Rosamond Carr: a very special lady.

I have to tell you a bit about Roz Carr, you can read more about her in her book, Land of a Thousand Hills: my life in Rwanda.  Roz was an amazing lady, she came to first Congo and then Rwanda in 1949 and lived most of her life, quite a bit of it alone,  managing a large pyrethrum plantation not too far from Busasamana.  In fact she was here over 50  years, living through the turmoils of independence, becoming a republic, the early genocides and possible that same year returned to her home, which had been virtually destroyed and realized the need for an orphanage which she swiftly arranged, using the old pyrethrum drying building as a dormitory.  In 1998, when insurgents from Congo were too close for comfort, Ros, her staff and the children moved into Gisenyi for safety.  Ros returned to her home in 2005 and died in 2006 aged 94, she is buried in the garden.  Ros was a friend of Dian Fossey and featured in the film Gorillas in the Mist part of which was filmed on site.
I recommend her book, it is available on Kindle.

Anyway, I took a day out yesterday and went to visit Ros' home which now retains the name of the orphanage and welcomes visitors as a means of keeping the foundation going.

This was the pyrethrum flowers drying shed,  After the genocide the building was repaired and turned into a domitory for the orphans whom Roz cared for.  This is David who, as a small boy used to visit Roz with the other local children and worked with her at the orphanage.  He now takes people around the grounds.

Roz's charming house

View of the garden from the terrace

The old pots were made by the Batwa people who are known for their pottery, they are hunter gatherers and live in the forests. When I was at school they were called 'pygmies' although not as small as those in Congo. They were a very small percentage of the population here, and I think nowadays are included as Rwandese.

This is Eric my driver / tour guide.  I had to take pics for his website.  He'is an excellent guide and has all the essential qualifications and very good English.

According to David, this view of the Hydrangea bordered path was featured in the film Gorillas in the Mist.

During the years Roz lived here people would come for tea on Sunday afternoons and the local chidren would dance the tradional dances.    These dances still occur on the last Sunday of each month.  You have to make a reservation though.

When the market price for pyrethrum fell Roz ploughed up the plantation and began growing flowers to sell to the embassies and hotels.  Many flowers and vegetables are still grown here for that purpose.  The pic is of a good crop of artichokes.

We then drove to Gisenyi as I needed to sort my wifi out yet again.  Then Eric managed to lock the keys in the car!  But chaps from the market came to the rescue with a bent coat hanger of course.

Then we went to a great bar on Lake Kivu, it was a splendid place to spend a few hours, I really felt as though I was on holiday.  Cold Primus, grilled tilapia, music blaring forth, families out for the day, youngsters swimming.

Off to Gisenyi this weekend for the hot water and pleasant facilities.  If I don´t go anywhere at the weekends the time really drags.

Another suitcase, another hall...to borrow words from Sir Tim Rice.

Yes, another bag packed and off I went for a jolly weekend.  I had another driver, Eric, a young tour guide, very knowledgeable and entertaining.   He took me to Musanze, previously called Ruhengeri, and both names are used on different signs so it gets a bit confusing.  Anyway, en-route to the hotel we went to MTN for some internet cards then to a supermarket.....well, a mini mini mini market, with very nice people and I stocked up with biscuits, coffee and coffee mate.  Then to an ATM for cash and to Tigo for their internet cards.

Eric the driver.

Arrived at the hotel, I don't think it's tourist season as I was shown immediately to my room , and of course plugged ipads in and started downloading.  I can't access iplayer anymore on the computer and I think it will be no go on the ipad in April.
It was lovely sunny and warm so out to sit by the pool for lunch, 3 tomatoes stuffed with shrimp in seafood sauce and of course some fries and a Primus.  Very nice.  Met an interesting NGO couple from Canada and we spent a very pleasant afternoon.

Later a soak in hot water and hairwash......oh dear only a tiny towel in the bathroom.  No answer when calling reception so I donned necessary clothing to preserve dignity and walked to reception, of course the chap was watching TV in the dining room.  It was amusing really as I´d had the students calling room service for towels and the like the day before.

A nice dinner and managed to Face Time Sarah, the first time this trip as the wifi is so poor.

Sunday, to the consecration service which my FB friends will have seen lasted 5 hours!  Much singing and dancing naturally, a half hour address from the Prime Minister, actually with a Christian message.  Other government ministers were also present.  Besides Archbishop Rwaje who would of course consecrate Sam, retired Archbishop Kolini was present and +John, the retired bishop of Shyira Diocese.  All 10 other bishops of Rwanda, 2 bishops from Uganda and 2 RC bishops....it was very colourful.  For the first part of the service Sam was dressed in his purple shirt and long white cassock, then after the consecration he was taken away by Bishops Louis and Emmanuel to be duly returned in full bishop's gear.  And then presented with his pectoral cross and hat. Quite strange headgear here, some with pompoms some without.  Sam's wife Jacky was very much included in the service, neeling before the Archbishop with Sam.  Their 3 young daughters sat as good as gold for the 5 hours.   At the end Sam and Jackie were presented with a car, loads of furniture and a lot of stuff for the kitchen....there is a new house, Bishop´s Lodge also.
A visiting C of E Bishop was in attendance, his wife was astonished at the gifts.....as was I.

L~R    Archbishop Rwaje, Sam, Jacky

Archbishop with Bishop Sam

St.Etienne Cathedral, (Kigali) Choir

Mothers Union members delivering the furniture.

So managed to meet up with a load of friends and have a natter, then back to Busasamana to another 24 hour electricity outage, (hate that word).

I guess that's probably sufficient for this post, now to upload some pics.  Nice to see my followers have increased.....how about some comments!



Oh, the volcano is very active this week, chucking red lava at the heavens with much abandonment.

News Flash......chilblains on the equator

Honestly, who would expect to get chilblains when virtually living on the Equator.  OK my feet were cold a couple of evening when going for dinner, but I ditched the sock with sandal scenario and went sock free.....

It is still raining....every day, if you doubt the veracity of this just google weather for Gisenyi and Musanze and work the average.  How any crops come to fruition beats me, it´s certainly not due to sunshine.

Anyway, a little addition to the last post, I discovered that the road by Lake Kivu is closed to traffic for 2 hours from 6am to 8am on Sunday morning allowing the keep fit mob to train without being run over.

I went to Mass this morning, nowhere near as lively as the congregation at Kanyinya, after the Ash Wednesday service at 6am this Wednesday....yes 6am!!!  I think I´ll just attend the service here at the community when the priest comes.

At meals on Sundays the postulants join the sisters, as it´s weekend there is alcohol served also.  Senior sister offered a glass of wine, strange bottle I thought, on inspection saw it was Cognac....no, even I cannot drink that with lunch!

So, the last day of February and 5 weeks today I leave Busasamana for Kigali, have I told you lately that I'm really looking forward to returning there.  We have a week without lessons so that we can confer about what we've taught and the level the students are now at.  So we're taking the opportunity to go to Akagera National Park for a couple of nights.  Peter Safari once again the driver.
I am also looking forward to shopping in  Nakunatt, how sad is that.

  Yesterday I walked into Gasiza the local village to get printing done and some money  put on the internet gadget, I went to one of the village shops for a couple of things surrounded by interested onlookers.  I know the lady charged me too much, but what can you do!   Pennies to me are riches to the locals.
Then it started to rain with a vengeance, and hail!  The printer folk wouldn't let me leave, eventually I donned raincoat, unfurled umbrella and set forth, well I am British!  All was ok at first but I hadn´t allowed for the torrents of water flooding the road in several parts.....very wet feet in trainers.

Gasiza

The first shop is the printing emporium, the second is the phone shop and the guy who puts money on the internet access for me.

One of the postulants asked me last week what was the difference between being single and being celibate.  Oh help I thought, not the sex talk needed.  No they all knew about sex.
I told Marilyn who then told her unmarried forty something son who said the answer was 'bliss and misery'!

I had the bright idea of using origami frogs to teach a point.  Spent most of the weekend endeavouring to construct without success so resorted to making a windmill, and I have to say everyone enjoyed making those.  And saved me a headache.

Everyday for breakfast we have a roll with avocado, sometimes recently accompanied by roasted, salted peanuts!  i wonder if the Michelin *** chefs have tried this combo.  The crunch is nice and the salt but it does make me thirsty.
Another staple is cabbage, they grow marvellous cabbages here, I eat a lot, cooked and uncooked, I shall take on a green hue soon I suspect.

All the produce is carried on bicycles from a co-operative patch of ground to a pick up point.  Some of the very large sacks of carrots and potatoes weigh between 200 and 400 kilos.

The young Parish Priest stayed for breakfast after Mass Tuesday, we had omelette, a treat for Pancake Day.  The sisters 'twinkled' at the company! Apparently we shall have beer and dancing this evening to set us up for Lent.  I might even get my postulant choir to sing Old McDonald has a farm which they enjoy, we're usually laughing so much by the end that we can't get the moos in tune.

I'm including a pic of my somewhat dippy bed, it is surprisingly comfortable though.

I'm off to Musanze (previously Ruhengeri) on Saturday for a night at another Gorillas hotel, much needed hot water etc.  A service of consecration for Bishop Sam Sunday morning.  It will be so good to be an Anglican again.