After three and a half months of hunkering down at Kibuye due to the political instability in Bujumbura, I was really looking forward to the annual missions conference at Lake Kivu in Rwanda at the end of July. And it did not disappoint! I thoroughly enjoyed the break from hospital work, the opportunity to swim and enjoy beautiful creation, the chance to worship in English, and the deepening friendships with other missionaries from this region. It really is amazing how much encouraging connection and unity is possible with 160 folks who come from so many different backgrounds - Brits, Aussies, Canadians, Americans; Mennonites, Presbyterians, Methodists, Anglicans, Quakers, Pentecostals, Church of Christ; doctors, teachers, pastors, even a plumber; serving in Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Congo. Wow! Anyways, I loved getting to know new friends and hearing people’s stories from their years of living cross culturally. I look forward to connecting with these fellow expats more in the future in Burundi or elsewhere.
Pictures from the Kumbya conference 2015:
3 kilometer swim (1.5 miles) to Three Hump Island bright and early one morning - I'm one of the heads on the left!
Deanna and I thoroughly enjoying our coffee and pancakes after completed the swim to the speck of the island seen the the right of us
Beautiful sunrise viewed while swimming - picture taken just after I got to the island
My favorite spot of the week :)
Always love a mesmerizing campfire!
Typical afternoon outside the cabin
Monkeys!
Worship in English
Most of the Burundi missionaries
Sunset with traditional dugout canoe
Scenery on the drive back to Burundi
Tea fields
Back in Bujumbura - dry season!
But, despite a fabulous time in Rwanda, after a week of essentially camping with no running water, electricity, or internet, I was also thankful to get back to civilization and my own bed. Adjusting back to busy hospital work with 40 new inexperienced med students is a little more challenging! For some reason that children’s song (from Psalty, I think) “Have patience...don’t be in such hurry...” keeps running through my head during re-entry! :)
