Teenage Dream

Our early start was delayed slightly by breakfast, who knew it would take 30 minutes to produce a boiled egg and fruit, ok, we probably should have known!!!

Pacific, our driver for our time in Gasabo was waiting patiently, and we headed to Kibagabaga Cathedral to collect Josiane for the one hour+ journey to Rutunga Parish to visit 7 of our sponsored children, including Pauline’s child Sonia.

First, we joined the Gasabo team for their morning devotions and had a surprise meeting with David, who works in communications for the diocese. He is a Rwandan, born and raised in the UK, who retuned to Rwanda 15 years ago and obviously has no regrets.

Vocational Training is becoming more popular in Rwanda, particularly amongst the students who are already in their teens when they complete primary 6, this morning we visited a vocational training centre attended by three of our sponsored students, one taking mechanics and two learning hairdressing and personal care. These short courses give the students a real chance to find worthwhile employment.

Then it was back on the road for the journey to Rutunga, possibly the furthest of Gasabo’s parishes on the Byumba border.

Our first visit was to the home of Princess and her parents, Princess is an only child, quite unusual in this culture, and unfortunately since the age of 10 she has suffered from epilepsy for which she receives medication, but it is obviously an ongoing concern for her parents. Princess was a joy, bright, engaged and keen to make the most of the opportunity sponsorship provides. She told us she would like to be a doctor or nurse, to help others like herself living with illness. This obviously caring family live in a simple but tidy home and it was a joy to visit them.

Then it was on to the parish office where the remining 6 students and two mothers were waiting to greet us. The students were missing school to meet us, so we didn’t keep them long. Three were about to take S3 national exams and their career aims ranged from biochemistry to tourism, pretty impressive!!! Pastor Ferdinand meets with the students at least three times a year during school holidays and meets their parents weekly as they belong to various savings groups within the parish.

As the students headed back to their lessons we moved on to Sonia’s home where we also met her little sister Sandrine, these two girls have grown so much since we last visited 4 years ago, Sonia is still very shy and Sandrine is outgoing and mischievous, they are a lovely family and the additional gifts that have been sent have enabled them to buy a pig, a goat and hens, making a real difference to their kitchen garden and their lives as a whole.

Today was a big day in the Anglican Church as all the bishops, who had been on retreat for the last two days, were meeting to vote for the next Archbishop, everyone was eager to return to the office to be sure to hear the news first. We arrived back later than intended but there was still no news, we met with the accountant and explained the compliance requirements, everything was still very quiet.

We went for lunch with phones at the ready, nothing. Then news filtered through that the archbishop was back in the office, finishing our lunch we headed back to the office, but lips were tightly sealed.

Back at St Etienne’s for the evening and we find ourselves surrounded by bishops, they are all staying here tonight for another meeting tomorrow, all very mysterious but it is good to meet up once again with so many friends who have welcomed and cared for us over the last three and a half weeks.