Team Blog about our time with AEE Kigali written by all the wonderful members of the AEE Kigali Team; David, our team leader; Lion-Sam, Chinwe, Claire, Vicky, Rachel, Beth and Henry!
We have now come to the very very end of our placement - thanks for sticking with us for so long!! Our time in Kigali has been life changing and we have learnt so much. We really hope that we have inspired you to 'Challenge yourself to change your world'!
From left to right - Claire, Rachel, Henry, Beth, Sam, Vicky, David and Chinwe!!
Lots of love Kigali Dream Team July to September 2014 xxx
Rwanda Shima Imana 2014 by Henry Destin: Our team spent last week worshiping and praising at the Rwanda Shima Imana festival across Kigali and we had a wonderful time!! “Rwanda Shima Imana!” an annual national festival is prepared and
organised by Christian churches in Rwanda, operating in unity and acting as one
Body of Christ.
The inspiration to organize Rwanda Shima Imana comes from the Bible,
under the text written in the book of Deuteronomy 8:10-18:
10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forgetthe Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself,“My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
Members of our team outside the Amahoro National Stadium
In this year 2014, Rwanda Shima Imana was organised for the 3rd time
around the theme: "A New Legacy". The leading verse is a biblical text found in the book of Isaiah
61:4:
"They shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former
desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many
generations".
This conference happened on two
different days; the first was on 15th August and that was the youth
rally where we all praised and worshiped the Lord for all he has done for our
country in this year. We also prayed the most dangerous prayer ever, compiled
of only three words - “Lord use me”. The youth conference took place in Kicukiro
stadium.
Two
days later on the 17th of August in the national stadium there was
joyful noise. This was the day everyone had been waiting for and that everybody
was anticipating. The national celebration of “Rwanda shima imana”. We were all
blessed with a lovely sermon from the fantastic preacher Rick Warren.
One of the amazing choirs that performed on the second day
A New Legacy:
We might all know the effects of a
legacy. There is a Kinyarwanda adage that states: "Uwiba ahetse aba yereka
uri mu mugongo". (Literally translating that when you cheat or
misappropriate, you are indeed coaching your children to do the same). If by
doing bad we influence others, equally true is that by doing good we influence
others to do good too. We could then confirm that when you do good; you are
also coaching your children to do so. Our actions, good or bad, minor or big,
few or many, leave therefore a legacy for the next generations to follow.
This theme was selected as a way of reiterating a covenant and a strong
commitment of the current Church in Rwanda; which vows to leave a positive
legacy for the following and subsequent generations.
For the people of Rwanda, the concept of a "new legacy" goes
beyond proclamation. For us, it means much more than mere words. It entails
times to reflect on and analyse our awful history, assess the possible origins
of the dreadful situations our country went through and consider generally the
responsibilities of different people and institutions, with a specific
attention on the role played by the Church in that history.
Amahoro Stadium just after the sun went down - so beautiful!
Uniqueness of Rwanda Shima Imana 2014:
Rwandan church leaders who met in Kigali on the 2nd April 2014 decided
that Rwanda Shima Imana this year should serve as a platform to analyse and
exchange the plausible role and responsibility of the Church in the history of
Rwanda. With the aim of creating a new mindset among church leaders and
believers, and to revive the Church’s unique contribution and mandate of
fostering a better tomorrow and creating a new and excellent legacy in Rwanda.
To deepen this discussion, the Church leaders went for a retreat in
Musanze district, from the 9th to 11th April 2014. The resolution from the retreat
was summed up in what was called: “The Musanze Declaration” which took both the
good and shocking performance of the Church in the history of Rwanda. From
Musanze, Church leaders decided to work hard and create "a new desired
legacy".
"Rwanda, Shima Imana!" 2014 was a moment for people to
meditate on the past, learn from the history, condemn the dreadful acts committed
and repair what is possible to fix. It was also a moment to mobilise Rwandans
to thank God for the progress made in the country and in the Church so far, and
together envision the legacy we want to leave for our children and the next
generations.
Such a beautiful team!!!
It was a great couple of days for all
of our team, and we really enjoyed the atmosphere at the stadiums and the
preaching and worship!! Would definitely recommend to anybody that is in Kigali
around this time next year.
The Significance of ICT in Development by David Karemera: This is the second in our series of eight structural learning sessions. This week it was given to us by our team leader David and he chose to do it on the importance of ICT in development - specifically how it can aid in education. Focusing and highlighting the 'One Laptop per Child' campaign that is currently happening in Rwanda.
David began the session by giving us an overview about the different aspects of ICT and the general applications and roles that it plays in everyday life...
ICT in Day-to-Day Life:
"ICT (Information and Communications Technology) is
an umbrella term that includes any
communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular
phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so
on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them, such
as videoconferencing and distance learning."
Chandler, Daniel, Munday, Rod”
Information Technology
What are the applications of ICT?
ICT can be a great tool for development. For example in the last 10 years these technologies
have become commonplace...
Personal Computers
Mobile Phones
Internet and Online Shopping
Email and Social Networks
Television
ICT has integrated to become part of all of our daily lives without us even noticing just how many aspects it impacts. The discoveries and invention have improved the speed of communication and help man fulfill his needs.
It has changed all aspects of live, but in-particular it has had a massive impact on education.
David then went on to highlight how ICT is used in education and how it has positively improved the way in which people learn. Further how this can be used in development to improve the lives of many more...
Use of ICT in the Classroom:
Students use ICT as a resource - they use computers to browse through research for projects, as well as preparing projects to present and computer programs to enhance learning.
Teachers use ICT as a research tool to help them to prepare lessons. They also use it as a way to communicate with other teachers through online forums and online conferences in order to compare and establish the best teaching techniques.
School administrators use ICT in the running of the school - to make sure that everything goes smoothly and to be able to have a pupils details and records at a click of a button.
Following this David spoke about how ICT is being used as a development tool in Rwandan primary schools by introducing us to the 'One Laptop per Child' campaign...
The 'One Laptop per Child' Campaign:
This video has been taken from the Worldfocus youtube page - it was originally posted 5 years ago. However I feel that it still gives a great overview of what the project aims to complete as well as the massive changes it had already made in just the space of a few months!
The 'One Laptop per Child' campaign focuses at getting a laptop to every child who is of primary age in Rwanda. This project empowers the children and those around them by connecting them to the world outside and enhancing the ways in which they can learn. By the children learning the knowledge gets passed on to those around them in the community having an ever flourishing improvement.
Many of these children had never touched a computer before this project and now they are learning so fast - sometimes even faster than the teachers!
The computers are of a simple design however this has been used to an advantage and a focus on educational studies has been established. The children use them to enhance their English, Geography and Science through a series of programs installed on the devices.
Not only have these laptops given the children a new way to learn, they have also created a new love of learning and a motivation to go to school.
Children with their new laptops - taken from telegraph.co.uk
This campaign has seen so many beneficial impacts throughout Rwanda and these will only continue to grow as more and more children get laptops.
It is clear that ICT can be used as a really effective tool for development and through the use of ICT the future will be a better and brighter place.
We led a Sunday school class where we were teaching the children the story of 'Joseph The Dreamer' complete with a set of actions to help them remember the importance and significance of this Bible story.
Children from Sunday school performing the action for Joseph, from the Bible story 'Joseph The Dreamer'.
