being a big people

so today I'm in Kiagli with a completely different purpose. I'm here for a Pediatric HIV/AIDS conference about adolescence and HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, treatment and care. It's also dealing with PMTCT (Prevention of Mother to Child transmission)so I'm thinking I'll get a lot of really useful information out of the sessions and a chance to make some good contacts. I also don't mind four paid days in Kigali in the school off-season, as it were. I'm gonna be crazy busy with these sorts of things all month, which is wonderful. I feel productive and purposeful and like I'm actually doing a job that I can benefit from and I can use to help benefit others. Next week, two days after I get back I'm headed off to the Rwanda National Youth Forum with Br. Dom (who's in charge of youth activities at the church). That one is slightly more frightening since I don't know what language it'll be in and I have no idea of the program. BUT It'll still probably give me some useful information and some ideas for projects. After my talk with F.P. I've realized I'm just as on my own as I've perceived. I still think they're not sure what I'm doing there and what kind of things are my purpose for being here. I got some good advice from our program people at IST about groups to get in touch with and when I met with F.P. and asked him about how to get in touch with them, he told me, "they meet on Saturday, over there," which I knew...because I hear them out outside of my room. Hundreds of screaming, dancing and singing kids. I was hoping he might put me in touch with the leaders so I might have a smaller group to communicate with that I could use as a focus group or sound board for project ideas but all I was told was that they "might meet at 2". So we'll see what I can do with all that. I've decided that these next few months will be the chapter in my life entitled What Doesn't Kill You...
It'll be great though, because one thing people say in greetings here is "Murakomeye?" meaning 'Are you strong(lit. strengthened)?' and I'm really glad that I will always be able to answer with a proud "Ndakomeye" (I am strong).