Show Me The Way To Go Home

Our last night, our last breakfast, our time in Rwanda is almost over.

There was just time for one last meeting this afternoon with two further ex-prisoners who had agreed to come and tell their stories. Jean-de-Dieu and Gajo spent 3 and 7 years respectively in jail, Jean-de-Dieu was charged with embezzlement whilst working for the government, Gajo did not share that information.

We heard again harrowing stories of prisoners having been abandoned by their families, walking around naked with no access to clothes once their initial items fell into rags, of pregnant women, and those having just given birth, without access to basic sanitary wear or soap, of newborn babies trying to feed from mothers whose diet consists only of maize and beans, insufficient to produce the milk needed.  We heard how it was only being part of the church in prison, and the visits and items provided that made it possible to survive inside. John de Dieu told how suicide rates would be much higher without this ministry, and how, when everything else is stripped away individuals become closer to God.

Gajo told how she had been at university studying accountancy, supporting herself and providing for her family when she was sentenced to 7 years, her future now looks bleak, she cannot get a job, her degree is unfinished, and she is unlikely to ever marry as in this very patriarchal culture, a woman who has been to prison is unlikely to be considered suitable as a wife.

There is no distinguishing between prisoners who have committed different crimes and many prisoners who are genocide survivors also suffer the additional trauma of coming face to face with those who murdered their families.

We were told again of the importance of the New Year rice, just one very small cup, but a comfort food when your diet 365 days a year is Maize and beans. We would love to further support the prison ministry and wonder if any of our lovely supporters would consider donating £20 to buy a 25kg bag of rice?

Then we ordered our final dinner at Peace Guest House before a quick shower.

Our bags were packed and we headed for the airport by 6pm. We now have a 5 hour wait for our flight which is leaving (hopefully) just 30 mins late at 00.30 tomorrow morning. Hopefully time to write and post the blog before we leave.

We land around 9am tomorrow (Wednesday 1^st July). As always we are sad to be leaving Rwanda but we are looking forward to seeing our families, soaking in a hot bath and sleeping in our own beds.