Another week almost over and a new month begins. Not that I´m counting but this is the first time ever that I´ve crossed the days off on my calendar! That sounds as though I´m not enjoying life, I am actually, the sisters and postulants are very nice and we have quite a bit of fun but you can get tired of beans, potatoes, rice, green bananas, more beans a different colour, pasta....at each meal. I do as well as I can but I just don´t eat large bowls full and I can feel my stomach closing and saying ....no more! It´s not that I don´t like the food it´s just so repetitive. Thankfully the sisters no longer press me to eat Ugali made from ground manioc root or cassava bread which comes in a gungy mauve/grey lump.
An interesting conversation at breakfast, I mentioned that I was tired as something woke me at midnight and I didn´t get back to sleep till nearly 4 and then the drum to get the sisters etc up sounded at 4.45. The sisters were naturally twitchy because thieved pinched a load of maize from our field last week. What woke you they asked....I don´t know says I, eventually deciding to put their mind at rest suggested a dog barking. Oh yes they agreed it was probably barking at a bear in a tree..... a bear? yes with a long nose......oh! An elephant...I mime...no a bear...and so we continue.....a bear it has a long beak! Daylight dawns! More lessons on pronunciation needed.
It´s still raining heavily every day, and remains chilly, downright cold at night. I now retire looking like Scott of the Antarctic with as many clothes on as I can muster, including fleece with hood pulled up. I´ve advised Marilyn to buy a hot water bottle from Nakumatt, vastly expensive but a comfort she´ll find useful.
As soon as I get to Gisenyi tomorrow I shall have a long soak in a hot bath! Quite possibly with a g and t!
This place really works as a Community, sisters, novice and postulants share all the tasks, when they´re not at a service they are farming, cleaning, cooking etc. Their services are conducted in French, the services at the local church are in Kinyawanda excepting the Kyrie Eleison which is sung in Latin. When the host is elevated during the Eucharistic prayer everyone claps! This is an African thing apparently.
I went to Mass last Sunday, two and a half hours! Well there were 20 babies baptised, the priest had a bottle of holy water and dribbled it 3 times on each babies head! Beats using a saucepan. Then anointed each then blotted their heads.
The priest is charming, early 40´s, he invited me to receive Communion, which was very generous of him, subsequently he has said he will give me Communion if I attend the Mass here at the Community on Tuesday....6am!
I mentioned the farm, the eldest sister who´s in her 60s looks after the farm,there are 4 cows, lots of rabbits, several pigs, one sow had 6 piglets last weekend but 3 died. There are only 2 chicken here, unlike at Masaka which farms then bigtime, so we only get an occasional egg. In the fields are maize, beans of various types, cabbages, carrots, potatoes galore, spinach. Unexpectedly there is rhubarb which is made into a compote and wine. There is a large patch of strawberries, the fruit is small but makes a nice compote for the breakfast roll. Avocados, bananas green and yellow, passionfruit and starfruit are plentiful.
This all keeps the sister very busy, but the postilants have to help when needed.
It´s pouring with rain, so no walk today. I did put my foot down earlier this week and insist that I would be ok walking on my own, it was quite liberating, and entertaining as nearly everyone I met wanted to chat.....and the tiniest children hid or in some cases cried because the mazungu was looking at them.
I shall post this now in case it fails to save.
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