Update from Jill - Dec 28, 2013

Greetings for the holiday from the sunshine couple!

It's hard to believe that the main part of our program is over and Libby  has left us after six weeks of hard work training teachers. She made 350 books with teachers and cut up 1200 pieces of cardboard from recycled boxes! The books and the personal stories were beautiful! So beautiful that we had a art show at each centre so the participants could enjoy each other's work.

I think we last left you when we had finished the training out of Gisenyi and Vumbi/Nkora. The two weeks there were hard; long days, hard roads, lots of teachers and very basic or creative places in which to teach. However I would return tomorrow because the work was really appreciated and the teachers have so little in terms of resources or opportunies for learning themselves.

We then took a week off and gathered ourselves and materials for the last two weeks of this program.  It has worked better to provide a week of long days rather than two weeks of half days as we used to do.

Libby and the four trainers stayed up at Nyarangarama rather than drive back and forth each day. They had VIP accommodation in the 'penthouse' or attic as Libby was wont to describe it! I only went up for the start and the final days. Neil wanted  to stay here in Kigali and I had picked up another volunteer 'job'. I think that our group of young Kenyans and Libby had lots of fun and certainly didn't need me hovering! They were such a good group to work with.

With another team (on leave from Green Hills. . networking is an essential skill here!) we, the new group, spent four hours a day for two weeks training the Rwandan Police peace keepers who left today for Darfur. Their tour is from one to two years doing investigations and community policing. The goal was to improve English speaking skills and build confidence with the language, which is what they will be using in Darfur as part of an international team.re We got to know all 35 really well and it was quite emotional to say goodbye when they are going to one of the 'hot spots' . There is another group scheduled to go to Southern Sudan at the end of January. I wonder if we will be called or if they will go?

There is no shortage of interesting work!

That includes the hundred packs of solar panels, lights and universal chargers which we have to make up and then take to Gisenyi and Nkora as soon as school starts. The money has come from Tools for Schools and the packs will go to teachers who have no electricity because they are so isolated.

Now we are on our own and I have no excuse not to start swimming to improve my knee for surgery in March.

It's hard to realise that we have only two months before we return.

A good life here and we are fortunate to be able to enjoy it!

Best wishes for the new year from Neil and Jill