Another younger voice - Georgie

The week before I was in Addis, I had the privilege of co-leading another CRED team, this time to Rwanda.

On the team was Georgie, who went out as a 17-year old and came back as an 18-year old. Here are her thoughts that she wrote on the final day,  showing yet again just how impacting these trips are on all who take part:

This week has taught me a large amount as well as being an emotional rollercoaster. It has made me realize how much we all take for granted and has opened my eyes to the reality of how some people live. I have had an amazing week out here making new friendships and working alongside an incredible team of people. The children that we worked closely with are the most generous children I have met whose smiles kept us going through the days.

Turning 18 out here is something I can say I will never forget, I left the UK as a child and I’ll be returning as an adult. This morning we went to a gospel church, which helped us, experience the culture.  We then had a relaxing afternoon swimming after all the hard work we have achieved this week. The one thing that stunned me the most is how quickly I bonded with the children. A hard point in the week was saying goodbye to them and watching them chase after us when we drove away on the bus. It made me realize how much good we had done in such a short space of time.

Another hard point in the week was visiting the street children and seeing the young boy with Typhoid, however we did later find out that he had been given hospital treatment and food. I was so glad we got there when we did to potentially save his life. The work Pius does out here is phenomenal and so is the catch up school, enabling street children to be accepted into a family and receive an education.

It has been heartbreaking to hear about the history of Rwanda by visiting the museums and talking to different people who had to experience the unthinkable. On the other hand their determination to power through and the way communities stick together was inspirational. It was almost impossible to imagine it happening due to it being so horrific but when we heard real life stories from people in an orphanage, it made it real and hit home just how much trauma it caused throughout Kigali.

This week has been life changing and the friendships and memories will stay with me forever. I know I am going to change simple things in my life, for example not leaving the water running unnecessarily and appreciating the small things we have, such as the NHS and having water without having to walk hours to a tap. This trip has been incredible opening my eyes to another extreme of poverty.

Georgie