LIVING NINE YEARS IN RWANDA

My Dear Friends,

today July 22. 2014, nine years ago, I came to Rwanda. I would have never thought that I would stay such a long time up on the hills of Lake Kivu. Since I left Guatemala on July 1986 (28 years ago) I have never lived so long in one country. The maximum has been Norway and Germany, both with eight (8) years.

The Hills of Rwanda became indeed my home. Here I learned to dream…to expand my wings and fly…here I fell in Love with the Beauty and Fascination of Life. How in the world express in short words the experience of living on hills? It was magical. I have never laughed and cried so much in my life as here. It was an amazing mixture of joy and pain. Life allowed me to take care of over one hundred orphans. I saw many of them as little babies and now they are young kids. I experienced young kids becoming young adults. I buried two of my babies and I attended the weeding of several of my kids.

Life gave so much to me that I just needed to share. Yes, I shared my life with many kids and many workers. The Goodness of Life allowed me to live in a wonderful paradise. It was such a pleasure to transform a desert into a blooming garden. Here in East/Central Africa I finally learned that there is nothing impossible in life. I was constantly encouraged to dream and fulfill my dreams. And in that process it just happened that I got to live the most fantastic life that I could ever imagine.

I still remember the first time when I arrived at the orphanage. It was almost midnight and I had no idea where in the world I was. Next morning I opened the window of my room and I saw the Hills and the Lake Kivu. Oh My Goodness. What a beautiful place. Since then we have shared this small paradise with hundreds and hundreds of people from all over the world. I remember many volunteers from so many different countries. The experience of the Hills changed many of them. I saw them blooming and shining. I see now some of my key workers taking more responsibilities and been able to lead. Wish this small paradise could remain forever.

I gathered here so many Precious Golden Moments and they will stay deep in my heart and mind. I guess nothing last forever and life keeps going on. I choose to believe that things can get even better. May I share with YOU some of the best pictures of my Home done during the last nine years? You will find them HERE.

We were aiming to be the first and only orphanage worldwide ever reaching self-sufficiency and economic independency. We were on the way to do it. But things changed. Life has sometimes a very interesting humor. Relative soon a new chapter of my life will start. I still have in me the deep desire to share. I will check soon a different model of development. I will be the owner and manager of a Social Enterprise. The profits of Birambye-Lodge will be invested to run a kindergarten, to send kids to school/university and to support a nearby local community with general development. YES, life is good. When a door closes many other doors open. Feel free to support us or even better, to get involved. Life is a fantastic trip and a fascinating adventure. It is such an incredible privilege to be alive. Sending You all Sunshine and Warmth from the Hills of Lake Kivu in Rwanda.

Your friend,

Victor Manuel

Victor Monroy, Director
L’Esperance Children’s Aid Rwanda
Children’s Village Kigarama
P.O.Box 5026 Kigali, Rwanda
Tel. 00250/ 0788545731
Email: lesperancerwanda
Web: www.lesperancerwanda.org
www.victormonroytrust.com