the water system to us. There was a couple trying to wash their clothes but the water level was below the pipe so there was just a trickle of water coming from the spring. The pumps were not pumping the water up to us either so that was the purpose of benjamin's trip to the source with us.
There was also an older woman taking down a field of maize with a machete and placing them in stacks that would eventually be carried to her home on her head.
Thank you for sharing reflections and photos of your experiences. They bring back a flood of precious memories of the time I was at Urukundo, August 2012. God bless your sharing of time and talents - you are midwifing - helping to open the spirits of the young ones to greater awareness and possibilities of what God has for them!
ReplyDelete~ Lee Ellenberger, Pastor
Park Forest Village UMC