January

Over Christmas break one of my friends paid for me to return home and surprise my family. It was great to show up unannounced and see the surprise on my mother's face. I spent one week with my parents near Kent, Washington, another week with my brother, sister and friends in Idaho, and the last few days in Newberg, Oregon. During that time I was able to attend church at both Melba and North Valley Friends Churches, celebrate New Years at the White's house in Idaho, join in an extended family celebration at West Chehalem and do plenty of shopping and activities with friends.

I arrived back in Rwanda on January 8, four days before school started. I returned to an empty house, but it wasn't empty for long. Melissa Smith, a one-year missionary with Africa Inland Mission, moved in at the end of January and Michael and Melissa Chapman also arrived for a three month stay. Melissa is a teacher by profession, so she helped me teach at the school in the mornings and in the evenings taught English for teachers of the local Friend's secondary school. Micheal interned with Debby and helped to do a lot of the work for the start up of Ubuzima Moringa, Debby's new business that she hopes will get moringa powder into the hands of those who need it most.