I arrived back in Bujumbura late on Sunday evening after a great weekend away. I loved being back in Kigali where I know where things are and I can get around easily. It was so great to be able to get on a moto, tell them where I wanted to go, and get there. It seems like such a small thing being able to independently navigate a city, but here in Buja I am always needing a driver or a taxi and there is less freedom in that. I am grateful for the people who drive me around, but this past weekend I got to be free for a couple of days.
I also got to enjoy spending time with people I love. After a 6 hour bus ride and only minimal confusion at the border I arrived in Kigali at about 4pm. I had to buy a new SIM card since my Burundi one didn't work and I stopped in town at Bourbon for some tree tomato juice (so good!) and then headed over to the Kamari house. I had dinner Friday night with Jen and the kids, along with two other visitors. Jen and I didn't get to chat as much this weekend, but I'll go back soon and we can catch up then. Jen's kids are growing up quickly and I spent some time on Saturday afternoon reading stories to the youngest two. I read for more than an hour and started to loose my voice by the end of it. I also had a really good chat with Serge during lunch on Sunday. And of course I got to hang out with Mike and Anne. Mike and I had both traveled to Africa separately, he to Zimbabwe and I to South Africa, before we both came to Rwanda together in 2007. We are cousins but we are also good friends as well and it has been nice to have someone else in my family nearly as crazy as I am. We have both been back to Rwanda since that trip, separately, but this was the first time we were both there again at the same time, and this time with Anne. I wish we could have spent longer together, and I was a little jealous of their time spent at the refugee camp, but it was great just to sit together by the pool at Novatel having a drink together. Family is great.
Saturday morning I got to sleep in until 8:30. Bliss. Those of you who know me understand that I am not a morning person, but when you have to be at the office for 7:30 in the morning you have to at least pretend to be. I'm still working on that! I spent most of saturday hanging out in the city because Mike and Anne got a flat tire coming back from Kibuye. I had coffee, went to the bank, had a pedicure, had more coffee... it was lovely. Saturday evening I joined the team that Mike and Anne were with for dinner at Sole Luna, an italian restaurant, and enjoyed the view of Kigali from the hill.
Sunday I went to church at Eglise Vivante with the team. I got to see Dorah and Herve and Mama Deborah, all people I love and can't wait to see again. Next time I go to Kigali I will have to make plans to see them more. In the afternoon we took the team to the memorials. I have been to these countless times but they never stop affecting me. I don't often look at Rwanda in the context of the genocide anymore - I know too much of it's resurrection to focus on that horrible time of death, but it is important to stop and remember. It is important that people understand what happened and to see and feel and smell it. The memorials in Nyamata and Ntarama have an eery quality to them, as if you can still smell the blood in the ground.
I used to work in Nyamata when I worked there with World Vision. Driving through on the bus into Kigali and again to the memorial I was struck by how much had changed. There is a new market, new buildings, new street lights, a bank with an atm and more paved roads. It has grown and it is cleaner and nicer looking. I wondered how much of it was cosmetic and how many of the poor people we worked with were actually doing better as well.
Instead of taking the bus back to Buja I flew. It was worth the money to have the extra time with Mike and Anne. Now I am back in Buja and work is getting busy. We are working on a new job description for me and I have lots going on. Yesterday as I was about to leave the office I got word that I was supposed to go to the field in the morning and would be staying there for three days. Surprise! So I am in the office this morning getting ready to go. I'm looking forward to getting out of my office and away from my desk, working with actual people in actual communities where we are trying to help. We'll be working on a bit of an assessment and preparation for a proposal we're working on. Much more exciting than working on reports and answering emails at my desk! I hope to have some pictures and stories to post when I get back.
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