Flying time

Time is beginning to FLY here.

I'm settling into a routine, and it's a little bit scary how quickly the days are going. I feel more at ease here and not so much like I am a foreigner…now when I get gaping looks and cries of "muzungu!", all those feelings shift a bit.

Though I haven't been getting that experience nearly as often…maybe I don't look like I am so "fresh off the boat" anymore…or maybe I don't notice it as much these days.

I think I will blink, and it will already be the beginning of July.

Thursday (the 17th) was a national holiday. Everything was closed. It's amazing how many national holidays there are here in Burundi. I love that the people stop what they're doing for holidays. No school, no work, no shops open: just family time.

The kids were out of school, and we had a great many American visitors over for lunch. So fun! I do like to meet new people and hear their stories. Everyone seems to have an interesting reason for why they're in Burundi. 

Annd there are some exciting things to share!

The first one is in the brainstorming stages, but it will become (hopefully! Crossed fingers!!) a reality very soon.

We are tentatively planning on opening a Cyber Rainbow Cafe at the Rainbow Centre to generate more revenue for the Twizere (let's have hope together) project. The Twizere project is what supplies milk and porridge to mothers in need as well as supporting the community in many various ways.

Planning this cafe out is a joy. (I've secretly had a long-term dream of setting up a cafe…and now, at 19, I'm getting to assist with the startup of one! It didn't take long for that dream to be realized, haha!)
The Rainbow Centre already has a wonderful cook, Nathan, and a lovely place for a tea garden. They even have everything set up to get satellite internet, they just have to pay for it to be started up!
So much potential it makes me giddy.

I am inspired and praying that God will bless all of this. I would love it if you would please pray with us!

My technical skills are limited, but it is my hope that what meager offering I have can be used. Already, I am seen as a semi-IT person, by token of knowing 'just enough to be dangerous' about computers.

Hahaha, if my Computer Science friends were here watching me fix computers, I'm sure they'd laugh. But I do enjoy working with computers and problem-solving. Each time I fix or fiddle with something, I learn a new skill. Playing with my blogs has been a good learning opportunity, too.

In light of that, I'm working on a new blog site for the Rainbow Centre, so that the ladies here can more easily update everyone on what's new.  I am pray pray praying that my blog design will be just right.

…sadly, when I tried to access blogger the last time I had "fast" internet, blogger was pretty much frozen. Nothing would save, and it was ridiculous to try to post.
It was a disheartening roadblock, but I'm learning perseverance and patience. The problem with computers is that so much of what I need to have/do is ONLINE and dependable internet is hard to come by.

I get to write about all of the Rainbow Centre kids (the abandoned babies and children now in foster care), the Rainbow Centre clinic, the guesthouse, and the soon-to-come Cafe… all complete with pictures! I'll be going around next week to meet the RC kids and spend some time listening to their stories. 

If all goes well at the Rainbow Centre Board meeting on Monday, the ball will be REALLY rolling!

I am very excited for this project and all of the things I am getting to assist with: picture-taking, writing, designing, planning, organizing, working with kids!

The things that I am getting to help out with are things that I really find joy in doing.

How cool that God is letting me help!