My first contribution

A huge THANK YOU to a dear friend for being the first person to contribute financially to my goal. I know that without those who believe in me, really believe that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to, I simply wouldn't be able to do this. Thank you very much for your faith and belief in my mission.....

I have to pick on another dear friend, who, I must say, is only speaking up because she cares. I was asked - "Is it safe?" There are some people in my life who simply cannot understand why I would choose a country like Rwanda to travel to voluntarily. I think if I could dispel some of the fears that history has caused thousands of Americans to have towards distant places like Rwanda, places that are simply mis-understood, then perhaps that itself is a huge feat.

With that said, I'd like to share some of the information I have received in my welcome information from Global Volunteer Network. Leading up to and following my return, I will make every effort to try and change the image of Rwanda one conversation at a time....

"Ten years ago some of the worst atrocities in the history of mankind took place in the country of Rwanda. In an era of high-speed communication and round the clock news, the events went almost unnoticed by the rest of the world. In only three months, one million people were brutally murdered. Rwanda's tragic history has been well documented over the more recent years; a history of bloodshed brought about by political strife and a power struggle between aboriginal groups. The genocide of Rwanda was one of the most intensive killing campaigns in human history.

"Since 1994, Rwanda has been working to climb out of the shadow of the past. The mass killings left thousands upon thousands of children homeless and forced to live in orphanages. Great work has been undertaken over the years to help these children, and to date some 5000 orphans have found homes and 70 orphanages have closed. Thankfully Rwanda has mostly passed the point of needing emergency aid, but the genocide will have long lasting consequences for years to come and there is much work still to be done. For the government, the focus in Rwanda is on a transition to economic development and the development of a broad-based civil society, but as a people, they have already grown from their past to create a lively and vivid culture who shares a common goal; to live as one people. "