I spent the afternoon yesterday in the internet cafe. The power in town was out, so the cafe was empty since it was temporarily shut down. This afforded me the chance to hang out for almost two hours with Jeremie and Gilbert, who work at the cafe. It was one of my favorite times over the past few weeks, as we talked about a lot of things, from their backgrounds, to Global Capacity, to Umuryango. I showed them the Global Capacity website and they recognized pictures of some of the streetboys who came from Gitarama. When they spotted Siliac's picture in particular they began talking about his parents. (I already had known the deal with his parents, as Umuryango finds out about the child's family before he comes to the home.) Siliac's father had been killed by police while he was robbing a store and his mother is a prostitute in Gitarama. It really caught me off guard and surprised me that Jeremie and Gilbert knew this. I wondered how many more stories they knew about our boys and what type of legacy these boys' parents have built for them.
It made me think of how small a town Gitarama can seem, even though it is the second largest city in Rwanda. A person's name and character is so important in Rwanda, and everybody seems to know everyone's business. I noticed this when our house had been broken in to. Everyone seemed to know about it. In town people would ask us if our house really had been broken in to, and if we were OK. And even more odd is that everyone seems to know where we live. When we take scooters to our house, the drivers know where to go. So, I can imagine how quickly word spreads here, and unfortunately the negative can often travel quicker and farther than the positive. So, I am sure the tragic and unfortunate pasts of the boys and their families are well known throughout town. Siliac's parents for example, have left a miserable and undesirable legacy for him. What little boy wants his parents to be known for being a thief and a prostitute? I can't imagine the torment he would endured in years to come had he stayed on the streets of Gitarama.
This is why I am so thankful for homes like Umuryango, who rescue children from potential miseries like a rotten legacy, and give them a chance to redeem those miseries. Siliac has progressed so much since he has come to Umuryango just 5 months ago. If you could meet him you would not believe that he had come from such a terrible family. He is well-disciplined and natured and has a huge heart. The other boys share similar stories like Siliac's, where they had been seemingly destined to continue with a bad legacy in their lineage, but thankfully their destinies are being redeemed and rewritten.
It is such a pleasure to sit back and watch a boy be further transformed into the glory of God.
It made me think of how small a town Gitarama can seem, even though it is the second largest city in Rwanda. A person's name and character is so important in Rwanda, and everybody seems to know everyone's business. I noticed this when our house had been broken in to. Everyone seemed to know about it. In town people would ask us if our house really had been broken in to, and if we were OK. And even more odd is that everyone seems to know where we live. When we take scooters to our house, the drivers know where to go. So, I can imagine how quickly word spreads here, and unfortunately the negative can often travel quicker and farther than the positive. So, I am sure the tragic and unfortunate pasts of the boys and their families are well known throughout town. Siliac's parents for example, have left a miserable and undesirable legacy for him. What little boy wants his parents to be known for being a thief and a prostitute? I can't imagine the torment he would endured in years to come had he stayed on the streets of Gitarama.
This is why I am so thankful for homes like Umuryango, who rescue children from potential miseries like a rotten legacy, and give them a chance to redeem those miseries. Siliac has progressed so much since he has come to Umuryango just 5 months ago. If you could meet him you would not believe that he had come from such a terrible family. He is well-disciplined and natured and has a huge heart. The other boys share similar stories like Siliac's, where they had been seemingly destined to continue with a bad legacy in their lineage, but thankfully their destinies are being redeemed and rewritten.
It is such a pleasure to sit back and watch a boy be further transformed into the glory of God.
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