Day 8 – Contrast

October 23, 2014 Joey Cope 0

The private bus was waiting for us as we trudged up the hillside at ALARM Rwanda. We loaded our luggage and said goodbye to the ALARM staff already on duty that Saturday morning. Our dear friend and the Alarm Rwanda National Coordinator, Ben Nkusi, was there with a big smile [read more]

Day 7 – Common

October 21, 2014 Joey Cope 0

Friday, September 26, was our last full day in Kigali. We began the day with breakfast prepared by the wonderful kitchen staff at the ALARM Rwanda facility and entered our last day of training with the executive staff of ALARM. As a team, we had begun to see and understand [read more]

Day 6 – Bigger

October 13, 2014 Joey Cope 0

After one night away from our homebase at the ALARM Rwanda Center in Kigali, I noticed a strange feeling surfacing. Despite the fact that I was 8,500 miles from actual home and my immediate family, I felt a calming effect as we returned to our rooms and our comfortable routine with [read more]

Day 5.4 – Respite

October 10, 2014 Joey Cope 0

Respite: a short period of relief from something difficult or unpleasant. With the emotionally draining events of the past 24 hours . . . . . . completion of 2 days of training via interpreter with the security forces . . . . . . a long drive to the [read more]

Day 5.3 – Disappointed

October 4, 2014 Joey Cope 0

On a day that held so much potential and that had generated so much anticipation, we couldn’t help but feel disappointed as we drove away from the refugee camp. For one thing, our much-loved Allison had not been able to make the trip in. Then, unexpectedly and somewhat dramatically, we were [read more]