My commute to the office generally takes about 25 minutes. I leave my neighborhood, hop on the interstate, and traverse the parkways of West Little Rock until I reach Ferncliff. This 16-mile journey is old hat for me, and although I’ve yet to try, it feels like something I could probably do with my eyes closed.

A few weeks ago, my commute increased by about 36 hours, as Emily and I had the privilege of taking Ferncliff overseas to Kibuye, Rwanda! Presbyterian World Mission hosts an annual gathering for its mission co-workers. These gatherings cycle through the four world regions (Europe and the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, and Africa) so that each region gathers every four years. The gatherings are a time of professional development, continuing education, and personal renewal for those serving our denomination at the international level. While parents were in meetings, Emily and I implemented a weeklong day camp on sunny Lake Kivu, the African Great Lake that divides Western Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

---

Our group was composed of kids whose parents are currently serving in Malawi, South Sudan, and Niger. Almost all of them were bilingual and eager to tell us about their respective countries. While other kids their age are glued to smart phones or taking piano lessons, these kids are riding camels in the Sahara or camping in Kruger National Park. Hearing all that they have experienced and learned at such a young age would make anyone want to be a missionary kid.

Our week was full of games, art projects, bible studies, scavenger hunts, songs, and nature walks around the lake. The curriculum was centered on the creation story, which set the stage for the activities we did each afternoon. The majority of our group had never attended summer camp before, so we were even more thrilled to share a modified version of the Ferncliff experience with them!

Taking enough supplies to implement a modified version of Ferncliff 8,000 miles required some planning. Everything we needed was thoughtfully arranged in two large duffle bags that miraculously made it from Little Rock to Kigali. Our largest bag (so large that I could get inside it and zip it closed!) was full of musical instruments and various noisemakers. Every time it was placed on the conveyer belt at security, it released a cacophony of sounds that granted us some interesting looks. The other bag was full of balls, rope, and an assortment of other recreational supplies; the Transportation Security Administration did not know what we were up to, but they knew we were going to have a good time.

---

At the end of the week, our group sang a song at closing worship. The band of small voices and instruments that had previously only practiced behind closed doors was now in front of the entire conference. We sang, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” while enthusiastically shaking tambourines and maracas comically off tempo. It was a joyful noise to say the least! A local Rwandan Presbyterian church choir also joined us for worship — we joked that our performance was a tough act to follow. The choir was incredibly talented and added so much energy to the worship service. Worshipping alongside our Rwandan brothers and sisters was certainly a highlight of the week.

At the end of each day when the kids went back to be with their parents, we enjoyed getting to know the mission co-workers and personnel from the national PC(USA) office in Louisville. It was incredibly interesting and inspiring to hear firsthand about what our church is doing in Africa. Rwanda is a beautiful country with some heavy history. Although 23 later, memories and trauma from the 1994 genocide are still very evident throughout the country. The conference’s theme centered on reconciliation, with emphasis on how the church is working to facilitate reconciliation among perpetrators and victims. Hearing victims speak of grace and forgiveness in light of such tragedy is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

-Hannah Lahodny

You can read more about Presbyterian World Mission’s work in Rwanda here.