Butare

I took the bus from Kibeho to Butare, where I spent the next few days staying in the new FMA community there. Actually this new community hasn't been formed yet, they're still feeling out the area to determine what the need is. But at that time, Sr. Emma and Sr. Josephine were staying there in what used to be a school building within the Salesian priests' novitiate house compound. I really had a nice time staying with these two Sisters, they're very simple and peaceful, and we spoke only French because Sr. Emma doesn't know English. We went to Mass at the novitiate house, which was awesome because the novice priests rock at the keyboard, drums, and guitar. Unfortunately I got ripped off by a moto driver here. I tried to negotiate, but he came back with even stronger negotiation about how gas was so expensive, and then I felt really taken aback that he got so heated about it. What a good actor…so I just caved and gave him almost double of what a fair fare (ha!) was. Grr. Never again!


Aside from that, my visit to Butare was wonderful! The National University of Rwanda (NUR) is there, along with Edouard, one of the Animators, who was in his first year of studies. So the city has a real college feel – lots of cute little shops, cafés, and a great artisan/souvenir shop where I bought lots of great gifts. I met up with Bosco, my friend from Kibeho, who conveniently was also passing through Butare on his way home to Kigali from Kibeho. So we had a brief chat at a café, and it felt very college-y! Haven't had that kind of "normal" thing in a super long time!

I got to spend an entire day hanging out with Edouard and his friend Seth. They gave me a very thorough tour of their campus. All of the departments and facilities of their campus are pretty comparable to those found at a typical American university, only a bit smaller and a little grungier. They have dorms, even with custodial staff that does the students' laundry (by hand) for them. We were there on a Saturday, so there were all kinds of clothing out on the lines and on the grass to dry, and many students were home for the weekend. Those that were still on campus were playing sports, hanging out in the cafeteria, and just being students! It was cool. I also got to visit the parish where Edouard sings in the English choir! I'm so proud of him :)

It was a super fun day hanging out with these guys, mostly because Edouard just loves to talk, and once you get him going he'll just keep going. It was really hot outside and we walked a LOT, but I've gotten pretty used to that. It was cool to see Edouard out and on his own as a college student – he will do great things in the world of physics! Seth too – now in retrospect as I write this, I see that he will also achieve a lot in the legal realm. He's studying law, and he writes me these awesome facebook messages that say stuff like "remain well in God, joy, peace, family…"

I also got to visit the National Museum of Rwanda. I went during the week by myself, and I was the only person in the entire museum (it is a pretty small museum). It is all about pre-colonial history – ancient Rwandan traditions, big walk-in grass huts, butter churning gourds, hunting and gathering techniques, music, animist religions, "witch doctor" healings, and various social practices.

I also had the joy of realizing that I lost my digital camera in Kibeho. I actually realized this the second I got out of the bus when I first arrived in Butare from Kibeho. It had been in my pocket, which was tied around my waist. When I realized it wasn't in there, I quickly checked my purse as the bus began to pull away. Seeing that it wasn't there, I rapped on the matatu door and they let me back in to look for it. I searched all over the sketchy backseat where I was sitting, and all along the unfinished metal floor, but it was nowhere to be found. When I got to the Sisters' house, I told them about this, and they suggested that I try to contact the Marian Fathers whom I had visited. I knew that the last place I had it was at their house, so it was highly possible that it could be there somewhere. I did not have their number, but I went through a lovely phone-call-journey to find it. First I called Sr. Gisele, who referred me to Sr. Mary in Kigali, who gave me the number of one of the Pallotine Sisters in Kigali. These Sisters have another community in Kibeho and a nice guest house. I called the Pallotine Kigali community to get the number of someone in the Kibeho community, with the hope that they might have the number of one of the Marian Fathers in Kibeho. All this telephoning was in French, and what was really funny was that the Sister who answered for the Pallotines in Kibeho was about to go get a different Sister who spoke French better than her because she was having difficulty following me! When we realized that English was the better language for both of us, we chuckled and continued with our phone conversation. She was so sweet I can't even describe it. She said she'd call me back with the priest's number, and that she hopes that I find my camera. Well, I finally got in touch with Fr. Leszek, and he hadn't seen my camera anywhere. While I was on the phone with him, he walked out to the car to take a peek in there, and ta-da, there it was! It had fallen out of my pocket and was sitting on the front seat! And fortunately for me, he was planning to come to Kigali in a few days, so he could bring it with him and leave it with the FMA there. How providential! Thank you St. Anthony for always finding our lost stuff!  It pretty much took all afternoon to do all this calling, tracking-down of numbers, and waiting for reply, but it was certainly worth it!