Life in the city

The new Kigali Convention Centre 

 Well, almost three months in Kigali and I feel as if I have become a ‘Kigalian, if such a word exists but if not I could have just created a new one.

One of the differences, I notice between here and Cyangugu is that it so much hotter – we are well and truly into the hot, dry and dusty season with no rain expected until, at least, September although I have been reliably informed it always rain on 15^th August – Assumption Day so I have made a note in my diary to see if it happens.

There are, of course, many other differences between Kigali and Cyangugu and having gone back last weekend for a very quick visit, I realized again that you could be in another country.  A lovely welcome from Peace Guest Staff with lots of hugs and smiles for their General Manager (as I think I will always be known) and so lovely to see them and to and to be back amongst ‘my family’ in Cyangugu.

The infamous road through the Nwungwe Forest is now 99% completed having had major works done on it. Now there is tarmac and white lines down the middle although the single white lines seems to make no difference to the drivers who continue to overtake on the bends. How different this road is now compared to when I first came to Rwanda in 2006 and what seemed to be journey of many hours through the forest along a very rough road with many, many potholes.

Driving through Nyungwe

Coming back on Sunday, we had a particularly fast driver and with not much traffic and no sign of police for the first three hours he had obviously decided that the new road was a great opportunity to go even faster.  One near miss and five a half hours later we, thankfully, arrived safe and sound in Kigali – my knuckles were a bit whiter from clinging to the handle on the back of the seat in front of me and even though I don’t suffer from travel sickness even I had began to feel a bit queasy.

Nearly everywhere in Kigali there is construction work going on including all around Solace Ministries.  The noise here is so much greater than the peace of Cyangugu – dogs barking in the night, soldiers in the local military camp doing their 6am routine of running and chanting and then at 7.30am the work starts in a builder’s yard just below Solace. We are extending the terrace at the guesthouse and the sounds of cutting machines have been going on below my office windows that I have to keep open due to the heat so not a relaxing time.

On the road outside Solace, that has for many years been a dirt and rutted track, major improvements are being done which, when completed, will look very smart with pavements and either tarmac or paving blocks. A few weeks ago, when there were protests outside the British High Commission over the Rwandan official who was arrested in the UK, all the traffic was diverted from the main road and came past Solace so the combination of road-works, traffic, heat and dust is, I guess, all part of life in the city.

Diversion ahead!

Thankfully, the protests were all very peaceful and in true Rwandan style there was much singing and dancing so it felt more like a party.  The protestors wanted to stay there until the official was released but, on hearing that the trial was not going to be until October, I think the police decided that there was too much traffic congestion and, no doubt, hindering the President’s drive home from his office just down the road to his home the other side of the city.  It’s always interesting to see the President’s cavalcade go past – fast car after fast car with police, military, security hanging out of the windows.  I’m sure he would be far less visible if he discreetly drove past in a couple of cars or even went by moto!

Protest or party?

All across the city new hotels, office blocks, shopping centres are going up whilst large parts of ‘old Kigali’ are being knocked down. Marriott Hotels are building a large hotel in the centre of the city but I heard that there are now concerns as rooms on the top floor overlook the President’s house and gardens so could be a security risk.  Last week I visited a new Golden Tulip hotel built just outside the city, where the new airport will be built – this, currently, is the largest hotel in Rwanda.

Modern building

Walking through the city centre, I came across a more traditional approach to building but was unsure about the tree in the middle – maybe, a feature in the sitting room!

Traditional building

A couple of weekends ago, a new arts festival was held called ‘Umubuntu’ meaning Humanity – held over two evenings, in the new amphitheatre of the genocide memorial centre in Gisozi, it showcased performers from Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Sri Lanka and USA.  Most of the acts were music dramas and plays based around the themes of love, death, genocide, murder – some rather heavy subjects but all very well performed. Not being biased but I have to say the Rwandan performance was the best.

Before the start of each evening, a minute’s silence was held in memory of the 250,000 people buried at Gisozi – a sad reminder of the events in 1994.

'Umubuntu' at Gisozi

During these three months in Kigali, I have been fortunate to have been on some lovely visits to some parts of the country that I not seen before. Some very good friends from my church, Rob & Jan, treated me to a visit to the Akagera Game Reserve – with us was Jan’s Aunt, Irene, from the USA who was visiting Rwanda for the first time.  Close in age, they are more like sisters and spent most of the time, when we travelled, sitting at the back of the vehicle laughing - mostly at Rob’s expense. Armed with fans (the Chinese sort) they found them very useful for swatting the flies or me over the back of my head if I said anything out of turn.

My perception of Akagera was that it was a rather small park in the north east of the country with a few animals.  I discovered it covers 10% of Rwanda’s land mass and has wonderful savannah, hills with beautiful views across to Tanzania, lakes and many, many animals.

View across Akagera to Tanzania

Akagera has been very much in the news recently due to the re-introduction of lions, from South Africa, back into the park. When I was there, there was a sense of how peaceful it all was with the animals quietly grazing but I am sure this is all about to change!  

Bath time!

A few of the many animals in Akagera

From Akagera, we went down to Cyangugu and then to Kibuye, by boat, for a couple of days relaxation – Kibuye on Lake Kivu is one of my favourite places in Rwanda and on visiting a church, that was a site of a massacre in the genocide, I discovered some lovely murals hidden around one of the corners of the building.

Colourful boat trip to Kibuye

Late evening in Kibuye

Mural in Kibuye church

With other friends, Richard and Prilla, I was also treated to a few days away at a less known lake called Lake Ruhundo located in the north of the country. Next to another lake called Burera, we stayed in a lovely catholic retreat set high on a hill with wonderful views of the lake and the occasional view of one of four volcanoes that majestically appeared from behind the clouds.

Spot the volcano!

We spent a lot of time volcano spotting and sometimes you would not even know they were there and then one or two would suddenly appear.  The best time to see them, I understand, is during the rain season so I must try and plan a return visit.

My final visit was to the Rugezi Wetlands again in the north of the country.  The wetlands stretch for 46kms and known for its abundant birdlife, we spent a lovely couple of hours being rowed through the wetlands to see the birds and some of the beautiful flora and fauna.

Rugezi Wetlands

Not just the birds that were very beautiful

I have probably said this before but for a small country, Rwanda is truly beautiful and is really blessed to have three national parks (Virunga, Akagera, Nyungwe Forest), mountains, volcanoes, hills (at least a 1000!), tea plantations not to mention beautiful, friendly and smiling people. I still get amused at seeing the loads that people have on their back of their bikes on or their heads.

Count the mattresses!

Looking ahead, I have a youth team from my church arriving in just under four weeks.  They will be here for two weeks and much of the time we will be in Cyangugu where amongst other activities they will help to build a house.  Traditionally, we have built houses for genocide widows but this time we have been asked to build a house for a perpetrator who has just been released after serving twenty years in prison.

In September, we have three events here at Solace Ministries as they celebrate 20 years – one event will be for 600 mainly beneficiaries of Solace, then we will have an event for 300 including international and local partners, government, church and other officials and then to finish a thanksgiving dinner for 150.  Having been asked to support the arrangements for all three I am very thankful for my many years of event organisation.

My thoughts are very much turning to the end of October when my visa expires.  My plan is to come back at the end of September for a month’s holiday but, hopefully, by then to have a clearer sense of what happens next.  I am learning to leave much of this to God’s plan and as Steve Daughtery, my Rector at Southover Church said to me in an email “So I await God’s plans to unfold in your life (always an exciting edgy thing!!!) – I agree!

All roads lead to Kigali

Two weeks ago, I left Cyangugu after two years to move to Kigali to live and work for the next six months. 

From Cyangugu local colour

To Kigali local colour

A sad time, as I said farewell to all my friends in Cyangugu and now a period of adjustment to a very different life in the city.  Getting used to walking on pavements, crossing the road at traffic lights and trying to stop the traffic on their zebra crossings are some of the challenges although adapting, very easily, to the growing coffee shop culture so often I find myself in one for a cappuccino or latte - not to mention a chocolate brownie or two!

I thought this may have been a reflective blog post as I come to the end of my two year mission in Cyangugu but realise I need time process and really think about my time there. Also, I don’t feel this is the end of my mission in Rwanda as I want to see what Kigali has in store for me as I experience life in the city and think about the future.

My visa expires at the end of October so I will need to come to a decision about what happens after that – returning to the UK to face a British winter doesn’t really grab me at the moment so will see what happens over the next few months. Fortunately, I am only a short distance from the Immigration Office so convenient for me to go and see them and ask about the possibility of extending my visa although the long and painful task of getting my visa in the first place still lingers in the back of mind.

Although, I have leant to deal with many things here, with patience and keeping my mouth shut, sadly, I still struggle dealing with the beaurocracy here and the paperwork, formalities and rubber stamping that goes with it!

Naturally, it felt very sad to say goodbye to all my friends in Cyangugu and, particularly, all the lovely staff at Peace Guest House - tears were shed, mainly mine! Two weeks before I left Jane, who works in the restaurant, said “General Manager, the staff are going to miss you – they have started crying already!” I miss the friendly smiles of welcome each morning when I used to arrive for work and how, after my long walk from the house, one of the guards walks up the drive to meet me with a huge beaming smile and taking my bags from me.  No matter what was going on, the staff gave everyone a warm welcome and their smiles so often lit up the place.

Goodbye General Manager!

I left without the Rwandan tradition of a farewell party which, as you guess, is one of many speeches and Fanta!  I said this could wait until later in the year, once my plans are clearer and as I will be going back to visit, at least once a month, it seemed strange to have a farewell party and then turn up again in a few weeks time.

There, there Wilson - I'm coming back soon!

Here in Kigali I am living and working at Solace Ministries, a partner of my church since 2007, when we started coming to Rwanda with teams.  Solace has an income generating guesthouse, where teams used to stay and still do, so I will be supporting them to make improvements although, having been here for two weeks and observing the ways things run, I see it runs very well.  In addition, I am going to support them to plan a series of events to celebrate their 20^th anniversary in September this year and I will continue to support Peace Guest House and the Diocese in some activities.

Solace Ministries was set-up after the genocide by Jean Gakwandi, himself a genocide survivor, who wanted to support widows and orphans by offering counselling and support.  Solace has grown, over the years, to offer a range of programmes including counselling, income generating acitivities, community based development, health, sponsorship and much more. Many of the staff who work here are themselves genocide survivors and it is good to be part of an active and healing ministry. Take a look at their website to find out more http://www.solacem.org/

It is in a good location with access to the city centre, a nice hotel next door with a swimming pool that I have started to use and as I only have to walk downstairs to work or into my office next to my bedroom, I need to keep fit.  I’ve started a running routine and have done a few early morning runs and a couple of night runs as these are the coolest times of the day – fortunately, the area around here is quite flat so I don’t have lots of hills to run up.

My walk to work!

Looking out of my office window I thought this was a good way to bring the washing in

Running last night along the main street near Solace which is home to the British, US and other country embassies as well as the President’s Office and government offices, I was able to run on well lit pavements.  However, in doubling back down what is a  very nice road in the day time, I realised how dark it was at night and discovered a few things:

1. ·         It’s not good to run at night without a torch
2. ·         Don’t try and run and look at the lights of the city even though they look very beautiful – someone described Kigali at night as a “blanket of stars” and I quite agree
3. ·       Not all motorbike riders have their headlights on
4. ·       The holes in the road and the rain water gullies are not as easy to see in the dark as they are during the day
5. ·       There are low hanging branches that come out of nowhere and smack you in the face – I did let out a rather loud expletive at one point when I discovered that one branch was covered in thorns
6. ·       Beware of young children who decide to run with you so you feel like the Pied Piper of Hamlyn - sometimes they are amusing and other times irritating (sorry kids)
7. ·       Don’t wear a black t-shirt and jogging pants at night

All part of the learning curve of being here and trying to keep fit.

Looking back at when my last post was which was February, I thought I’d just update you on my last few months in Cyangugu.

In the time I had been there, I met many people and some of these have had a big impact on my life.  In April, the lady with HIV/AIDS sadly died after a long and painful illness – having visited her almost each month for the last year, I was able to witness what a dreadful illness this is and to see how slowly her body turned into a living skeleton. In the last few weeks her bones became so brittle that they would break when her carers washed her.  There seemed nothing anything could do other than wait for her to die. I asked someone why she wasn’t given morphine but something they don’t to here so indeed it was a blessing when she, finally, passed away. A short time before, she had asked for the Archdeacon and Pastors to visit her to give her Holy Communion so I guess she knew the time was near.

She was given a lovely service followed by a burial under some trees, just outside town. Her simple wooden coffin seemed to be made for someone of about 6ft 5in and thinking of how small she was, at the end, they could have fitted three of her in there.  She was buried to the sound of the Rwandans singing which was lovely to hear – I mentioned, in an earlier post that Rwandans sing on every occasion.

Shortly afterwards, I met up with young mother who lost her baby last year. She is now going to school and looked happy and smiling.  It felt that some of these situations that I been involved in seemed to be coming to a conclusion as I too was concluding my time.

In complete contrast, as often it is the way here, I had to deal with a rather tricky situation at the guesthouse which I called the “The Mysterious Case of the Vanishing Chocolate”. Left by some guests in the refrigerator, in the kitchen, they were certain some had gone missing and sadly accused the staff of taking it. I think some may have been pointing the figure at the General Manager due to his lack of getting chocolate!  After much discussion and investigation it was difficult to prove that it had gone missing or, in fact, had been taken by staff but the situation calmed down and the guests left happy.  They were pleased that we took things seriously and at least tried to deal with it.

Sadly, from my many years of experience in the event business and working in the hotels it always seems to be the hotel staff that are accused when something goes missing when, 99% of the time it is the guests who have lost something or mislaid an item that turns up later at some point. Here in Rwanda, during the years I have been here, I have not known anything to be stolen from any guesthouse or hotel I have stayed in.

Whilst trying to diffuse the situation, I was visited by a lady whose son has been supported by an educational fund I have established that supports children to go to school – see more about this at the end of the blog. The lady, a widow with one son, brought me a gift as she had heard that I was shortly leaving - she started to cry and when she presented the gift she got down on her knees. The “Mysterious Case of the Vanishing Chocolate” paled into insignificance.

In April, Rwanda remembered the Genocide of 1994 – ‘Kwibuka 21’(Remember). There was a week of memorial events around the country starting on 7^th April and I was asked to attend a ceremony at a local genocide memorial site, near to the house that had been recently rebuilt. Around 200 people walked in silence and into the building that had the mass graves each lit with a single candle – after prayers and speeches, a small bunch of white flowers were put on each grave.

 

The 'new' Genocide Memorial in Cyangugu

We then walked to the local stadium where around 300 people gathered.  Being the only muzungu I was invited to sit with the VIPs so facing all the people.  A ‘national’ speech was read out, prepared by the Government and was being read to all the meetings taking place around the country, followed by testimonies, singing and further speeches before we tuned in to a rather crackly radio broadcast to hear the President’s speech.

Mention was made to the way the West took no notice of what was going on in Rwanda in the early days of April 1994 due, partly, to the UN failing to recognise that a genocide was taking place and also of the recent BBC documentary that has caused so much upset here Rwanda.  Thankfully, the mood was lightened by Gail, the three year old daughter of Jonas who lives with me, coming to sit on my lap and proceeding to remove her dress but, thankfully, nothing else!

I have often thought whether this national memorial week should still continue after 21 years but I felt, standing in the genocide memorial, that this was not about another country at war with Rwanda but the Rwandans at war with one other – neighbour against neighbour, friend against friend.  I still find it hard, as I am sure many others do, to understand how something like this could have happened in a country so beautiful with people so friendly.  Standing in the memorial, I can understand the necessity of this annual, national remembrance as a reminder, for so many, of what happened and the lessons that have been learnt.  Forgiveness and reconciliation has been such a big part of the work that has gone on here and still does.

Living as I have done with, amongst Rwandans, to me it is not important about what ethnic group they come from and something that I don’t think about.

At the moment, we are seeing and hearing the troubles that are going on in Burundi - strange to think the country is only a few hours away and worrying to know that ethnic tensions could start and some of these may spill over into Rwanda.  However, I am relieved to be in a country that is well organised, law abiding and where one feels safe walking (or running) around the streets at night – visitors here, for the first time, are often worried about the military and police presence they see on the streets but they are just part of the security measures here and I have never felt concerned or worried.

People do ask me what are the lessons I have learnt being here for two years. I guess in short, I have learnt the value of serving – putting other people’s interests before my own and trying to lead a life that is less about me. It’s allowed me to think about what is it I have that I can give to others and I’m not talking about money – I guess its allowed me to discover a more compassionate side of me that I sort of knew I had but back in the UK wasn’t allowed or couldn’t show it. Many people here say I have a kind heart and again that’s not about giving them money but trying to come alongside them in their struggles and pain and to find a way to help them.

I haven't talked a lot about my Christian faith on this blog but can say my faith has been deepened and strengthened by being here. It gives me a way to put my faith into words and action.  Living and working with people who show a deep faith and put their faith and trust in God, when they have so little, helps and strengthens me and at times when I am struggling or feeling tired.

On one of my walks around the back of Solace, I came past a bit of graffiti that someone has written on a piece of old corrugated iron “God loves you”. I was really struck by this and went back this morning to take a photo – it made me think about how we are like this piece of old corrugated iron, broken, bent, rusty, flawed and despite all this God still loves us.

Here, I’ve not had to worry about how much salary I need to earn (as I don’t earn one!), about my future career or ambition – it’s been good to have a break from all this although when I return to the UK at some point in the future I can see all this coming back into my life.

Not getting caught up in western consumerism is also something that I value and strangely how I get joy from just going to buy a ruler or a new toothbrush – as the housekeeping ladies decided to wash the two I had and they ended up with bristles in all directions.  I hope it was that and they hadn’t used them to clean my bathroom – decided a new toothbrush was a good idea.

Finally, a plug.  One of the things I have observed in my time here is how many families struggle to pay fees to send their children to school and to buy them uniforms and other items that they needed.  Through money that has been given to me by my church and other friends, I decided to start a fund that would support these families to get their children through primary and secondary education.  Also, I wanted to create a legacy of my time here and something that will continue when I do, finally, return to the UK. However, I know whatever happens, I will continue to come here so I can administer the fund from home or Rwanda with local support here.

Creating Opportunity Through Education

If you feel you would like to make a donation to the fund, just drop me an email to jonathan.lamb3@btinternet.com and I'll send you more details.

Thank you!

The start of a new year

February in Rwanda

It’s taken me a few attempts to write this post.  Life here continues to keep me very busy and I often feel I can just about cope with the day-to-day challenges, let alone write about them!  Looking back, I see my last post was in October and the one before that in August so apologies they have become less frequent (and it is now February) as I know many of you like to be updated on what I’ve been up to.

So what have I been up to?  I’ll not go back to last October, as I can’t remember that far back so I’ll start from the beginning of the year when I returned to Rwanda after a lovely break back home for Christmas.  I find switching between being here in the Rwanda, going back to the UK and then coming out here again all quite easy and it is interesting to see how I can quickly adapt from one minute being in here in the middle of Africa in the south-west of Rwanda, with the DRC as my neighbour and then back into the Lewes bubble.

The lovely Lewes bubble

The realisation of how different life is between here and there hit me after I arrived in Addis Ababa airport on my way back to Kigali.  I left Heathrow on a cold, dark evening and a very high tech Terminal 2 where everything is now stream-lined & computerised to walking around, the following morning, a rather warm Terminal 2 of Addis Airport wondering why my onward flight was not showing on the departure board. Thinking I may be in the wrong terminal and that my flight was now leaving Terminal 1, I soon discovered the flight was not leaving at all as it had been cancelled and combined with another flight going via Entebbe.  Chaos reigned as I discovered there were two flights leaving from the same departure gate so it was a miracle I ended up on the right bus to the aircraft let alone on the right plane to Kigali.

After a rather long and sleepless journey (a passenger had been taken ill in the seat behind me on the flight from London and there was one of those “Is there a doctor onboard moments?” but, thankfully, being a flight to Africa where there are normally medics coming out to work, there happened to be two doctors and five nurses who all crowded around the seats behind me diagnosing and treating the man who, thankfully, turned out to be OK), I arrived at the guest house at Solace Ministries very tired. On getting into the bath for a much needed shower, I slipped and somehow managed to come flying out upside down crashing onto the toilet and ripping off a pipe in the process resulting in water gushing out all over the bathroom and me rather dazed on the floor.  Thankfully, nothing was broken (except the WC) but I noticed there was some blood on the floor and I saw that I had badly gashed my back and arm.  

Deciding I didn’t need to go to the hospital or rather didn’t want to, I did a quick self-examination and thought a visit to the pharmacy would do the trick so two pharmacies later and £12.00 for some rather sticky anti-septic gel I managed to fix myself up.

However, the decision to drive out to the Akagera National Park, a six hour return journey, the next day and then a six hour drive back to Kamembe the following day was maybe not a good idea and arrived back rather battered and weary.

This experience sort of set the tone for the following weeks I have been back. Emmanuel, the manager at the guest house, left shortly after my return to go back home town in the north of the country leaving me manager less for a few weeks and a stream of visitors coming from the UK.  With only two days notice we had the Rwandan Prime Minister come to stay.  We thought we were just getting him and a few of his staff so we were not too concerned about looking after such a VIP but the morning of his arrival it was announced that they wanted to have 50 people for dinner.  This did cause me some concern (more than just some!) as we already had a team of 10 from the UK and a team of pastors, also 10, who were at the guesthouse for training so having 70 for dinner was logistically challenging if not impossible. After some discussions with the PM’s staff and at one point being “ordered’ to host people for dinner we agreed on 30 – 20 in the restaurant and 10 in the Villa where the PM was staying.

The plan was to have the PM’s visitors in the restaurant and the other visitors in the small meeting hall but this plan, as they do here, backfired when the PM decided he wanted to have a 20 minute meeting in the small hall that turned into rather a longer meeting of over an hour. By this time, the heavy Cyangugu rains had started along with the power cuts and when the meeting finally finished, everyone rushed to the restaurant and we discovered the invited 20 had turned to 40 and with the other visitors we ended up with 60 in a restaurant that comfortably seats 40!

We were hoping the following day would be a bit easier as the PM was going out in the morning and then would return to the guesthouse to change before leaving for Kigali.  It was decided, again at very short notice, to invite 20 for lunch and this time we were told would be the maximum number to then find that 40 turned up and unsurprisingly we ran out of food at which point I was past caring.

The PM was very nice and was very appreciative of what we had done to accommodate his visit, as were many of the other ministers who were there. To be honest, I don’t think any other hotel in Kamembe could have done what we did that weekend. For those of you who know the guesthouse, you can see how challenging it can be to be going up and down from the Villa to the restaurant and the staff were very bemused to see the General Manager running up and down with jugs of juice and then clearing plates from the restaurant and serving drinks.  The staff did a wonderful job under a lot of pressure and I was very proud they did such a good job and I was very pleased that my 20+ years of event management had been put to great use.

As well as the PM, we have been busy with many other visitors from the UK. A team from the Glaven Valley in Norfolk were out for two weeks and now I am looking after a small team of four from St Peter’s Church in Yaxley. All have been busy supporting various projects from building a house, training pastors, visiting recipients of micro-finance loans, medical and sexual health training, installing rain-water systems in two houses built by teams and much more besides! 

Some of the Glaven Valley team going off to teach

Other news from here is on a sadder note. The sick baby that had water on the brain died shortly after I returned from the UK. He had slipped into a coma and didn’t recover but really a blessing for him and his mother who has now enrolled into a local secondary school to restart her education.  The lady with HIV/Aids, who I have also mentioned in previous posts is, I feel, coming to the end of her life and what turned out to be a sad and distressing visit to see her the other day with the realisation of how badly she had deteriorated both mentally and physically. How she has gone on this long I just don’t know but she has shown remarkable fortitude and resilience with a life confined to a small bedroom and more recently no contact with friends as the doctor had banned her using her mobile phone, her only way of keeping in touch with the outside world, due to breathing problems she was experiencing.

On a more positive note, is the encouraging story of Taciana, a genocide widow and her two children who became the recipient of a house built by the Glaven Valley Church team. A few weeks ago, I found myself sitting outside a kitchen of the house where she was living – in the kitchen and not in the house and when I say kitchen I mean nothing more than a mud hut. Her story was a very sad one, husband and family killed in the genocide when she was seven months pregnant to be raped shortly afterwards and infected, as was the baby she was carrying.  A few years later, having remarried, her husband left her as he discovered he had been infected but, thankfully, her daughter who she shortly gave birth to was not. Forced out of a house as she couldn’t pay the rent, someone offered her the use of their kitchen with a leaking roof that meant whenever it rained they had to find a dry corner and huddle together to keep dry.

Taciana outside her kitchen

Through an organisation that supports genocide widows she was identified to be the recipient of a house to be built, by the Glaven Valley team whose churches generously donated funds, on land given by the government some 30 minutes outside Kamembe. A simple, timber framed structure with mud-lined walls and a tin roof it promised shelter and a home for the family and through generosity of others she was also given a young cow, furniture, bedding and other items and a system to harvest rain water. She had been welcomed into her new community and it was wonderful to see how lives can be transformed in a matter of weeks.

Moving in day for Taciana and her children

Talking about weeks I am now into my final ten weeks here.  I have decided to stay a few more months in Rwanda, probably until the end of October when my visa expires. I have decided to spend some time in Kigali to experience life in the city and to divide my time between Kamembe and Kigali offering consultancy support as opposed to managing projects.  I hope this time will give me the space I need to think about the future with the realisation that my two years here has flown by.

Last weekend I escaped to Kibuye up the lake for a short stay in the Moriah Hill, a very nice hotel affordable through a gift from one of the teams to spoil myself – a real treat to have a comfortable bed, soft pillows, a t.v. walk-in shower and a bathrobe.  Time to relax a bit before a text from the guesthouse to say the drains had blocked and required emergency repairs due to tree roots getting into the pipes and tanks. This weekend we had have to have further repairs done, close off a number of rooms, dig some of the gardens up and deal with heavy rain and mud!

Kibuye

Going to Kibuye reminded me again what a beautiful country this is.  This time of year is one of the best times to visit as it is between the heavy rain seasons and the countryside looks green and lush with the trees covered in colourful red, yellow and purple flowers. I’m often struck by the colours here, from the fabrics to the handicrafts, jewellery and even the reflections in the water from the colourful painted boats.

Local colour

Reflections

I continue to share my house with my Rwandan family and to share in their challenges, negotiate myself around the many pots and pans as well as peer through the washing to enjoy the view of Lake Kivu.  Note to self – that washing line must come down!

So that’s a quick snapshot of the last few weeks.  Yes, I do mean a snapshot as loads more that I could write about but will save that for the book.

Lake Kivu through the washing!