Just to pick it up where we left, let’s begin with the accommodation
chapter: after the first few days in the rooms of the Pastor Training Centre,
on Monday we finally moved into our new house and from there it’s been an
endless drive to big shops full of western stuff in the city centre (uneasiness
growing…), to buy all you need in a house where there are only beds,
table&chairs and too many sofas&armchair. Even before that, on the
second day Mattia was already driving our car through the capital’s traffic (no
cheering, it’s probably the easiest in Africa; but as to orienteering, yes, you
can cheer) to go to the boys’ school and officially start the first week’s (now
turned into the first weekS’) spending spree to buy uniforms and stationery,
and most of all, show the boys the lovely place they’re going to spend most of
their time: as expected, they loved it!
But before the school report, let’s have a look at our first Sunday:
during the service we were welcomed by the whole congregation, as a family,
with the children hugging and stroking the boys and some designated people
hugging M&E, after a general clapping and our brief presentation. The main
point is that those two amazingly adaptable boys spent 1.5 hours sitting
without Mum&Dad among the children, even joining the choir in their
song-dance (with no words and very little movements, but they were there!);
then they went our for Sunday School and, though with the help of some maternal
presence for Sam, they stayed there all the time, which means over another
hour. As for the service, which M&E had already experienced in August, it
was as musical (and loud!) as ever, especially in the first half; then, the
sermon: Elena thought she had done the right move by going to Sam’s rescue,
thus escaping the 45 minutes of unintelligible, theatrical and lively talk, but
actually there was no need to flee this time, as there were other guests, from
a New York Free Methodist Church and their reverend (Wally!) was asked to preach, in
English (or American...), then translated in Kinyarwanda by a local.
The next day, another big moment for Michele&Sam, who enjoyed
starting their new schooling adventure. In the meantime the oldies were taken
to explore the city and to set up the much needed P.O.BOX (5114, Kigali,
Rwanda).
The house chapter gets more pages with the nice welcoming we
received from the utilities: first afternoon, no water, no electricity. Nothing
major, anyway: they quickly helped us bringing some big cans of water and
sorting the electrical problems soon. Water came back on Tuesday and by the end
of the week a huge tank was installed, to save us from future shortages (it
fills up and then gives back when the mains are dry): quite costly, but seemed
necessary (or not? mmm).
In that first week we also met our 3 helpers: Vestine the
house-cleaner (which had to start helping us with “the big clean”), John (Jean?) the
gardener and Ildephonse (spelling?) the watchman. Mission partners or
colonialists? More to follow, soul-searching abounds…
We can also add the joy of our first proper meal together in our new
house, on Tuesday night, together with the first whole mango (delicious), the
morning spent by Mum&Dad re-installing the mosquito-nets over the boys’ bed
(at least the result made it worthwhile) and we can finish the diary with a
nice dinner invitation at Bishop Samuel’s house on Wednesday evening, where we
had a good though short time with him and his family, with also a boy between
Michele and Sam’s ages.
But stop, how to forget it!
On Wednesday, another milestone for the boys: two days to settle
were enough, so it was time to add the school-bus element! From the first day,
no probs: they are together, they could go anywhere…
The bus is really handy, as it comes straight into the Church’s compound;
we’ve got the car, we know our way, it’s not too far (7km, 15-20mins in the
morning and afternoon traffic), so we could take them, but when we start
working it will give us a lot of useful free time and eco-wise, if not
finance-wise, is definitely the right choice; moreover, it makes them
independent and Sam this way won’t have any reason to act silly at the school
gate, as he can often feel like doing… The main problem is that the bus times
make their long school day (7.30am-3.30pm) even longer, maybe too long
(6.40am-4.35pm), but that’s the way it goes for a lot of kids, though they are
among the furthest, and it’s just a matter of 20 minutes more, not hours, with
respect to a car journey; anyway, we’ll see how they take it in the next
weeks-months.
As you guessed, M&D are far from starting working, but that was
planned.
Already too long, more reflections some other time.
Don’t forget the photos, to see all this by yourselves.
