Where God Sleeps

I have been to many beautiful places in the world...The Great Wall of China, Victoria Peak in Hong Kong, Loch Ness in Scotland, the mountains of Germany and Austria, Hawaii, the rolling hills of Italy and England, the Rock Mountains, and the list goes on. I must say though that the place I just returned from is the most beautiful place I have ever been in my life. The volcanoes and lakes of northwest Rwanda form the most breathtaking landscape. The colors are so vibrant...almost electric green leafs and grass, blue lakes, orange dirt roads, every shade of green and yellow you can imagin form rectangles across the mountainside.

Not only are the views amazing but the people are too. A friend told us about Virunga Lodge. It is, according to the guidebook, the best hotel in Rwanda and right up there with all resorts in Africa. Our friend, who used to live in Ruhengeri said that Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck stay here when they visit Rwanda. It is $500 per night per person. Yikes! We decided to drive up and check out the view and have lunch. The lodge and food were amazing (I have been craving a delicious steak and I had one finally!) But, the best part of the whole thing was the ride down the hill. As we drove back down the mountain, the village children sprinted after the car. We gave high fives and waved. We stopped and Emma, Abby and Lucas shook hands with the children out the window. In fact, when they saw Emma, they got very excited. They probably haven't seen many Chinese children. They kept running after us and shouting and cheering. We handed one little girl a can of pringels...she was so thrilled. We finally figured out that they were shouting "pen." They wanted pens and pencils! We dug through our bags and the truck and started handing them out the windows. They were so excited! It was an amazing 15 minute drive down the mountain.




We then drove over to Volcanoes National Park. If you have ever seen the movie "Gorillas in the Mist," this is where it all happened. The mountain gorillas live in the bamboo forrests on these volcanoes. It is really expensive to go on a gorilla treck so we thought we might be able to just hike around the park with the kids. Didn't happen. It costs $100 a person just to hike the lower levels of the rain forrests. Someday, I will see the gorillas but not this year.

The next day we decided to head out to a fishing village we saw on our map. First we stopped in town at a shop trying to find pencils and pens to give any children we might see again. When Matt and Spencer (our friend) where in the store, the truck ended up surrounded by children and women. I started chatting with one little boy. He spoke very good English. (we were about 25 minutes from the Uganda border where they speak English.) He asked me for my email address! It was hilarious! No pencils or pens to be found so we stocked up on suckers.

The fishing village was beautiful...of course! We walked along the shore of the lake which was all lava rock. There were children fishing and playing, women doing laundry and men playing cards. The colorful fabrics that they wrap around as dresses and capes where laying out on the lava rocks to dry. I loved seeing the carved out fishing boats and talking to the boys who were fishing. It really made me wish that my Grandpa Hubbard where there to experience that with me. Anywhere he goes, he must check out the fishing seen! The little boys were using worms they had found in the fields and catching very small fish. I don't know if they were catching those to eat or to sell as bate for catching larger fish. I just know that it was great! The children sat on the rocks and watched as Emma pretended to fish like the boys and Abby and Lucas ran around the mounds of lava rock. The children are so lovely.

On our way back to the main road, we busted out the suckers and the children went crazy! It was awesome!

I finally understand why Rwandans say, "This is where God sleeps." It is the most breathtaking place I have ever been. I really can't imagine a more pleasant place for Him on earth. It just amazes me that the people of this part of the country can be so full of joy and happiness after everything they have been through. Ruhengeri was one of the hardest hit places during the genocide and yet they thrive. Is it reconciliatoin? Is it true forgiveness? Has God reclaimed this place for Him? I don't know. What I do know is...

God is peace and God sleeps in Rwanda.