Leedys in a modern house: I am in awe

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

I am in awe

I didn't really get it until today. I didn't fathom how different Africa (or at least Rwanda) would be. And honestly, how much poorer it would be. This is a place unlike any I've ever seen. I am in the most affluent part of the country and yet the buildings and the infrastructure—roads, storm sewers, water supply—clearly show how little this country has in terms of money. And when you consider the country's poverty coupled with the horror and sorrow of the 1994 genocide in which a million people were killed, it's really a staggering set of obstacles to overcome.

That said, what I am in awe of is the wondrous people who inhabit this place. The hard-working, kind, creative, curious, smiling people. The people going out of their way to host me, to help me, to entertain me, educate me, and feed me. The beautiful children playing around every corner, pausing to peek, smile and wave at me. God, I love these kids already. I want my kids to understand a teeny bit about these kids. I will be bringing back stories and hoping to do a bit of educating myself.

I was fortunate to visit an amazing place this afternoon: Nziza Artworks and the Ivuka Arts Studio. The art studio complex is being run to help mentor young Rwandan artists toward successful careers, and also provides opportunities for genocide widows and their children to learn arts and crafts and make/sell art works to advance their income earning potential. Some of the art here is quite primitive (though we Leedys quite like primitive folk art already) and some of it quite impressive. I was fortunate to meet artist Innocent Nkurunziza, a painter who mentors younger artists and craftsmen. He's headed to the US in 2 weeks on a trip related to this studio, and in an amazing coincidence, may actually head to the Nike campus. I was also fortunate to meet several of the widows working on crafts, including 2 who'd made the lovely necklaces I purchased earlier in the shop.

I don't have the proper words to describe how amazing this day was, and in particular, this visit to the Ivuka Arts studio. I'm hoping some pictures will do it justice.