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.

An entertaining day

I had a list of things to write about but thought I´d begin with a quick post about last Saturday which proved to be entertaining.

The oldest sister in the community at Busasamana is from Congo and had her 90 year old mother staying for a few days.  As I was going to Gisenyi  I offered a lift to the border to help with the return trip.  Well, you should have seen the border crossing, it was a mass of people aiming to go across and the area between the Rwanda barrier and Congo barrier was choc a block, I have never seen so many folk at a checkpoint, nowhere near this mass going into Tanzania.
The sister was taking her mother across, handing her over to another family member and returning immediately to Rwanda and on to Busasamana, goodness knows how long that took.

Meanwhile I went to the Gorillas, I was there by 10, but no matter was immediately shown into my room.....I quickly plugged everything in and started to download as many programs as possible from i player!

Across the road from the hotel were several marquees being sorted, it being Saturday they were for weddings I thought, so I went for a walk by the lake to have a look.  Parked in the middle of the road, where else, were the wedding cars being embellished with net and ribbons in 2 shades of coral.  The tents were being similarly draped.  In one of the cars sat the florist making up bouquets.

Now, bear in mind, it´s after 11am and nothing is anywhere near set up for the reception which is probably going to begin about 2.  Excepting the disco guys who are in full swing and volume .
I continued on my way around the lake, the youngsters were enjoying swimming and football etc.  A rather young 'boatman' tried to persuade me to go water skiing, well used to in the 1970s but definitely not now.  I walked as far as possible arriving at the ¨*****Serena Hotel and promised myself a visit for a coffee on Sunday.

So back to the Gorillas and an afternoon sitting on the balcony watching the wedding groups.

The bridal parties arrived as expected about 2, photos by lake for one lot, round the Gorillas' pool for the other.

The man centre pic with his hat and stick embellished is the token 'cow caller'.  They don't actually give the couple the traditional cow as a gift anymore, but the cow caller goes through the motion of calling the cows to process before the people.

Guests continued to arrive for a couple of hours, photos taken till 4, some guests of the smaller wedding got fed up and sat on the grass, so sensible!
The trouble with Rwandan weddings is that hundreds of invitations are sent out, no-one responds, they just turn up....or not.  The idea is that if you receive an invite you will give money.  So here we are, 4 marquees, the 2 main ones ready, but not enough tables and chairs for the overflows, a continuing stream of bicycles laden with plastic chairs, motos with tables  It was all very entertaining.

One bride had western dressed bridesmaids, their footwear was interesting.

The other wedding had traditional outfits.  All the wedding clothes are hired, there's no way the couples could afford to buy the dresses etc.

Whilst the wedding festivities were in full swing and discos upping the volume we had a church function opposite with a choir battling to be heard.  Anyway, the good thing is that these things usually finish soon after dark and by 7pm it was all over!

It never fails to amaze how much rubbish wedding guests leave littered, I dread to think what Rwanda would be like if there weren´t such strict laws.  As I walked Sunday morning there were cleaners busily cleaning and by the time I returned having enjoyed coffee by the Serena's pool, everything was clean again.

After all the excitment I enjoyed a lazy day.  I had said I would leave Gisenyi at 4pm, actually Hassan picked me up at 3.30 and we were about 10 minutes from Busasamana when one of the sisters called Hassan to find out where we were.  I'm afraid I find this continued overseeing irksome.  Ungrateful, yes probably, but I´m so used to being on my own now.

So, I'll post this now and will hopefully have some time to get cracking on further snippets of info over this weekend.

An away day....and night

Last weekend I went to Gisenyi on Lake Kivu for a night at the Gorillas Hotel, I was hoping for some speedy wifi, but sadly it was struggling on 2G most of the time.  More to the point a large comfortable bed, hot running water and a flushing loo, also the ability to eat what and when I wanted without a bean in sight. The hotel manager had arranged a taxi, Hassan to collect me and he proved to be brilliant taking me hither and yon over the weekend.

I also spent time with very helpful Felix at Tigo  and a nice lady at MTN and I´m managing the wifi situation better now.

Some of you will have seen on FB the pic of the cars in the road, for those who didn´t, suddenly a procession of vehicles led by a truck sporting a chap with video recorder parked up in the middle of the road on the white lines, then wedding cars threw a wheelie around those in front and parked further along the road for wedding pics by Lake Kivu.  All the other traffic in both directions just had to navigate through.  I guess they´re used to it

I had imagined a leisurely wake up on Sunday but it was not to be as the energetic would be sportsmen were running uo and down the road chanting like US Marines well before 6!  There seemed to be some encouraging disco music hitting the airwaves also.  But never mind, I was going to the Anglican Cathedral for the service which I was told would begin at 9.......no!  It begins about 9.40.  At it was Communion the bishop was present, when he spotted me he waved merrily, and when I was called forward to say the usual words he hugged me enthusiastically, well I had seen him on several occasions at Mercy House clad only in a towel.  I had allowed for a lengthy service but insufficient so had to leave before the end.  Not to worry as I am welcomed at the RC Mass here at the Community on Tuesday mornings.  I´ve met 2 young priests, very attractive they are too!  Anyway after the priest had taken Communion we all wandered around the altar and helped ourselves whilst he sat aside.  Every now and again when the sisters and postulants were singing, he threw in a few notes to add interest I think.

It´s been a bit difficult to get everything sorted for teaching this week, I now have 2 classes each day for 2 hours each, not too much time for lesson preparation, made increasingly difficult by lengthy electricity outages (as our American friends would say)

This is definitely not a closed order, at Masaka where I shall be after Easter some of the sisters teach in the school and one is at uni training as a nurse.  Here at Busasamana it is different as it is the first step for the would be nuns.  The postulants are instructed how to sing all the parts necessary for the different services, and the proper French for parts of the liturgy as well as the English lessons.   The rest of the time they are involved with all the work in the community including cooking.

There is a cottage industry making, and drinking sorghum beer, banana beer and banana wine, all of which are sold to the locals as well as enjoyed at meal times here.  I stick with water like a good Rwandan Anglican.

The volcano by day

and night.

OK, you have to squint at the centre of the pic and you´ll see the red glow.

And no, I´m not going across the border and climbing the volcano to camp overnight and see the lava lake in the early morning light.

Another week, another month

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.

Settling in

Sunday 22nd January

A couple of things I forgot to mention in the last post.
The Community is building a school opposite the Community House, it is due to open tomorrow with the first intake of 25 children. last week there were exams for teachers, English, French and maths. The English paper was not well written, apparently produced by someone in Uganda, the questions were ambiguous and with words spelled incorrectly.  It will be interesting to learn who the successful applicants are.

One day Marilyn and I were asked if we knew what a certain large yellow object was, a pumkin we declared, is it fruit or vegetable was the next inquiry....veg we said, is it betther cooked a sister asked.  Apparently they´d tried it raw!  We showed how to cook it.

Friday, as planned we were ready before 6 to journey north, but as breakfast was prepared it was some time before we left Masaka, so were caught in rush hour traffic, then a stop at another Community house where we left some passengers and collected others.  It all got rather confusing.  I knew the journey would take some hours, and it did, with stops for refreshment, phone top ups and passing the time of day with known folk etc along the way.  Eventually we reached Gisenyi and parked  right by the border with DRC as some of the sisters were going across to visit people in Goma.  Then to Busasamana where we were greeted by the sisters and postulants beating drums and singing a welcome.

We didn´t know what the program was but were treated to lunch, rabbit, then I unpacked whilst Marilyn watched until called to return to Masaka.  After dinner the postulants wanted to sing and dance, I was dragged to my feet and managed a few minutes leaping, I was tired so glad to go to bed.

Monday 23rd Jan

The weekend I´ve spent getting used to the routine here, I decided I´d go to Evening Prayer but using my C of E liturgy. It´s nice to hear the religious and postulants singing, all their choruses are extremely high, wouldn´t do for me. Two of the postulants have only been here a fortnight, it must seem very strange to them, they are from Congo and have very little English.
The sisters keep trying to press more food on me at every meal, they are perplexed by my chosen small portions, although I pigged last night on salad and the best chips ever.  The sisters like to chat and play cards after dinner and before night prayer. I had to teach them how to play snakes and ladders which they enjoyed hugely.

Internet or lack thereof is a headache, Marilyn says she´s given up but I shall soldier on and visit the village today in the hope of finding someone to help
It´s a lot cooler here at Busasamana, need jumper and very glad to have 2 blankets on the bed, what a difference to Masaka which is basking in the mid 30s.

Thursday 26th
First week nearly over, the students are so quiet in class that I can hardly hear them, but when we go outside to play a game they lose all inhibitions.  Tomorrow they will have a test so I can gauge just how much English they know and aren´t just repeating what they learnt last year.

Outside one of my windows are two large graves, in 1998 there was a resurgence of trouble post genocide and five sisters were murdered.
This is a very peaceful area though, but very wet!  It rains heavily every day.  From the other window I can see the Volcano Nyiragongo across the border, it´s active and has been rumbling lately, at night the red glow is visible, quite exciting really, although of course I´m not wishing for a full blown eruption.

Tuesday was washday, all the sisters and postulants were in the garden with bowls of water scrubbing away with much chat and giggling.  After lunch they all went into the fields harvesting beans, they were very tired after so no games, straight to bed.

My room is a good size, it has a wash basin also a bucket and bowl.  Apparently the sisters ask when you want to wash and they bring hot water which you use in one of the showers with much sloshing.  I´m ok though with the shower, albeit cold and not too comfortable to wash hair under at 6am.  But I´m afraid the lack of a flushing loo I find difficult. You hve to fill a bucket with water to flush....added to which the loo is in the shower block along the corridor, not good in the night for gentlefolk of a certain age.

I´ve walked into the village several times this week, primarily to spend spend spend on printing and internet access.  The phone man was startled as I´d used one months internet in 2 days!  I´m feeling embarrassed!  Walking back on Friday I was concentrating on not slipping on the wet track and managed to walk miles out of my way, I thought the surroundings looked different!  Eventually managed to converse with a chap who pointed me back to Busasamana.

I have booked a room in Gisenyi next weekend and have a driver more or less sorted so something to look forward to....hot shower and hot bath, flushing loo, g and t and a glass or two of something, but no beans,......also the Anglican Church Sunday morning for the Communion service.

Think thats enough for now.  Will try and upload some pics later.