Our RA says awesome things
- Sometimes, 100% of the time, Ugandan men cheat (laughs)
- Me: Do you ever bow to your teachers? (Asking in reference to what we are supposed to do at our host homes---kneel!) Brendah: We're not Chinese!
I love it!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Rwanda and the beginning of my time here
So much happened in Rwanda that I can’t begin to cover a whole week. I remember talking for hours and hours to my mom after a ten day mission trip, and I don’t have the energy or the ability to remember it all without having feedback and questions, so feel free to ask.
We left at 5 am to go to Rwanda. We drove about 8 hours, crossed the border (where an amazing Ugandan girl named Brendah helped me not get completely ripped off by the money changer), and arrived just in time for tea. Tea is very popular here, and is pretty informal. UCU’s meal plan includes two tea times! Usually there is black sweet tea or milk tea that is sweet. Some places had instant coffee or drinking chocolate (hot chocolate with no sugar).
The girls spent the night in a one room dormitory for the 25ish of us. A minister met with us about Rwanda, and then on Sunday we broke up into groups and went to churches. My group went to the second most rural parish named Masuza Parish. We drove up and there were a ton of people milling around, and we later estimated there were about 800 people there. The service lasted almost three hours and flew by quickly. There were at least three choirs that sang, and at one point everyone got up in the congregation and danced around (mostly jumping) in the center of the room. It was exhilarating and loud and wonderful.
Everyone sees and notices the mzungus (white people) and some smile, some stare, some wave, particularly children.
NOTE: THIS NEXT SECTION MAY CONTAIN GRAPHIC MATERIAL
We spent the next few nights in Kigali at the Presbytyrian Guest House. We went to the Kigali genocide memorial. There were horrors of babies dying by being hacked by machetes or slammed against walls described. Women were raped by HIV+ men. While there are many contributing factors, a lot of it was based on fear. Fear that the Hutus would be killed by the Tutsis first, fear that their own children would be oppressed and starve.
A few quotations from the memorial:
- There will be no humanity without forgiveness.
- When they said ‘never again’ after the Holocaust, was it meant for some people and not for others?
Amid all the desperation, there were a few people that tried to save their friends and countrymen. There was a witch doctor that hid people because the townspeople were fearful of her. There was a nun at the church at Nyamata (where we also went) that broadcast to the world of the atrocities that even the pastors committed. She chose not to be evacuated with the rest of the expatriates and to take a stand for her friends and church.
Also, the reconciliation process is beautiful and still far away from perfect. There is much forgiveness, but there is still much awkward hate at seeing murderers still roaming around their villages. A man named Antoine spoke to us as a minister and a member of the Reconciliation and Unity Committee. He feels that the country is in peaceful cohabitation, but isn’t truly reconciled yet.
We also visited a Quaker Evangelical Mission and had a woman named Catherine that works with Food for the Hungry speak to us. Her advice on living abroad without truly knowing people was helpful: we are ourselves wherever we go; we don’t fundamentally change because of context. Also, God provides even hugs when we need them.
We visited a trade fair and a fair trade home for widows of the genocide. They danced with us like we danced at the church. I love that.
Finally, we went to the White Horse Inn in Kabale, Uganda. We had a lot of debriefing, then we went to the deepest lake in Uganda. I canoed and swam. It is beautiful everywhere, and it was nice to fellowship and rest before classes started.
The classes I am taking are Faith and Action in the Ugandan Context (F&A-our core study abroad class), African Literature (Lit), Introduction to Ugandan Politics (UP), East African Politics Since Independence (EAP), and African Traditional Religions, Islam, and Christianity (ATR).
F&A challenges how we approach Africa, our experiences, and how we process. Today we talked about the differences primarily between a tourist and a pilgrim and how the experience and what we take away from our short periods of times. This is taught primarily by Mark and Abby Bartels, and Gwyn (also my program coordinator). Rachel is sometimes there and is the Missions Emphasis (ME) coordinator. Molly, Meaghan (Americans), and Jones (Ugandan) are our interns.
Lit is taught by a Ugandan that is about 50ish. He is very patient and loves literature, he also lived abroad for many years.
UP is taught by an American and there are three students in the class. It meets at her house, she has a dog, and she served us real coffee this morning.
EAP has only met once and is taught by a Ugandan. I think it will be a challenging class.
ATR has only met once and is taught by a Ugandan. It has subject matter that I have never learned about, so I think it will be very interesting!
I feel good that 3 of my classes are in my majors, and F&A is somewhat like debate theory so far!
Please pray for my feet, they are getting pretty beaten up by all the walking. I start my Mukono homestay tomorrow at 10 am! There are a few pictures up on facebook, and I hope to have some on here soon, but the internet is so slow! Please be patient! I miss all of you! I love you all! God bless you and thank you for praying for me!
We left at 5 am to go to Rwanda. We drove about 8 hours, crossed the border (where an amazing Ugandan girl named Brendah helped me not get completely ripped off by the money changer), and arrived just in time for tea. Tea is very popular here, and is pretty informal. UCU’s meal plan includes two tea times! Usually there is black sweet tea or milk tea that is sweet. Some places had instant coffee or drinking chocolate (hot chocolate with no sugar).
The girls spent the night in a one room dormitory for the 25ish of us. A minister met with us about Rwanda, and then on Sunday we broke up into groups and went to churches. My group went to the second most rural parish named Masuza Parish. We drove up and there were a ton of people milling around, and we later estimated there were about 800 people there. The service lasted almost three hours and flew by quickly. There were at least three choirs that sang, and at one point everyone got up in the congregation and danced around (mostly jumping) in the center of the room. It was exhilarating and loud and wonderful.
Everyone sees and notices the mzungus (white people) and some smile, some stare, some wave, particularly children.
NOTE: THIS NEXT SECTION MAY CONTAIN GRAPHIC MATERIAL
We spent the next few nights in Kigali at the Presbytyrian Guest House. We went to the Kigali genocide memorial. There were horrors of babies dying by being hacked by machetes or slammed against walls described. Women were raped by HIV+ men. While there are many contributing factors, a lot of it was based on fear. Fear that the Hutus would be killed by the Tutsis first, fear that their own children would be oppressed and starve.
A few quotations from the memorial:
- There will be no humanity without forgiveness.
- When they said ‘never again’ after the Holocaust, was it meant for some people and not for others?
Amid all the desperation, there were a few people that tried to save their friends and countrymen. There was a witch doctor that hid people because the townspeople were fearful of her. There was a nun at the church at Nyamata (where we also went) that broadcast to the world of the atrocities that even the pastors committed. She chose not to be evacuated with the rest of the expatriates and to take a stand for her friends and church.
Also, the reconciliation process is beautiful and still far away from perfect. There is much forgiveness, but there is still much awkward hate at seeing murderers still roaming around their villages. A man named Antoine spoke to us as a minister and a member of the Reconciliation and Unity Committee. He feels that the country is in peaceful cohabitation, but isn’t truly reconciled yet.
We also visited a Quaker Evangelical Mission and had a woman named Catherine that works with Food for the Hungry speak to us. Her advice on living abroad without truly knowing people was helpful: we are ourselves wherever we go; we don’t fundamentally change because of context. Also, God provides even hugs when we need them.
We visited a trade fair and a fair trade home for widows of the genocide. They danced with us like we danced at the church. I love that.
Finally, we went to the White Horse Inn in Kabale, Uganda. We had a lot of debriefing, then we went to the deepest lake in Uganda. I canoed and swam. It is beautiful everywhere, and it was nice to fellowship and rest before classes started.
The classes I am taking are Faith and Action in the Ugandan Context (F&A-our core study abroad class), African Literature (Lit), Introduction to Ugandan Politics (UP), East African Politics Since Independence (EAP), and African Traditional Religions, Islam, and Christianity (ATR).
F&A challenges how we approach Africa, our experiences, and how we process. Today we talked about the differences primarily between a tourist and a pilgrim and how the experience and what we take away from our short periods of times. This is taught primarily by Mark and Abby Bartels, and Gwyn (also my program coordinator). Rachel is sometimes there and is the Missions Emphasis (ME) coordinator. Molly, Meaghan (Americans), and Jones (Ugandan) are our interns.
Lit is taught by a Ugandan that is about 50ish. He is very patient and loves literature, he also lived abroad for many years.
UP is taught by an American and there are three students in the class. It meets at her house, she has a dog, and she served us real coffee this morning.
EAP has only met once and is taught by a Ugandan. I think it will be a challenging class.
ATR has only met once and is taught by a Ugandan. It has subject matter that I have never learned about, so I think it will be very interesting!
I feel good that 3 of my classes are in my majors, and F&A is somewhat like debate theory so far!
Please pray for my feet, they are getting pretty beaten up by all the walking. I start my Mukono homestay tomorrow at 10 am! There are a few pictures up on facebook, and I hope to have some on here soon, but the internet is so slow! Please be patient! I miss all of you! I love you all! God bless you and thank you for praying for me!
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