Home Sweet Home - Kigali

Rwandans don't like having their picture taken. It is best to ask their permission first. So far, I haven't worked up the courage - so you have very few pictures of Rwandans. However, they'll come. I promise. Taking pictures of things is another issue. That I do with reckless abandon.

I've finally moved into what will be my permanent residence in Kigali - Urwego's guesthouse for donor (i.e. investor) relations. Tom manages the guesthouse. He's originally from Southern California, somewhere around LA. He works for two organizations - Bridge2Rwanda and Urwego. He is one of Urwego's logistics people...I'm not exactly sure what he does. He hasn't been in the office since I've been here. He has three sons and used to be a claims attorney. One of his sons, Nathan, is visiting him right now. Last night, after dinner, the princess side of Grace imposed on Tom and Nathan to help hang her mosquito net. (I hate mosquitoes more than anything. If one buzzes around my head at night I'll wake up and stay awake until I send the little pest to its grave.) Hanging my mosquito net ended up being a bit of an adventure as neither Tom nor Nathan are very tall...and the ceilings are. Tom doesn't have a ladder and mine wouldn't fit in the suitcase, so there was a bit of creative stepping on windowsills and backs.

The guesthouse has a cook, Chantel, who is Anglophone. I have yet to meet her as she works weekdays, but they tell me that she'll love to cook with me - learning my recipes and sharing hers. The gardener/day watchman, Damacine, is Francophone. Damacine is very proud of his garden and I don't blame him. His garden is what makes the guesthouse feel like home to me. Yesterday afternoon, I traipsed around the garden with Damacine, pointing to plants asking their French and Kinyarwanda names. Unfortunately, all I remember is that the Citron tree is near the gate. I'll have to do it again, with a notebook. I remember things when I write them down. I want to learn a little bit of French or Kinyarwanda - enough to say, hello, how are you, your garden is beautiful, etc.

Ignas, the night security guard, is both Anglophone and Francophone. They tell me He'd be delighted to teach me a little French and Kinyarwanda.

Tom's current interior decorating is on par with the typical bachelor...though to be fair, he's still setting up house, having furniture made in Rwanda. He does have some excellent ideas, which I'll have the pleasure of seeing implemented while I'm here.

The garden, however, will be my favorite spot. There are a whole slew of herbs, including parsley, celery, mint and rosemary. You'll also find a variety of fruit trees - papaya, lime and orange. Then there are the flowering trees, the palm trees, the ferns, the little purple ground plant, the bamboo plants and my two favorites - the coffee tree and the avocado tree. The coffee tree is little - more bush-like than tree-like. Coffee is one of Rwanda's largest exports. Rwandans grow good coffee beans I'm told. I can't confirm, as I'm not a coffee aficionado. I can, however, verify that I've never had more delicious avocados then those I've had this past week in Rwanda. (I've already thrown out Dr Darko's "NO FRESH FRUITS or veggies" rule. I'm going with the more widely accepted "peel it, boil it, cook it or bake it" rule in travel books. However, I am wishing I ignored Alison and brought all the Pepto-Bismol. Last nights goat stew and spinach-ish something didn't sit well.


There is a gazebo in the middle of the garden, that looks down on the valley below and off to the hills on the outskirts of Kigali. Right across the valley, on the opposite ridge, is the American embassy. It stands just as it was first described to me: something big on top of the hill.

The birds who visit the garden are as different as the music they make.

Worship this morning was beautiful. Melissa picked me up and took me with her to the Anglophone service at St Etienne Cathedral, which is the "mother" church of Church of the Rez in DC). Reverend Samuel Mugisha preached on Romans 12:1-9, being transformed after Christ. The preaching was thoughtful and singing was magnificant. Worship was really refreshing. It hasn't been that refreshing and worshipful for me for a very long time.