Walmart in Rwanda???

Is it 8:00? Holy cow! It feels like it is 10:00. And is it Wednesday or Thursday? I’m confused! I feel like I should have gone to bed an hour ago, but we just ate dinner. My body must be starting to adjust to Africa time because I am starting to get tired when it is dark. I have been fighting sleep during the day and running around the house in the evening with bursts of energy.

I am really starting to be bothered by the slow pace here. NOTHING is done quickly at all. The kids and I have spent hours waiting for Ben to get one document at the bank, pick up something at the store, or bring Travis to the Department of Revenue. The paper work here is done all by hand. Letters are written and then they must be sealed and notarized. But they might as well still be using the wax and family crest on stuff because that is how ancient things are!

I am tired and cranky. I have bit Ben’s head off several times. I can’t get any work done with the kids running around the house saying, “Mom, I’m bored… What should I do?” I have to give the kids credit though, they are really adjusting well. They are eating different foods as their palates adjust, settling into a lot of waiting, and making due with what they have. Today I saw Hope playing with a spiral wire in a market we went to… she made a little antenna with it and pretended to be an alien. Or maybe they are just slowing losing their sanity…as I sometimes feel!

They had a really tough time at one of the markets today. We had a few items to buy for the house and we went to “T-2000”. It is a Chinese store. Ben likes to call it the “Rwandan Walmart”! It is a quarter of the size of the Osco side of Jewel and only 1 story high. It is cramped and dark inside and filled to the ceiling with plastic chairs, dishes, basins, and other items. But outside, it is the favorite gathering place of beggars in the city. Many whites (muzungus) come there to set up house. There were women with babies, no handed men, people selling baskets or corn, and crippled people of all kinds. They press in on you immediately. It was very scary to the children. Nathan said he felt like his white skin had become a “target”. I tried to explain the desperation, but there was really no way for them to process it all. Mike wanted to give some of his money away, but I told him he would literally be in danger of being mobbed. I could see a look of hopelessness on their faces. And Amber said to me, “Mom, can we please leave now?” We talked on the way home about how we wish we could give all our money away… but that couldn’t take care of all the poor. Nate added quickly, “Bill Gates can solve this!” But then we reminded him that Jesus said, “You will always have the poor with you.” Can I just say that poverty stinks!!!?

Well, it was a long day and we are on the way to the village tomorrow. It will be the first time that the children will meet Constance, the widow we sponsor. We will drive 3 hours and then walk 1 ½ hours to meet her. Pray for the kids!!! No DVD’s to keep them preoccupied!