Another week goes by

I wondered when I came to Rwanda whether time would go any slower here than in the UK. It doesn't seem to. I've been here almost 7 weeks now and the weeks seem to be flying past - one minute it's Monday and then it's Friday. I think all the days here seem to be the same so don't, except for Saturday and Sunday when I have a different routine, really know what day it is.

This week, I did have a break from my weekly routine when I went to Nkombo Island, my first visit there since coming to Rwanda in 2006. Located a 30 minute drive from Kamembe, along some pretty rough terrain and then a short boat crossing across the water, Nkombo Island has around 20,000 inhabitants and is one of the poorest places in the area.  The soil is infested with insects that eat most of the crops making it very difficult for people, who are reliant on what they can grow to feed and sustain themselves.

Boat to Nkombo - takes more than passengers!

The Mothers' Union of Cyangugu Diocese, set-up a Nutritional  Clinic on the island for malnourished children and have a twice-weekly feeding programme for 320 children.  On the day I visited, around 70 children came to the clinic where they were given a porridge like drink, watery in consistence, made out of flour, a formula with nutrients/proteins and sugar. 

Drinks ready to serve

All the children sat there, patiently waiting whilst the drink was prepared, poured into cups and then distributed amongst them all - there was no squabbling or grabbing the mugs and whilst some consumed the drink quickly others needed a little help.

Happy children!

Walking back to the boat, we were followed by many of the children desperate to hold your hands or, in my case, each finger and thumb!

Fingers, thumbs & man boobs!

Being here in Rwanda is enriching with experiences. However, I am having all my buttons pushed - patience, understanding, perseverance, compassion and many more!  I am having goods day and bad days. It can feel, on some days, a hard place to be - Kamembe is a busy border town and I often have to steel myself to go in and do some shopping. It's busy, noisy with traffic and music blaring out of the shops, lots of bikes, lorries, people and a road that is crumbling at the edges so you have to be really careful not to trip or slip. On the other hand, you have the beauty of the lake, the scenery and the people.

Some local colour to brighten the day

Sometimes the walk to and from the guesthouse feels hard - its hot and dry at the moment so very dusty and there are days I just can't face another walk up a steep slope. Still greeted everywhere by children with cry of musungu but have given up trying to teach them the difference between Good Morning and Good Afternoon. Many have started mimicking my English accent (some say it's a bit posh!) which is rather funny.

I learnt this week that there's "gold in them hills" - apparently Rwanda has gold which was news to be so thinking I may give us this mission lark and head for them hills!  I met a chap in the guesthouse, the other day, who is over here setting up a coffee business to export Rwandan coffee to Canada (I also learnt that the Rusizi area I am in is the best coffee growing area in Rwanda) and he is mining/digging (or whatever the word is) is for gold - I should have suggested he call his coffee brand Gold Blend! He had wrapped, in a RWF1000 note, some gold in its raw form - small chippings and bit of powder and strangely gold/yellowy in colour which I guess makes it very easy to see when it comes out of the ground.  He dropped some of it on the table cloth, by accident, and brushed it on the floor saying there goes US$20.00 worth - if only the guesthouse staff knew, when brushing away the crumbs from the floor, they were brushing away gold!

And, for those not on Facebook. I had my first bar of chocolate in seven weeks when I discovered Mars Bars in a shop in town. Got it home, opened it with some trepidation in case it was dry and hard but relieved to say it wasn't. Even sniffed it to get the smell of chocolate and caramel and then ate it enjoying every mouthful - the simple pleasures of life!