Goodbye Rwanda.

Greetings from the Kigali airport. This post finds us all safe and well after our long and final day of shooting in Rwanda. The internet connection in the airport is quite good and so I want to post lots of pictures.

First, our helicopter. We arrived at the airport at 6:30 this morning. The weather was beautiful and our pilot was also named Egide. It made it easier to remember.


Jonathan sent up a prayer before take off:


And the view was fantastic:


But it wasn't all fun and games. We worked hard to. All of us:



All in all, things were quite successful. The clouds did keep us from seeing the big lake, Lake Kivu. However, we got some amazing shots, including an aerial of Bishop John's church.

After the helicopter, we went to visit the Church at Nyamata, now a memorial for victims of the genocide. It was the place where 10,000 Tutsis were murdered. The clothing of the victims still sits on the benches. Outside there are two large mass graves.


Going into the church was harder for me than going into the museum. It felt much darker. At the end of the tour, we were told that our guide was one of 5 survivors of the massacre. Words can't describe the kind of silence that instills in a person. It was a dark blessing.

After moving from the church, we headed back to the hotel to begin packing up for home. We ate our last meal at the Serena (no more burgers for me!) and Egide picked us up for the airport. We said our goodbyes, passed through security, and are waiting for the plane to begin boarding. According to my clock, I should be back in GR in about 27 hours.

Here's a final picture before getting on the plane:


Goodbye Rwanda. I'm going home. I won't write my final thoughts until next time. It's just the ocean between me and you now.

Thank you for all of your prayers, all of your encouragement, and all of your love. I miss you all.

Be home soon.