Visiting

Wow,
So this post was supposed to be up days ago, but, hey, its Rwanda.
So this past weekend we got to visit Mama Maria's (Erika's mother, who we know very well) out in Kabuga. It is the same town/area where we taught, but her house is very much off the beaten path in real Rwandan countryside.

She cooked meals for us and showed us around her plot of land where she grows pineapples, passion fruits, plantains, mushrooms and other things. Mama Maria is also a seamstress but is not able to work from her home in Kabuga because there is no electricity for her sewing machine. Very often she sets up shop at our house and we get to watch her sew and spend time with her.

Without teaching, we have had some time on our hands and were able to spend it doing traditional Rwandan things like, buying t-shirts in our driveway and learning how to make a headress.

These past two weeks we have been sorting and organizing all of the school supplies and books we brought over from America. We made piles and gave out different things to different people we have met. Teacher Dinah, who also taught at the Girmpuhwe association, and works with Dinah (our nanny) and Agness (our cook) to teach them English. We were able to give her some teaching books we brought over as well as some other supplies and books for her children.

On Sunday we took a long bus ride to the East, to Kibungo, to visit Dinah's (nanny) family. We got off the bus in a very small town with one real road, but not many people. It was a girls trip; Dinah, Gaudance, Linda, and the two of us. Finding 5 motorbikes in the town was quite an accomplishment, but after about 30 minutes we were able to hit the dusty trail.

We took another long ride out to, well, basicially the middle of nowhere (compared to Kigali) to a rural village, home to Dinah's family. We were greeted with tons of hugs and kisses, as well as a ton of food! We were served two enormous meals, and expected to eat at both. But the food was delicious and everyone was in good spirits.

Dinah's family consists of, Mama Dinah, two older sisters, two younger sisters, and a younger brother. She lost her father and a brother in the genocide. Currently only one daughter is living with Mama Dinah, because the rest of her children are either married, working (dinah), or at school. Dinah sends her monthly income, although minimal, to her mother to help with school fees or just the cost of living. Sometimes the money also goes to medical bills as Mama Dinah has been diagnosed with Tuberculosis.

Ward Brook Center sponsors one of Dinah's sisters, Alphonsine, to go to school, which is a great help to Dinah and her family.

During our day there we got to see Dinah's land, which is quite a lot for Rwandan standards. We picked some pumpkin squash and tried to carry it on our heads. Although we didn't succeed to walk more than a few steps, we did succeed in looking like fools. They tell us that we can't do it because our hair is too smooth. Perhaps?

We also were able to hang out with all of the children of the village, Dinah's goats (given to her family by the church), and just enjoy her family and beautiful countryside around us.







When we return to Vermont, we will be making various presentations (inclduing June 10 at CBMS!!!). After these presentations we will have Anti-Aids pins for sale, as well as some bracelets woven by one of our Rwandan friends. All profits will be going to a non-profit fund we have set up, "Dinah's School Fund". We will be raising some money through these presentations, but we have also pledged to sponsor Dinah to go to school in the following year. She will be able to continue to work and go to school at night. Eventually Dinah hopes to become a teacher.

So, this is our last post in Rwanda.
We fly out tomorrow afternoon.
It's hard to talk about, write about, think about. It's very unreal for both of us.
We have had such an amazing time here in Rwanda, and aren't really ready to leave. We aren't really ready to return to America and all that goes along with it's advanced society.
We have made such amazing friends here, and fallen into the easy-going lifestyle.
But we know that we will be back and we will never forget our times here.
So this is our last thank you for reading our blog, for supporting us throughout this entire journey and for sharing what you've learned with everyone you know, as we have.
Thank you, Amahoro (peace)