Monday's Blog - we're catching up! Another deep breath......and off we go.

Hannah began the day by collecting a bucket of water from Isobel’s plentiful supply, as she and Paul had a state-of-the-art shower cubicle, with one crucial omission - water!  The envy of us all, they have the only shower cubicle with a door instead of a massive gap, but as Hannah pointed out, this is simply because it has never been used!  But Hannah and Paul have now devised an effective bucket and jug shower double act which they enact as their morning routine.

Just before the Byumba Pastors’ Conference was about to begin this morning, one of the organisers, Pastor Juvenal, threw the proverbial spanner in the works, suggesting an entire reschedule of the timetable.   There is disquiet over the planned finishing time at the end of the second afternoon, as rain is expected soon.   It has been unusually chilly since our arrival in Byumba, the sky is dark and storm clouds are gathering.  We were told that it rains on the Assumption Holiday, 15th August, and with this in mind, and the rainy season approaching  there was a desire to alter the timetable as it is unsafe for pastors to be travelling home along the mountain dirt tracks in torrential rain or after dark.  Byumba diocese covers a large area of mountainous terrain, where transport is very challenging. 

After some discussion and compromise, Pastor Placide stepped into the conversation and  in his characteristic calm nature, came to the rescue, agreeing the proposed new schedule and after a brotherly embrace expressing relief from Andy, the conference was back on track!  Wonderful harmonious choruses were already issuing from the large meeting room across the courtyard from our rooms, as the pastors and wives were congregating for the beginning of the conference.

After the initial introductions, the 3 ladies in the team left the men at the conference and went to visit King Saloman Academy, a school, which is currently being established by the diocese.  This in direct response to a visit from the President of Rwanda to this region several years ago.  He was disturbed to find out that people in this area were sending their children to school across the border in Uganda because the schools in Rwanda were of too low an academic standard.  Hearing this, the President challenged the church to set up their own schools, and so Byumba diocese is establishing this primary academy.  The diocese has a great vision for this project and is adding another year group to the school each academic year.  It was encouraging to see significant building development over the past 12 months.  Three additional classrooms, a staff room, a head teacher’s office and an accountant’s office have all been completed and a class of Primary 4 children have been added to the school role.  A library and computer room are also under construction, which the Bishop was inspecting after he drove us to the site.

We were greeted by the head teacher Arsene, who spoke to Grace about his vision for the school.  Isobel was warmly greeted by Bless, the English teacher whom she had met last year, but who looked quite different with extensive plaited hair extensions, woven intricately around her head.  This morning Bless was teaching Primary 4, the 9 - 10 year olds as they orally revised the grammatical terms ‘adverbs’, ‘possessive pronouns’ and various types of nouns, all of which would have been quite a challenge for the average native speaker on the streets of the UK!  Their grammatical knowledge was good but it was  their eagerness to respond to the teacher which left the greatest impression.  They were quick to put up their hands and there was an audible buzz of “Please teacher, Please teacher,” and a clicking of their fingers as they waved them in the air, which we would most likely misinterpret in the UK classroom as rude and thus discourage, but here in Rwanda it was a strong indication of their zeal to learn.

Grace enjoyed spending time in class with Jean-Paul, the maths teacher.  He spent the lesson working through the children’s homework in a predominantly revision lesson.  Grace couldn’t resist reverting back to her former teaching days and lending a hand marking some of the children’s work, surrounded by fascinated students.

Out on the rather barren school field, the little tots of Primary 1 stood in a long line to practise their compass directions.  Isobel soon joined them as they turned to face north, south, east and west.  Some of these little ones were wilting, squatting on the bare ground.  The teacher questioned them asking if they were too tired or too hungry to participate.  Their fatigue was understandable since it was approaching noon and they had been in school since 7am.

Hannah, our team photographer was flitting from room to room to capture her impression of the school.  She had deleted a photo she’d taken of a cow, being led along scrubland on a bank above the school field, thinking this was simply passing traffic, independent of the school.  She was surprised to learn that this was in fact the ‘school cow’ leaving the school kitchen.  The school meals are prepared in a very simple building, currently under renovation at the edge of the school field.  It appears that this has enabled the meals to now be prepared inside, whereas last year the children’s porridge was cooked in a large vat over a fire outside on the bare earth, only in the rainy season cooking inside in a hut, with walls blackened by woodsmoke.

We had hoped to return to the King Saloman Academy on Tuesday but were informed that, having started the new term today after a 2 week break, tomorrow the school would be closed again for the Catholic Feast of the Assumption.

Back at the diocesan meeting room, Andy’s teaching was well underway.  During the afternoon the team led seminars as in Gasabo, whilst Andy and Isobel interviewed the pastors, whose parishes are supported by partners through Damascus Trust.  After fluffing her lines and many video retakes, even the interpreter Wilson, lent forward with encouraging words, …”And you were doing so well!”  Wilson is a pastor of a very remote parish and he was keen to tell us all about this plans to open a school.  He already has 42 3-5 year olds and a couple of young people lined up to teach them.  We wish to encourage him in this project and hope that he will have the capacity on his moped to carry some of the school resources we’ve brought to Rwanda with us, donated by friends in UK.

During our ladies’ seminar this afternoon,  it was interesting to note that there were no ladies wearing headdresses, quite different to the delegates in Kigali last week.  There were however many ladies with babies strapped to their backs, so as her ice breaker, Grace invited one of them to demonstrate how they secure the baby so it doesn’t fall out.  It always fascinates us how folds of knotted cloth create such a safe pouch.  Grace commented that she’d suddenly realised the benefit of plank bench seating in this country, such as in the cathedral, because chair backs are such an incumbrance to mothers carrying babies on their backs.

In the final teaching session this afternoon, Paul broke ranks and played with a tottering toddler in a bright red romper suit.  Unlike many of his peers, this little baby wasn’t phased by the alien appearance of mzungus and squealed with delight as Paul threw an empty water bottle for him to retrieve - much like playing ‘fetch’ with a puppy.

For us the day was more-or-less over, but for the pastors, it was a different story… But that’s for tomorrow.

Good-night.

Grace, Isobel, Hannah, Paul, Jonathan and Andy

Sunday's Blog part two;

Are you ready now? Deep breath......

All the pastors of the Byumba diocese had been invited to attend today’s major thanksgiving service.  A large contingent of the Fathers’ Union, all dressed smartly in navy suits and ties sporting their logo, were present as they’d conveniently held their conference in Byumba the previous day.  There was a tremendous cacophony of noise as the girls’ and boys’ brigade marching bands processed into the cathedral playing brass instruments and loudly beating several drums.  They strongly resembled the Salvation Army in sound and appearance, in smart navy uniforms with RAF style hats perched on the sides of their heads.  Following them up the cathedral aisle and in direct competition to create the greatest sound, was a group of African drummers, pounding on their animal skin drums and dressed in the style of traditional tribesmen.  

A couple of translators were assigned to us and it took Andy a lot of persuasion to seat them in an optimum position for all of us to hear, though it was a challenge to understand anything over the pounding of the drums, the thundering brass band, gyrating gospel choirs and an extremely over zealous preacher.  His sermon must have lasted for at least an hour at about a thousand decibels.  He clearly didn’t need a microphone, but had one none-the-less and his message got lost in translation for us, primarily because our translators couldn’t compete with the amplified preacher. It was totally exhausting listening to him and the volume made you wince.  

Then just when you thought he was finished, the brass band, seated right next to us struck up at full throttle.  It was indeed an assault on the ears!  There was of course also the traditional gospel choir, which sashayed to the front in their long flowing red and golden robes and harmoniously sang some beautiful choruses while our translator explained the English meaning into our ears.  Next, a musician from Kigali, dressed in a rather restricting suit, (to help him reach the high notes?) took to the keyboard and sang a few rousing songs.  He was soon joined by a whole load of the congregation who danced enthusiastically, some performing exuberant tuck jumps in the air, like one might see in gymnastics, all part of their thanks and praise to the Lord. An amazing, colourful spectacle to behold!  There were several further bursts from the marching band and, as if not to be outdone, the African drummers then set down their drums in a line at the front of the church and performed an amazing rhythmic, dancing celebration, with one drummer playing 4 or 5 drums simultaneously whilst he and his fellow drummers danced in between.  The noise was fantastic!

The offering was then taken and three little server boys, dressed in green cassocks stood beside the huge goblet shaped baskets, which almost matched the boys’ height. A stream of people came forward to place money in the baskets and then a group of traditionally dressed ladies, some with slumbering babies strapped to their backs, processed up the aisle bearing cylindrical baskets, covered with pointed lids.  Each of these, borne on their heads, or carried in their hands, contained food gifts and were presented to the bishop as their offerings.  

The whole experience was more of a festival extravaganza, than a ‘normal’ Sunday morning service!  Whilst the jollity and excitement was to come to a halt, our time in the cathedral continued!  An official, suited gentleman set up a laptop and beamed a few slides onto the cathedral wall, showing the most ambitious architect’s plans for the grandiose new cathedral.  The plans were largely labelled in French, but amusingly there was a line of encouragement on the last of the slides, which borrowed a phrase from one of Britain’s better known construction workers, Bob-the-Builder, “Yes we can!”

Having excited the whole congregation over the ambitious plans, the giving began! One by one, the pastors of the diocese were invited to the lectern to announce how much money their parish had pledged to the cathedral building fund, how much of this they had already raised and how much the pastor himself was donating from this own purse!  As we looked at the great number of pastors seated at the front of the cathedral, we realised this would take a long time. 

One after another they stepped forward and announced their pledges, followed by a little ditty played on the keyboard, a ripple of applause from the congregation, and if the parish’s contribution was particularly generous there would also be a short drum roll from the traditional African drummers, who were standing at the open doorway, probably enjoying the fresh air!  This whole scenario carried on for ages, and as we were coming to the end of the rows of pastors, any hope that this was the end were dashed, because representatives from all the organisations present then approached the microphone to present their contributions… the Fathers’ Union, the Mothers’ Union, the Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade, the choir …. need I go on?  It lasted a long time but throughout it all, little children sat without a murmur, these African children could teach their western counterparts a thing or two about patience! After the organisations had presented their gifts more was to come, as members of the congregation moved to the front to make their individual donations all being ushered forward by church wardens dressed in curious long coats, like those worn in traditional green grocer shops and decorated with what appeared to be an enormous label dangling from the collar down their backs! 

A lighter moment was one lady who shyly offered a warden a bank note, whilst whispering in his ear, and we were amused to see that she had clearly requested change from out of the collection basket!  One man and his wife brought a sack to the front of the church as an offering and gave a little speech about the gift he was presenting.  I expect most of us were astounded by his generosity on seeing how he was straining to carry such a heavy weight.  He then revealed that the sack was not full of money but bricks he was donating for the cathedral walls!

As every contribution was announced, one diligent clerk, perched on the front bench with the choir was meticulously logging every transaction in a large book of accounts, some noted in cash and some recorded as pledges.  He was writing at break-neck speed and could barely keep pace with the announcements, which we were incidentally hearing twice, as our translator was speaking the English version to us as well, for most of the time, until he became tired!  Whilst we changed positions in our seats to ease the aches, Paul located an appropriate verse in his Bible which he shared with us.  It listed the fruit of the Spirit and he had highlighted ‘long suffering!’

The fundraising saga proceeded for well over an hour and as we sat there it was interesting to ponder Grace’s comment from way back at the beginning of the service.  As is customary, we had been invited to introduce ourselves and say a little about our lives in England.  Surmising that this might be a long service, Grace had whispered to the group, “We need to keep this short!”  It’s a pity no one else in the cathedral heeded this advice!  Finally, nearly 5 hours after the service had begun, we were treated to the final statistics of how much money had been raised in cash and pledges.  One of the small altar boys handed the Bishop a small purple cloth, which he then dusted off, unfolded to reveal it was a pom-pom hat, which he then placed on his head!  He gave a blessing - allelluia! The end of the service was in sight!  There was of course a feverish burst of excitement with song, dance, the marching band and African drummers giving their best finale, parading out of the church with a massive procession of pastors behind them all culminating in a pile up for a mega family photo outside on the church steps!  So at 2.20pm we finally breathed fresh air and escaped for lunch!

If you’re struggling with the length of this blog, you should have been at the service, a greater endurance test by far!  I think the length of the service had robbed all of us of our sanity because at lunch, well mannered Grace, threw caution to the wind and, having received a screwed-up napkin thrown at her by Andy, ended up flicking it back across the table.  She clasped her hands across her face in embarrassment when the missile missed its intended target (Andy) and inadvertently landed a direct hit on the Bishop!  Oops! But he said how grateful he was to be included in the game.

That’s it! Another day of endurance and praise. Good-night.

Grace, Isobel, Hannah, Paul, Jonathan and Andy

Sunday was a long day so we'll give you small doses to help you get through!

The day began with much discussion over the guest house plumbing.  None of us seemed to have water in our taps, but some of us were astonished to have found functioning, hot showers.  Such luxuries of course come at a cost - Isobel was woken just before dawn by a great steaming torrent of water pouring out of her bathroom all over the bedroom floor, totally saturating the rush matting.  Had she been astute, she would have previously noticed an overflow pipe directed at the waste paper bin, in an ominous fashion, indicating that this was not an isolated occurrence.  The bin was however in fact a basket, not a great vessel for collecting escaping water, so water was simply splashing everywhere.  Meanwhile 2 doors away, Paul was ‘being a man’ and taking a ‘shower' in the only dribble of cold water that was issuing from his shower unit!  Andy didn’t seem to have had any water at all in his room, nor any sleep, so he wasn’t at his most chirpy at the breakfast table!

We headed off to the cathedral next door to attend the early morning English service.  As Byumba is a bit of a backwater, where little English is spoken, there was a very small congregation so the singing was a little feeble, though as we reached the end of the first song a musician arrived with a keyboard tucked under his arm, which he duly plugged in and joined us to enrich the music, about 3 notes from the end of the hymn!  Jonathan gave  a talk, dressed in a rather ill-fitting cassock, and a comparatively small choir sang with the usual enthusiasm.

As the short service was drawing to a close, people started to dribble into the huge cathedral for the Kinyarwanda service, which we were told would be a most auspicious occasion, giving thanks for the completion of the initial plans to build a replacement cathedral, as the current cathedral, with capacity for about a thousand worshippers, is not large enough.  We were told there would be many visitors attending, which gave us the indication that we were about to embark on a seriously epic service.  However, at this point we didn't know quite how many hours we would would be in the cathedral for!

Hold on - part two of Sunday is coming up......

Sunday night - even more photos from Gasabo week!

Good-night!

Sunday night- more photos from Gasabo week - in no particular order.

Sunday night - some photos from Gasabo week - in no particular order.

Saturday's Blog:

We were woken at 6am by shrill voices, just outside our rooms as the sports ministry team was holding a children’s sports camp at a rather early hour.

Andy and Isobel went to a parish nearby to meet up with some basket weavers, who had kindly laid our their wares for inspection.  Meanwhile Paul took the vehicles for refuelling and a wash to remove all the ingrained orange dust, before they were returned to the American team.  

Daniel, who was about to attend a wedding, came to collect one of the vehicles, looking dapper in a navy city suit, though in this country it is impossible to complete an outfit with anything but shoes dusted in orange.

After the normal discrepancy over the bill, Andy paid up having been to an ATM 3 times in order to get a big enough wodge of cash, and revelled in being a momentary millionaire!

About an hour later than scheduled this afternoon, Pastor Placide finally turned up in a mini-bus to take us up to the northern diocese of Byumba.  It was a pretty drive along the valley out of Kigali, filled with bright green rice paddies where wader birds probed the waters with their long beaks.

A few miles out into the countryside, Placide pointed to a place on a wooded hillside, where he and his parents had stayed in a tented refugee camp during the genocide of 1994, which added a rather sobering dimension to an otherwise pretty view. The landscape became notably greener as we travelled north and moved to higher ground.  As the hillsides became steeper, the wooded slopes gave way to agricultural terraces along the contours, to make the best use of the land for growing crops.  

Throughout the journey the driver and Placide were listening to an extremely excited football commentator, blaring out of the radio as Rwanda was playing Uganda, but by the time we arrived at the hilltop town of Byumba, Placide reported, somewhat dejected, that Uganda had won 3 - 0!

At the Diocesan Guest House we were heartily greeted by a tall jovial man, who introduced himself as Jimmy, the new manager.  It seems, as in Kigali, there have been a few improvements over the past 12 months. As with Kigali, when we requested our daily jerry cans of water, the management implied that this was no longer necessary, and that hot water would  issue from the shower - we’ll see!  In Kigali, the new fangled solar power unit, which offered great promise, only delivered hot water on occasions and certainly not in sufficient quantity to match the number of guests!  We had taken to the habit of pushing notes under each others’ doors at strange times of the night, when we actually found the system to be working!

After only 5 minutes in his new room in Byumba, Paul commented that there was no water coming out of the tap, but it appeared that the shower units, which were only cosmetic last year, might finally have been plumbed in … we wait with bated breath!

Placide joined us for dinner and we tried on several occasions to determine what the plan was for the morrow.  He seemed to be very evasive, or simply ‘very Placide’ and was keen to discuss the plans with Andy alone, whilst the rest of the team was dismissed!  The meeting is supposed to be lasting an hour, but it will probably be running to Placide-time!  He has already confused us all by announcing that the English service will be at 2am tomorrow morning.  There was a sharp in take of breath on our part (especially from Jonathan, who was destined to preach!) Suddenly this brought back memories of last year and a major point of confusion, as traditionally Rwandans count their day from sun-up at 6am, which meant that Placide’s 2am was actually 2 hours after sunrise ie 8am!  I’m sure this will not be the last point of confusion during our week in Byumba!

Once again we thank the Lord for all that we have been able to be part of in Gasabo diocese and pray that whatever lies ahead here in Byumba, we will bring glory to Jesus and be a blessing to his Church.

Until tomorrow - good-night.

Grace, Isobel, Hannah, Paul, Jonathan and Andy