Children's Update from Amon & Erica

The following was just received from Amon & Erica....who remain in Rwanda until the end of January. Sounds like they have been extremely busy with setting up a routine and teaching the children what we would call "the basics".

I've still got a few more videos to post, but that will have to come later.

Written January 20th, 2009.................Since our team left 10 days ago, Amon and I have been working full speed, non-stop, to put the children's choir training house together. We decided that the kids should move into their new home on January 8th. On January 7th, we had yet to find adults to stay with them, a cook to feed them, and beds for them to sleep in.

On the morning of the 8th, a cook was hired and immediately started cooking for 24 children and their mothers who were arriving for lunch that very day. From 2pm up until midnight, the bunk bed parts arrived and were assembled so that the children had a place to sleep that night. Two of our staff members stayed overnight with the kids until the chaperones would arrive a few days later.

Whew..... Food, shelter, and adult supervision taken care of. I can't begin to explain the feeling I felt when I walked into their rooms that night. Our dream for a children's choir had come into full fruition....24 children peacefully sleeping away in their new beds and under OUR 100% care - WOW! Could it actually be possible?

The next day, we all quickly realized that our first task at hand was to civilize the kids and teach them about cleanliness and hygiene. Sounds simple for 8-11 year olds, right? NO!! Imagine...the kids using their body sponges to scrub the toilets, peeing on top of/around the toilet instead of inside of it, spraying water ALL over the bathroom during bath time, not knowing how to use toilet paper, wetting the beds at night, and going to the pit latrine without shoes on. Oh my goodness! Everything that was thought to be simple instantly became difficult. These kids had never used, seen, or heard of such things before and they had to be taught everything - from scratch - one detail at a time, in English, a language that they don't yet know. It was instant parental training for all of us who have never had kids, but with 24 of them all at once!

When Monday settled in, it was time to get the kids used to their intense training schedule. Each day they have 3 hours of rehearsal, 3 hours of school, housework, washing clothes and linens, meal times, devotions twice a day, speaking English....and the list goes on. Everything is timed to a routine schedule that has to be followed if these kids are going to be ready for tour in July! I've never been to boot camp before but it sure feels like it!

My task is to make training schedules, purchase supplies for the house, and train the chaperones on how the training academy should be run for the next 6 months. I feel like a drill sergeant walking around with a clipboard all day observing all of the things that need to be discussed and crammed in training before we leave in 11 days! I have also been teaching 3 hour rehearsals each day until the music trainer arrives on the 26th from Uganda. Amon has been hiring chaperones, networking with government officials in Rwanda to secure visas and passports for the kids, evaluating all of the AMA field projects, and assisting in the production of the musical program.

This week has certainly been a mountain to climb but God has been SO faithful to meet every need! There are more details to put in place than anyone could have ever imagined. A few mornings this week, I literally felt the weight of all of this responsibility and hardly had the strength to walk up the street to teach music. But, as my dear friend encouraged me this week, "God's strength is so much bigger than our own, even on our best day!" Isn't that the truth! Amon and I have taken a few days of 'working' vacation in Kigali. We are actually watching Obama live on CNN right now - gotta love technology! We appreciate your continued prayers for strength, wisdom, and good health. Amidst the chaos, we are FULL of joy and are SO blessed every day by these precious kids. We know that it wouldn't be possible without your covering of prayers. Thank you so much!

So, it's official folks! We have 24 children in training, all anxiously waiting to meet you in July!

Blessings,
Erica and Amon:)