Life at the Center for Champions

So we’ve been in Rwamagana, which is in the Eastern Province of Rwanda at the Center for Champions for a week now. Tomorrow we say goodbye once again to the kids we’ve met (they’re leaving for break) and then the next day we end practicum and head back to Kigali. I haven’t updated much on what we’re up to now, since we only had 10 days here and it’s been plenty busy but I’ve been enjoying where we are. As much as do long to be in Hoima, I thank God for bringing us to the Center to meet all the kids that we have, they truly amaze me. The Center for Champions is a community for street youth and vulnerable children who haven’t had an opportunity or ability to receive an education. Most of them are orphans and were part of a child headed household. They come into this program and get to catch up on their education, many live in the dorms on the compound and they participate in a myriad of things set up by the Center. It’s funded based on sponsorship, so it’s been pretty neat being on the other side of sponsorship with helping the kids write their sponsors and sending them updates/pictures. Our time has consisted of a few projects: sort, label and set up the library, plan a worship night, bible study, etc. But our main purpose has just been to spend time with the students each day and get to know them in the short time we have. I’ve learned to never underestimate or take fore granted time you have in a place, even if it is few. It’s been a difficult lesson but I am constantly being amazed by how much love these kids have shown us and how we’ve built friendships, even in such a short time.

Basically my days have consisted of at least 3 hours playing basketball, an hour or so juggling the futbol or playin a futbol game, jump rope, art room, time spent in the library and of course some time spent just talking and hangin out with the kids. It’s been great, all of us girls fit in great playin sports each day with the guys. Since it’s the rainy season here, we find our greatest battle to be against the massive amount of mud we encounter after a ridiculous downpour. Yesterday, me and Hannah went out on the field (which is straight up mud after a hard rain) and played Frisbee for a good hour or so. We walked out barefoot since your shoes will basically be destroyed if you try anything else. Two other guys went out and joined us and we slipped and slid all over the field as we played. My hands and feet were painted an orangish tint from the dust soaked earth. We were dirty but we didn’t care. And even after semi-preserving ourselves and our clothes, we ended the night with a hardy mud fight and a terribly cold shower. The days have been good to us.