In his mid-30s, Josh Ruxin was in charge of a United Nations task force on HIV/AIDs and newly married to the beautiful Alissa Carlat when he got an unusual wedding present: millions of dollars to start a major new development initiative in Rwanda. Soon he and Alissa were off to Kigali, where he was tasked with bringing effective health care, food, and prosperity to the poorest part of the country. Meanwhile, after volunteering with young adult orphans of the genocide, Alissa--a Harvard-trained public health executive--came up with her own bold idea: start a business that gave those orphans career-track jobs. While Josh trekked three hours daily to build his United Nations Millennium Village south of the city, Alissa opened Heaven, a restaurant where expats and natives could share in the pleasures of international cuisine. A prospect that is prone to failure here, even for seasoned entrepreneurs, opening this restaurant has proven to be a shining example of what people--even people bearing the scars of a brutal genocide--can accomplish. Both projects proved challenging, and both taught the Ruxins many lessons about this remarkable place and its people. A memoir of love, family, and a country in recovery, THE THOUSAND HILLS TO HEAVEN also gives a model for how Western efforts can support sustainable development in ways that are productive and effective, whether through ventures large, or small--from initiatives backed by millions of government dollars to a small restaurant in Kigali.