I'm Leaning on the Lampost

Still no water when we awoke this morning, not a great start to the day.

Having received no contact from our partners in Gasabo, and with no idea of the plan for the day, we arrived for breakfast about 8.30am, the table was bare!!!

The young lady who seems to run the café came and announced we could have toast, having confirmed they had jam we settled for that and some fruit. It’s a pity I don't like watermelon, but Pauline generously donated her apple. Around 9am our toast finally arrived. We know we shouldn’t complain when so many are hungry but having paid for bed and breakfast we had hoped for a boiled egg at least.

Despite sending emails last night and providing a phone number, we received no response regarding our plans for the day, and so, reluctant to waste the day, at 10.30am we headed off to the fabric market, a 40 min walk away, with a small detour past the Mille Collines Hotel, made famous in the film Hotel Rwanda.

Today, surprisingly for us, we were not in search of dress material but to see if we could source towelling on a roll for the feminine hygiene project we are attempting to get off the ground. The commercial area is a busy, bustling place with open fronted shops selling everything you could wish for, but sadly not towelling, so stopped for a coffee in a likely looking establishment above the shops, the menu looked so promising but the less said about the coffee the better and the only cake was a mandazi, the worst we have ever experienced.

No sooner had we ordered than a message was received to say we would be collected at 1pm, no way could we get back by then and so we sent the poor driver a picture of the road sign and a location and he had to negotiate the roads around the market to find us, not an exercise for the faint hearted as lorries, motorcycles, cars, bicycles loaded beyond belief, barrows and pedestrians all vie for a space on the road.

A quick stop at the MU office to collect Josiane and we headed to Kinyinya to meet some of the ladies who had received livestock some years back.

This is another area that has changed beyond belief. Where once stood a small old church being used during the week as a classroom, with 90 nursery age children crammed in the pastor’s office, there now stands a new church (still closed), a nursery block and a primary school serving 2000 children.

The women were all clean, smart and beautifully attired and we heard testimonies of how they had been trained in improved nutrition and cooking methods, shown how to make cottage gardens and use the manure from the animals to improve their crops, and with all the benefits of the animals had been able to improve their lives. They certainly appeared to be doing much better and gave thanks to God for their blessings.

As we left the church a group of young boys were enjoying an impromptu dance session, and provided a performance just for us.

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The greatest surprise of all was to meet with Gorreti, the mother of one of our sponsored children and a recipient of livestock. When we last visited her she had been unwell, we arrived at her mud home where the hens and rabbits live inside, and we all felt she may not have long. Today she was bright, smart and cheerful and looking many years younger than she had before. Her son Shema has left school and started a short course in motor mechanics, which should serve him well in the future, it is such an encouragement to see our sponsored children progressing well.

Then we visited Honorine and her family, they met us at the road and led us on foot through the tracks to their home, they rent a sparse traditionally built house and have no land for cultivation, they are proud of their hen and pointed out the nest in the corner of their room complete with eggs.  Honorine is due to take her S3 national exams and told us she would like to pursue a vocational course and become a driver.

Onwards to meet Esther, another of our sponsored children who once again met us and led us through the slums to her home. Esther is studying in S2 and enjoys English, which she spoke very well. Her mother has recently married and had a new baby, the entire family live in a one room rented home, not an ideal situation for a teenage girl, and some concern for her welfare was expressed by our partners!!

Next, we went to the home of Sandrine and her family, a previously sponsored child who had left school and started her own hairdressing business with a small start up gift from her sponsor. Shortly after leaving school, she had become pregnant and given birth to a baby girl now 2 years old, sadly Sandrine has been suffering from post-natal depression and on medication ever since and her business has currently ceased. It was so sad to see her sad face and ‘dead’ eyes, she is a beautiful girl with so much to live for, and yet she is so obviously suffering and her mother seems to be taking on the responsibility for  bringing up her daughter.

Our last stop of the day was to visit Grace and her children Nice and Sarah, we have visited this family before, and Grace is the most wonderful lady. Smart, beautiful and always smiling, despite living in a one room rented home in the slums. She works as a cleaner at the cathedral and is obviously highly thought of. Nice is sponsored by Pauline’s daughter and both she and her sister Sarah are extremely intelligent. Despite having no water, bathroom or kitchen, and sharing a long drop toilet in the alley with who knows how many other households, Grace, her children and her home are spotless, we think she is superwoman and have nothing but admiration for her.

It was dark by the time we left Grace’s home and dropping Josiane off on our way we arrived back at St Etienne’s around 7pm. Praise God the water is back on so, after a quick dinner during which we started the blog we were very glad to get a shower.

An 8am start tomorrow so blog and bed.