The Great KPI Volunteer Recap!

A Lively Bunch
What happens when you put ten motivated and successful individuals in a foreign country together for two weeks?

Nothing less than an unforgettable adventure!  Just like any sports team you've ever played on, it's wonderful when a group can naturally become cohesive, with each each person adding their own unique twist and pizazz to the mix.  

Let me introduce you to our lively crew of 10: Tracy Evans, Cameron Myler, Emily Cook, Anne Poulin, Kathy Kendrick, Cindy Burkhardt, Kirsten Elleby, Don Cook, Janelle Allen, and myself, Jaime Komer.  As usual, Don Cook is hiding behind the camera!

A Resilient & Vibrant Land

Powerful.  Moving.  Emotional.  These are just a few things that come to mind when taking in the experience when visiting the Genocide Memorial.  
The Children's Wing (right) is an area dedicated to the youth of Rwanda who were murdered during the genocide.  Countless photos hang on the wall, some with personal descriptions of the child's name, a favorite activity, a best friend, and finally, how they died.  Needless to say the emotions one feels when walking through this area is profound and heart wrenching.  Yet it is something that I think we should all experience to help us to better understand this country's history, culture, and livelihood.  


Let's Play Kids Camp

Kids Play International (KPI) put on a special three day Let's Play Camp in Gatagara, the same town where the colorful KPI Sports Room is located.  We were expecting about 100 kids and guess what, we knock the ball out of the park with approximately 300 kids attending!  


So how exactly do ten KPI Volunteers and several Rwandan Coaches motivate and challenge 300 kids?  Maybe you'll just have to come out to get a first hand experience!  We did it all: Volleyball, baseball (for most, a new sport to learn!), soccer, and track & field!  

A major highlight during this time for me (and I'm guessing for a few others!) was seeing the joy that playing sports can bring to a child. This is something that is shared cross-culturally, across borders, and across the world.  
At the end of our camp, we handed out certificates, photos, and a goodie bag full of school supplies!  
What a special opportunity to bring the community together and support a healthy and active lifestyle!  

Coaches Clinic

This was the first Kid's Play Coaches Clinic held in Rwanda and we had a great turnout!  This was a special time to share with all the coaches the core values behind KPI (do you remember the first core value we chatted about last week?  Hint: it starts with an "S").

It was also a chance for us to get to know each coach and learn about their goals and core values when coaching!

Gorillas in the Mist

How close can you get to a gorilla in their natural habitat?  Apparently pretty gosh-darned close!

Rwanda is known for its lush landscape, rolling hills, and of course the majestic gorillas!  So human-like in their gestures and mannerisms (though I did notice that they did appear to pass gas a bit louder than most humans do), being in the presence of these gorillas left me awestruck and mesmerized (no longer talking about the gas, mind you).

Truly an adventure worth putting on that bucket list of yours, gorilla trekking takes you right into the jungle to the gorilla family.  Each family is followed by trackers who radio to your Ranger where to meet them.  These trackers not only stay with the gorillas all day (they sleep outside the jungle at night) but also help protect the families from poachers.  

This is truly but a nutshell of our life-changing experience on the May 2012 KPI Volunteer Trip.  

"Life-changing" is a big statement.  But let's face it, this was a big trip.  

This blog was written by:  Jaime Komer

These gorgeous photos were taken by: Don Cook