Table Fellowship
“We need not climb the mountain to see into the valley.
All things to be seen can be found in a simple shared bowl of rice.”
--Leo Buscaglia (The Way of the Bull), p. 159
As we come to this last week in October, I have chosen to spend one more week of devotions telling stories from my experience in Rwanda. These devotions will integrate the quote of Leo Buscaglia with some table talk about meals shared with brothers and sisters in Africa.
Today I want to take you to Les Enfants boy's school. During our visit at Les Enfants, we learned about this care giving organization that takes orphaned boys, age 8 to 18, from the streets of Kigali, Rwanda and offers them a safe place where they can receive education, health care, a place to live and three meals a day. They are very aggressive in teaching the young men responsibility and democratic principles of decision making. It was a most inspirational place. Following our tour we were invited to eat a buffet meal with the young men and the staff. Fried plantains, rice, beans, goat knuckles, rabbit stew were among the choices we were offered (our pieces of meat appeared to have a bit more meat than the residents). Bottled water or Fanta sodas were available for drink.
Following lunch we exchanged gifts and several of the young men spoke about their learning process since entering Les Enfants. I learned a lot about life that day; I'm glad I took some time to listen as we shared a bowl of rice.
Ben Keckler
10.29.08
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