zimbeezee

zimbeezee (sp?) means i don't know in kinyarwanda. I'm sure you are all aware that I love children. I love babies, toddlers, etc. But my heart is for children who have or are suffering. I don't want to sound so "i'm better than all of you", I'm just telling you where my heart truly is. And being here in my dream continent, being surrounded by children really erks my heart. I love having all the kids come up to me and hold my hand, give me a hug or whatever. They are all so precious and special.
And when I was at a church one Sunday, me and Carla were sitting down after the service and there were seriously like 20-25 kids surrounding us. They were touching our hands and hair and smiling and staring, and they LOVED being tickled. So it was so great to spend some time with them. They were so precious!
But then people just shooed them away from us, and told them to go away. We were going to leave, but still they are very rude to children and quite forceful, and I really don't like that. Yes they are clingy but most of the time, I don't mind.
At another church I was at there was this time of prayer for people who wanted to be healed of sickness, or prayer for work etc. And then after all the adults were prayed for, then they would bring the kids up, and when they would pray for them, they would just put oil on their foreheads and send them on their way, maybe saying, "God Bless, or In Jesus's Name"..but not taking time to pray for them. I understand about time and whatnot, but TIA. This Is Africa, and when does time matter? honestly, I'm learning that now...But it just hurt how they didn't care about the children. They're always shooed away or ignored or not even cared about.
Last night I went for sodas after dinner with some friends and on the way back, at like 8-830, there were kids following us and holding our hands and I talked to one of the girls who had done her dts last year (Laura, she's form USA) and were were talking about how tiny little kids are just walking around on the street at night, and their parents are looking for them or are worried about them. The kids walk with us mzungus for a long time, and they have no worries, and they aren't worried about either. It's so RIDICULOUS and so sad.
I don't know how to process some things quite yet, or where I'm supposed to fit in all this or where I'm being called or what I'm doing or what!?! Anyways, that was what I was feeling today.

I have a prayer request for all of you who read my words:
We still don't know for sure where we are going on our outreach. So if you could keep that in your prayers, that would be fantastic.

I love you all. Have a wonderful, peaceful day. Blessings to you all.

Bethany Umuhoza