Rwandan Images...

Two experiences from Rwanda will stand out like sparkling gems in my mind's eye for a long time to come. The first was our afternoon with what is now my Rwandan "family", high in the hills outside Kigali in an area called Ngiri, where my "grandson", Emmanuel, lives with his sister, Pelagie; brother-in-law, Japheth; nephew, Partout; and aunt, Florence. Picture, if you can, the smile on both of our faces as Emmanuel and I hugged and held each other for the first time in a year, the connection between us strong, the delight mutual. Picture, if you can, two teachers- literate, educated- living in a brick house on a hillside, 7 miles up a rutted dirt road from the main highway from Kigali, with neither electricity nor water. Picture an elderly couple, Japheth's parents, Maria and Anastas, living nearby in a smaller, darker house, both literate, yet far from any source of books and further education. Picture these people reaching out in total welcome to a couple of Americans, sharing their home and stories with us, offering prayers of blessing and thanksgiving for our presence and the safe travel which had brought us here. Picture two women  (Pelagie and Maria) sitting for hours over a period of 3 months, making- from banana fibers- the gifts they gave us with such a mixture of pride and humility. Picture the joy on Emmanuel's face when I gave him the small computer which the "Friends of Emmanuel" in America had made possible for him and the absolute relief on the faces of Pelagie and Japheth when I assured them that we would continue to send school fees as long as we were able so that their meagre living could be used for other necessities for the family.

We learned several disturbing facts about this wonderful family:

• the food at Emmanuel's secondary school where he boards since it is about 2 hours away is insufficient and he has been sick a couple of times during the year. Families are not permitted to bring food, nor are the students permitted to leave school grounds to buy more, lest some students have more than others.
• Pelagie and Japheth have qualified, through competitive exams, for continuing education for teachers, sponsored by the national Department of Education. They are to go every weekend during the school year, and every day during school breaks for a total of THREE YEARS! Though there is no fee for this, they are responsible for the cost involved in getting to Kigali to the university, which will run about $120/month for the two of them (their combined income is $100/month). Of course, they can reduce this a bit by walking the 7 miles down to the main road to get a bus, which they have been doing (Pelagie is 8 months pregnant!), but the uphill climb when they get home at the end of a long day is daunting (and we are talking about up hill, at perhaps a 35-45 degree slope with no leveling out at any point in the climb). The "payoff" for all this effort is the fact that, on completion, their salaries will triple, going from $50/month to $150/month, an incredible amount for them...but at an amazing price in time and money.

Japheth

Pelagie

Clad in my banana leaf garb

 

Mr. GQ, Emmanuel

Grandma Maria and Partout, 3

Emmanuel and Me

Whoops! This has gotten very, very long, so I'll tell you about the other "gem" in my next post. Please- if you're a praying person- keep Emmanuel and his family in your prayers...or send light, love, energy, strength, encouragement their way. They are an incredible family, so determined to have a better life, to keep both Emmanuel and Florence in school, to provide for Partout and the new baby to come. And a piece of my heart remains with them.

A Long and Lovely Day...

So much happened today: several errands, visits to two craft centers, but the best part was our time at the Nyanya Toto Preschool Center in Kibera. Six of our eight gradmothers were present and, along with wonderful teacher, Elizabeth, had prepared a traditional Kenyan meal for us. Expecting only light refreshments, we had eaten lunch just before, and so were more than overwhelmed. But I think we did pretty well, since refusing to eat would have been considered quite rude.

The grandmothers were dressed in their very best and looked wonderful in colorful headscarves and khangas (the traditional cloths which are used by African women in so many, many ways). I truly love the way in which these women mix colors and prints, with no real regard for matching. Gathered together, they resemble a garden of beautiful flowers in full bloom.

The biggest surprise for us- Mary Martin, Mae, and myself- came after the meal, its clearing away, and a rather lengthy meeting to discuss problems and concerns of both the Nyanya Project and the nyanyas themselves. One of the grandmothers brought out a bag which contained their gifts to us...and they proceeded to dress the three of us in beautiful khangas of our own, all the while singing and smiling and ululating and enjoying themselves greatly as they made us a part of their group, their "family".

Mary Martin and Mary

Mae and some Nyanyas

Another Mary and me in my Khanga-
a colorful picture in black and white

We joined in with the "dance" as my eyes filled with tears, so over-whelmed with gratitude for these gifts from women who have so little...who are existing on one meal a day, whose profits from their small businesses have, in some cases, been cut in half due to inflation and the economic downturn.  

I was especially overjoyed to be with my friend, Beatrice, and to see both her and her grandson, Eugene, looking so well. Beatrice lost an eight-year-old granddaughter during our visit last year, and we never had the chance to say goodby. Our meetings this summer have been especially meaningful to me and her hug was warm and long-lasting. We'll meet again at next week's Hurambee and this time we'll have the chance to say a proper goodbye.

Friends

Beatrice and Eugene

 And then it was time to go...and we discovered that the young man employed to paint the front wall was already hard at work. Mary had handed gifts all around for the grandmothers, Mae had presented the necklaces made by her friend, Lauren, and Elizabeth had a bag filled with toothbrushes and flip-flops from her granddaughters. All in all, a great day for everyone.

A happy Elizabeth

Mae & Nyanyas in front of the blue wall

And now it's time to sleep, after a long and deeply emotional day. Tomorrow, a flight to Kigali, Rwanda, where more visits and emotions await. No posts for several days, as my computer will remain here in Nairobi with my big luggage. Small carry-on only for the 4-day trip. Returning here to the Biblica Guesthouse on Tuesday afternoon, so expect a post- perhaps several- that evening. Love to all of you who read this...wishes for a happy and healthy day ahead...and may you live in appreciation of all you have. love, linda

Heading Back...

As April approaches, as spring is making itself known in tiny baby steps here in Carolina, as Lent is into it's fourth week, I have taken the huge step of booking my flight to Nairobi. Actually, it is thanks to my friend and travel companion, Mae, that we have reached this landmark in our travel planning, since she's had a travel agent friend watching air fares for us..huge fluctuations over the past month, but thankfully, her diligence has paid off for us- and now we are committed to leaving on July 3rd.

Friends await...places both familiar and strange...new experiences
and people, sights and sounds and smells. Back to a continent which has grasped my heart in a way I simply cannot explain...can only experience. Each time I think of Beatrice and Eunice and the other grandmothers in Kibera, my throat thickens with emotion and my eyes fill with tears. I miss them, these wonderful women who became part of my life last summer. I miss them, and can hardly wait to see them again...to share in their lives for just a little while.

How can I explain the hospitality of the people in Kenya and Rwanda? How can I begin to explain their courage, their spirit, their energy, their determination? Among the poorest of the world's poor, they nevertheless share unstintingly with visitors and family alike. In fact, their incredible, grace-filled welcome to those of us visiting puts Amerians to shame, the widow's mite is enacted again and again as these poverty-sticken women offer of their meagre store to their guests...to us! Can you begin to understand what draws me back? What holds my heart? Can you begin to understand why I am in love with the people of East Africa? Can you begin to understand why I am returning?