Tuesday June 1st

It is Monday morning and I am out in Rwamagana at the Center for Champions. I think kids are skipping class to hang out with me. So I keep asking them if they need to be in class and they keep telling me no. Things are great here in Rwanda. I went to a Bible study on Thursday night which consists of people from other countries, people like ME. People from Holland, Germany, London, Singapore and the good old USA. I am pretty excited about his group of people. One of the guys from Holland invited me to go mountain biking with him sometime, so I am hoping to do that on my Saturdays. I am starting to have consistent rhythm. I go to devotional time at AEE in the morning and then catch a 9am taxi which gets me to Rwamagana about 10am. The drive out here to the Center is beautiful. I think it is actually one of my favorite parts of the day. Riding the taxi that is. It is defiantly an adventure. Yesterday we crammed 23 people into a 19 seat little Toyota van. The taxi companies fight over me each day. All the guys who run the taxi services pretty much know me and take care of me, making sure I get on a taxi as soon as possible.

Sunday they had a two year anniversary celebration at the Center for Champions. If you were on the team in 2008 who came for the opening ceremony it was very similar to that. Lots of dancing and some skits. Many students were giving the opportunity to get up and share about life before the Center and life since they have been here at the Center. It was a very powerful time being able to hear some of these students experiences and what God has been doing in their lives.

It has been super HOT here. My tan is going to be AWESOME when I get home. I have been sampling a lot of the local food. I am starting a tradition everyday when I get back from the Center. I stop by a little mini-mart type store and buy a couple “Sambusa” which is like a little Dorito shaped tortilla fill with meat and an ice cold COKE. SO GOOD!!!! I have been eating lots of rice, potatoes and just the last couple of days some fresh pineapple. I have been eating everything in sight. I think the heat just wears me out. Yes, I am drinking lots of water and Gatorade.

The first few days here where real hard for me. Thank you to all of you who have written me letter of support and encouragement. I know my girlfriend collected lots of letters from different people and look forward to reading all of them. I am only aloud to read a couple a weeks so that they will last me the entire five months. So thank to you all. Nick Christian THANK YOU for your letter it was great to read it and I felt super encouraged. I am showing a 2004 Red Sox DVD this afternoon to a couple of guys out here who are interested in baseball. ;) GO SOX!!!

Please continue to pray for the leadership of AEE and Rwanda. I would also love some prayers for the two AmeriCorps girls who I work with who I think could use a little pick me up. Their names are Emily and Crissy. And then of course prayer for my taxi rides each day. That should do it. Hope everyone is well.

In Him,

Mark Grayson