This past week, things have been wrapping up for our Rwandan students. We have only technically had one student (Rene), but we have befriended many of them, so they all feel like "ours". They completed their last week of ESL and testing, graduated Thursday night and hosted a party for their host families. The kids and I have had Rene hanging out with us these past few days (which mostly means he has been watching movies on his laptop). He discovered Harry Potter.

In addition, all day Thursday, we had a carpenter and his team here repairing the termite damaged wood around one of our French door frames. It was a long day with the downstairs letting in so much hot air...but the best part of Thursday was the party the students hosted for us. It was in an alumni building on campus complete with food, a slide show and Rwandan dancing.

I will admit to being a little leery about the dancing. It was supposed to be outside and it has been so hot here lately (109) that I couldn't imagine that being fun. God was kind. The temperatures dropped drastically before the party, making it a really nice evening! Tons of Rwandan students came to join the current batch of ESL students and the dancing commenced.

They started out with some traditional Rwandan dances that were slow, elegant, fluid and beautiful! Of the 30 Rwandans who arrived here in May, there were 3 women. They demonstrated the part of the women in traditional dancing. They were incredibly graceful and lovely while the men sort of followed them, hooting and hollering.

It was funny, but also just beautiful. Then, they just cranked up the Rwandan dance music and started hauling people to their feet. Rwandan music has a slow, steady beat that makes it pretty easy to dance to. Oh, and we discovered that Rene has serious dance skills! The boy never ceases to surprise me! It was fabulous!

...and August! Look at August kicking up his heels!

We all danced! It was SO much fun! I could have danced for hours, I think! But, they pulled the plug around 10 and we all headed home to a light pattering of rain. Couldn't have asked for a better night.