A Rwandaful wedding

I am so thankful to God for making it so simple for me to attend Jean Baptiste and Marie Jeanne's wedding on Monday in Kigali, Rwanda.

JB is the National Director of Rwanda YFC. Mal and I became good friends with JB and his late wife Marina when we spent three months in Rwanda working alongside the YFC team in 2007. Since then I have spent another three months with JB and his team as well as a week last year. God has given me many friends in that place and I valued the opportunity to reconnect with so many, while celebrating the wedding with my good friend JB.

The plans for my trip this year already included one week in Uganda to reconnect with sponsored students and spend time with the YFC team. I only had to adjust the date to enable me to include the wedding. So thankful it worked out so well.

The YFC Uganda team was happy to add me to their group to travel the long bus journey from Kampala to Kigali and it was wonderful to go with them.

The couple was married in the Anglican church across the road from YFC where I have always attended when I've been in Rwanda. It used to be a tiny little mud building but in recent years they have rebuilt. I sat up in the balcony to get good photos. 

 After the vows the priest blessed the couple in prayer

before they signed the wedding register and happily showed their marriage certificate to the congregation.

JB and Marie Jeanne each have four children and these young people made up the bridal party, along with a slightly older couple who were best man and matron of honour.

After the ceremony in the church it was time to head over to the YFC premises across the road for the wedding reception for over 1200 people!

Now it began to look like a truly Rwandan wedding

with a beautifully decorated bridal tent (SOOOO many fresh roses!!)

and lots

 

and lots

and lots

of great dancers

and entertainment.

People  presented their gifts to the bride and groom (here on behalf of YFC Ethiopia)

and JB and Marie Jeanne

.

did their equivalent of 'the bridal waltz!

As the older muzungu (white person) present I was pulled onto the dance floor too! No photo of this one.

 

Guests were catered for at four 'serving stations' - at both ends of each of the two huge marquees that housed all the guests.

The wedding date marked the beginning of the rainy season so they had to be well prepared.

After the bride and groom cut the cake they departed for their home not far away and some of us - people from out of the country and some family members -

gathered there with them

 

to continue the festivities

and I was able to have a lovely chat with JB and Marie Jeanne as we enjoyed another meal together.

It was a long and joyful day. I was able to catch up with just about all of my Rwandan friends. It helped that I was one of only three white adults present who could be easily spotted in the large crowd and mostly they found me :)

During the day there were times of strong emotion for me e.g. when the couple walked down the aisle and I thought of loss and grief and the joy of new starts, not only theirs, but Mal's and mine, and the fact that he wasn't present to share in this special blessing for our dear friend JB; after the church service when a couple came to greet me and I recognised them as the couple Mal and I had known at church in 2007 and who had testified at the front of the church about the husband's release from prison after the wife's constant faith, prayer and care for him there; saying good-bye to my dear friend Safari and his wife Claire, the parents of my god-daughter, not knowing if I will see them again; spending time with Edouard, a young man sponsored by Australian friends, who has blossomed in so many ways since we met in 2011 and being able to converse with him in English now.

What a day! What a truly Rwandaful day, as JB likes to say.

Return to Rwanda

How blessed I was to spend one week in Rwanda with my YFC friends there.

Returning was a bit like ‘going home’. 

 Esther had been shopping for me and filled the kitchen with just what I love. 

It was wonderful to stay again in the same ‘dorm’ where Mal and I had spent those wonderful three months 8 years ago, and again with Sue in 2011. 

And again I enjoyed the view across the peaceful valley below each morning as I headed over to the YFC office.

Lots has changed in 8 years:

The school has grown and looks so much more established,

the office that we saw the foundations of in 2007 is completed and in full use,

the YFC property now has a quality fence and gates surrounding it 

with modern shops right next door.

  But the welcome, commitment and quality of the YFC staff hasn’t changed one bit. 

The ministry has grown and diversified and I was thrilled to see all of that.

And it was great to be there to celebrate Luc's birthday with them all.

I was also privileged to spend quality time with young people that Mal and I had had the privilege of helping in various ways,

 some now married and with children.

 

And also some quality young people sponsored by Aussies 

 through their university education. 
 

It was altogether a rich and precious time and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to spend time with my ‘family’ in Rwanda.

Farewell

So our 10 weeks in Rwanda is over and it is time to say Goodbye to the 'land of a thousand hills' - a land of poverty and hardship, beautiful people with spiritual depth and richness and hope for a bright future. What a privilege it has been to serve the Lord here amongst the Rwandese Christians in the RYFC family. I pray that the Lord will allow me to return here to share in their lives again.

On Thursday afternoon we farewelled all the teachers. On Friday morning we met with all the watchmen at 6.20 am so that we could farewell the night shift and the day shift guys all at the same time. We gave each of them a tiny gold kangaroo pin and a small card. It was a happy time. These guys keep watch over the RYFC property and the people who use it and live and work there. They had taken care of us on numerous occasions - taken our washing off the bushes when it started to rain and we were not home, hidden our shoes from view so that no-one from the road might see them (and take them) when we had left them out to dry, walked with us by torch-light when we arrived home late any evening. Most of the watchmen speak little English but it's amazing what a smile, a handshake each morning or evening does, and making an effort to say their names and speaking a few words of greeting in their language can do. It lights up their faces! Smiles speak every language. I think that smiles are a gift from God so that we can bless other people.

On Saturday Sue and I decided to have 'Open House' from 2 pm till 7 pm to say 'Goodbye' to our Rwandan family.  We bought crates of sodas, baked about 150 pikelets (mini pancakes) which we spread with jam and cut two pineapples into pieces and stuck toothpicks in them for easy pick-up and eating (very Rwandan!) We also had some yummy roasted groud nuts (peanuts) which had been given to us when we visited David's family a week or so earlier. It was both deep and fun - a very fitting end to our stay.

 

Our visitors enjoyed the refreshments we had prepared, brought gifts and we all enjoyed each other's company. Several stayed later and we had a deep time of sharing and praying - rare and beautiful.

Check out our new bags from two of our favourite teachers.

We needed to be helped with the head gear. Our visitors helped us to 'get it right' (!) and were delighted with the way we looked.

In the morning we had both packed our cases and carry on luggage and were pleased that everything fitted (at a pinch!) But by the end of the evening we had a luggage problem!  But hey! How special to be loved like that! We wouldn't change that for anything.

On Sunday the previous week Sue had been farewelled at church because she left to fly back to Australia in the early hours of Sunday 18th.

 
I departed Rwanda in the evening of 18th and so I was farewelled in the morning before I left. They too blessed us with gifts. These people are so appreciative and so generous with the little that they have. We could learn much from them.

Farewell 'Land of a thousand hills' and Rwanda Youth for Christ. God used you to bless us and we love you.

Church in Rwanda

In Rwanda Sue and I attend the Anglican church across the road from where we live. It is supposed to begin at 9.30 am but people arrive any old time from 9 am to 11 am. It's not easy to plan what time you arrive anywhere in Rwanda because one must rely on public transport like buses or motor bikes or  go by foot, as most people in this coutnry do. Very, very few people have cars in Rwanda because they are so poor and cars and licenses are very expensive, even by our standards. Fuel alone is AU$1.60 per litre. But out of about 150 in our congregation a few do have cars.

  It's a simple little church with wooden benches and we really feel at home and part of the family there, as Mal and I did 4 years ago.

The pastor usually arrives around 9.40 am or thereabouts! It's quite hard to tell exactly when the service starts because nothing stops or changes when he arrives and praise and worship just keep on going and going for the first hour or so. It's GREAT! Everyone really gets into the swing with singing, dancing and yelling.

When Sue and I arrive someone comes to sit beside us so that they will be able to interpret the service for us. During the service two or three choirs will sing and there will be plenty of communal singing, lots of prayers, Bible readings and a very long sermon. 

The church has a number of choirs - for children, youth and several groups of adults. A couple of these sing every week

  It all usually lasts several hours, until about 12.30 or 1 pm! We enjoy ourselves. These people REALLY know how to worship God!

I am now in the US but have more things I want to post about Rwanda, so I hope you won't mind that the next few are about Rwanda even if I'm not there any more!!
Then it'll be time to post about the YFC General Assembly in Denver. I wonder if I will have time to do that!

A Highlight of our time in Rwanda

On Friday we had THE most interesting day. 

We went to visit David's home.


Until two weeks ago it seemed that David had no opportunity to go to university at all and therefore no hope for a future. In Rwanda it is very difficult to get a job, but there is far greater possibility if you have a university degree.  There is an Aussie family who asked us to find a young Rwandan to educate and so we have been able to make this connection. David is a student at the YFC School of Leadership and Discipleship. He has a very sad story but is such a bright and positive young man. He is so excited to be able to go to univeristy and considers this to be a miracle. For him it is - that God would arrange for us to meet and have the offer of sponsorship for him.

There are so many very needy young people here (well people of every age), who would dearly love to study at university, but will not ever have the opportunity to do so or to have a positive future. In Rwanda, if one person in a family is educated and/or has a job it benefits the entire family.

If anyone else is interested to sponsor the uni education of a young person I'd love to connect you with someone. It would cost between AU$1500 and AU$2000 per year for 4 years. I have the names of several especially needy young people - no parents and very poor, but intelligent and enthusiastic to study. 

On Friday Sue and I set off from home at 6.30 am, caught two local buses to the 'country bus station' and then another bus to the village of Ruhango. We stopped off to make a visit to the Gitarama Prison (that was an interesting experience).  Then we hopped on another bus to a small village where we got off and walked for an hour or so, in bright sun (I forgot the sunscreen on the back of my neck and it got quite burnt - Oh dear!).

As usual we met with heaps of kids who wanted to see the muzungus (white people). They are always eager to have their photo taken. David thought that many of these children may never have seen a white person before.

At around 12.30 we finally arrived at David's home. David's parents are no longer here - dad and two brothers were killed during the genocide. Head of the household is his older sister who is a wonderful homemaker in a tiny simple dwelling in the middle of nowhere - a long walk from anywhere. We were treated to a typical tasty Rwandan meal of potato chips, rice, beans and chicken. And then followed the speeches of thanks and appreciation, our speeches and the giving and receiving of gifts. These people know how to be hospitable, to share the little they have, to give speeches, to give gifts, to pray and to give love. It is an amazing and very humbling experience to be recipients of all of that!

When all the formalites were over it was time to get started on our long journey home, but many photos before we left.

This is maize drying

Another long walk, but this time it wasn't burning sun all the way. It turned into drenching rain!  But the  company was fabulous. It is usual practice for the family to walk you home or well on your way after you have visited with them. And so we all set off together across the hills.

 
And then we all got wet together. But it was heaps of fun! I donated my umbrella to David's sister who was carrying the baby on her back!

The highlight of the day was still to come. At this time of day there was no bus to take us back to the village of Ruhango. Our only option was to take a motorcycle. Sue and I had decided that we would not use this method of transport in Rwanda as it was not respsonsible as YFC Senior Servants. However, this day we had no other option. We had committed to go with David to visit his family and it was only the day before, when we were discussing transport, that we heard that we might need to take a 'moto'. I sent out an urgent prayer request to my prayer team!! Accidents happen often with motos in this country! And I doubt our travel insurance would have paid up in case of accident!

IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING AND EXHILARATING EXPERIENCE I CAN REMEMBER!! FABULOUS!! Ken and Gwyn, now I understand your family's love for motor bikes! I want to do it again!  Four of us travelled on 4 motos through hills and villages for an hour without stopping. It was beautiful countryside with interesting little villages - well ongoing village that never really stopped, people people everywhere and lots of little children calling out 'Muzungu' (white person!). I loved it! 

What do you think of us Mucecuru (old women) on our bikes?

More buses home and two very tired Senior Servants arrived back at YFC at about 7.30 pm in time for our farewell meal with the students of the School of Leadership and Discipleship. (They left for Kenya the next day and we won't see them again)

What a wonderful day!  Thank you, David and your family, for your generosity and friendship and the opportunity to experience more of this beautiful country.  We're praying for your future and your relationship with your sponsor family. You are a very special young man