Ruhengeri

September 11:
Moms big wad of cash!!

Having a snack with the kids at Muhoza Center (RW-353)

Some really precious choirboys

Some girls from Muhoza Children's Project (RW-353)

Diane, her mom, my mom, Moses, & me

When we got our money exchanged, mom was the last person to get her money. Well she got bills less then $1 and she had exchanged $400 worth!

To get to the project in Ruhengari we had to drive 2 1/2 hrs. Ruhengeri is the place were the mountian gorillas are. There was a movie done about Diane Fosse called "Gorillas in the Mist". The road there was mountainous and curvy. We had a stop half way to stretch our legs, use the bathroom and get street food. The line to the bathroom was really long...and the bathroom was uni-sex! Mom and some others bought street food there, goat kabas, sweet bread, and passion fruit juice. I ate some of the kabas, but they didn't taste very good, lots of gristle. We finally got to the project and the kids were eager to see us. Me, mom, and Beth went and sat with the choir kids. They all were very pleased to have us next to them. I saw some kids sneak to touch moms hair...so I pulled my braid around so they could see it. You should have heard the gasps and seen the eyes bug out. I let them touch my hair and pretty soon my braid was being passed from hand to hand. After wonderful songs and introductions we ate, the kids also had bread and tea. The boy with the orange cup, in the picture of us eating, wanted to share with me his bread. They were all so caring. About this time I was feeling a little funny and the crape I had just eaten didn't feel so good in my stomach. We all walked outside to see the new building still under construction. While outside some really cute girls came up and asked my name. After some pretty halting English I found out that they were all 11-12 yr olds. Christine, the girl on the right with the yellow shirt, was the most talkative one of the bunch. Back into the bus we climbed to head off to lunch. At lunch I thought that I was going to throw up so I skipped it, even the smell of food made me sick. John (compassion staff) kindly found a room for me to rest in. When I got to the room I found that I wasn't the only one feeling ill. Jackie was also in there resting and she had found out that the room had a nice bathroom. I was contemplating making myself throw up so I'd get it out of my system, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I think that it was a mix of altitude sickness and the street food, though there was a lot of variables.

All to soon I heard mom calling my name. We were off to visit a cottage for orphans. When we got there it started to drizzle, but that didn't stop them. They had a piano and speakers out in the front lawn of the house. The kids from a nearby project (RW-256) were singing and dancing. The neighborhood thought this was a great show and all crammed in to watch as well! There were 6 kids that lived at the cottage, all complete orphans. The 'mother' of the house had been abused, and then left by her husband. She had never been able to have kids, so she was a perfect fit. The house was very nice, but it cost $100 USD a month! I forgot to say, but mom had just decided to sponsor a new girl Diane on the way to this cottage. So they called ahead to make sure she was there. Diane was sitting in the house waiting, eagerly watching for her new sponsor. When the introductions were done, she threw her arms around mom, and then did the same to me. Diane's mother walked in and we were able to met and talk with her. You could tell the appreciation in her eyes. She had four kids and the papa left some time ago. The pastor of the local church was off in Israel, but the pastors son, Moses, was there. He spoke very good English and when we posed for pictures he got in it. You could tell he was very proud to be pictured with us white girls! Mom asked if Diane would be able to come the next day to Bambino Super city (where we would all met our sponsor kids). Eugene said that she would be there, just a little late.

We then said goodbye to Diane and her mother. On the road again, though by this time there was 4 of us sick. I don't remember much of our ride home since I was just trying to feel better. We got back late to Kigali that night. I skipped dinner, took a hot shower and went to bed.