我渴望学中文

In my last post, I described how our secret, unofficial Chinese class somehow became widely known. I have been asked by brothers and sisters in some of the French and Kinyarwanda congregations when there will be an official class. Of course, I cannot say when this will be, but it will happen someday.

However, there is one young brother named Lyevin in one of the French congregations I want to tell you about. This brother has been attending some meetings at the Kigali English Congregation because he has such an ardent desire to learn Chinese, he is planning to transfer here knowing that a Chinese group will eventually be formed. Every time I see him, he tells me in French or in heavily-French-accented English how much he wants to learn Chinese. The conversations usually go something like this:

"So, Brian, when will there be a Chinese class?"

"I don't know, not yet."

"How soon?"

"Soon. You just need to be patient."

"Will you tell me when that happens?"

"Yes, I will."

I tell Lyevin that when the time comes, he will need to fill out an application, it needs to be approved by his elders, and in the meantime, he needs to work on his English because the Chinese class will be conducted in English. Therefore, English comprehension is critical to taking the class.

Back in October, before we started the unofficial class, our supply of pinyin Bibles (yes! 30 of them!) arrived from South Africa. After the Wednesday night meeting I was trying to discreetly distribute them to the students who were approved to take the unofficial class. However, from the back of the Kingdom Hall, Lyevin somehow noticed what was happening and made a beeline to the literature counter.

"Hey, Brian, what is that you're giving everyone?"

"It's a Bible."

"Can I have one of those?"

"Uh, no, sorry, they are for certain people only."

"Why can't I have one? I want to learn Chinese too."

"Be patient, the time will come."

"When will there be a Chinese class?"

(see above for continuation)

Poor Lyevin. I hope he does get approved to take a Chinese class, because if not, I think it would break his heart. (In that case, I may have to arrange private lessons.)

I did work an entire day in field service with him once, and of course we had to do Chinese calls.

Well, you can't deny the interest in learning Chinese. Stay tuned!

Lyevin

(Unofficial) Chinese class

It's true...I haven't posted for a few weeks, and maybe some of you thought I fell off the face of the earth (which could happen in this part of the world). However, this is to let everyone know that I am alive and well and still in Kigali. It's just that there hasn't been anything new to report. No coups, guerrilla warfare, raging pandemics, that sort of thing.

Well, actually there is one piece of news. For the last two months, I have been teaching an unofficial Chinese class to local brothers and sisters. The direction from the Governing Body in the form of a letter sent within the last year to bodies of elders regarding foreign languages is that now a "pre-group" may be formed in advance of a "group." Which of course precedes the formation of a congregation, as we all know.

However, to form a pre-group, you must have preaching territory, a core of publishers who speak or are willing to learn the language, and a meeting that can be arranged on a regular basis. Only then can an official language class be arranged. But you can't form a pre-group with only one person speaking the language! For this reason, it was suggested to start an unofficial Chinese class. This would be a private matter not involving the congregation. We decided to hold it at an open area in the apartment complex I previously lived in. It was supposed to be a secret arrangement, but somehow nearly everyone in the congregation found out about it.

We handpicked about a dozen publishers from Kigali English and other congregations to participate in this unofficial class. The goal was to give everyone a foundation in reading pinyin, giving a basic presentation, knowing basic conversation, etc. At some point in time we will have met the requirement of having a core of publishers learning Chinese.

A few weeks ago I put together an Excel spreadsheet of Chinese names and addresses. Well, more specifically, locations, because here in Kigali most houses and business really don't have addresses. True, they have come a long way from the days of descriptions such as "three houses past the mango tree" (not that I would even know what one looks like), and it has only been in the last year or two that they have finally started to name the streets here, paved or otherwise, but you still can't receive mail at an actual location—you have to get it at a postal box.

But, getting back to this spreadsheet: now we have territory, of sorts. This is a list of most of the Chinese people I have run into since I have been here, some of whom have turned into Bible studies.

Regarding the class: it is like an official language class in many respects, except that because it is unofficial, no pioneer credit is given :(  Yes, it requires a true self-sacrificing spirit! Also, because it is being held at an open area in an apartment complex, we can't do anything that would make a lot of noise, such as play music, sing, dance, or set off firecrackers. And though I have a whiteboard, there is no screen or projector. So videos are out! But there are still many activities we can do that don't require such equipment and are on the quieter side.

Would you like to meet the students in this class? Here is a photo of most of them, along with their Chinese names, kindly provided by my friend Leif Sage in Sacramento, California.

Munyankindi, Philbert 孟志豪 mèngzhìháo

Mugisha, Blaise 马博韵 mǎbóyùn

Ingabire, Ange 杨安颖 yáng'ānyǐng
Umuhire, Aurore 魏安柔 wèi'ānróu

Ukwivuze, Jonathan 吴俊天 wújùntiān

Nzayituriki, David 毛丁宇 máodīngyǔ

Nzabakira, Esther 倪颖颖 níyǐngyǐng

Imulinde, Odile 林德丽 líndélì

Zimulinda, Darius 郑丽苏 zhènglìsū

Not present:
Nzabakira, Frédéric 朱凤丁 zhūfèngdīng
Mfitumukiza, Siméon 冯思伟 féngsīwěi
Dushimimana, Belyse 杜贝利 dùbèilì

Two weeks ago we had a "practice" Congregation Bible Study. I had sent everyone the 3lines.org material for that week's lesson. Each of the students was assigned either to answer a question or read a scripture. Even though there were a number missing that day, the ones present managed to step up and comment when necessary. So it can be done!

That is the latest. Please keep us in your prayers!

Current issues: immigration, security guards, rain

Here I am cruising along, thinking how great it is that for Americans, entry to Rwanda is free for a 90-day stay, and that all I had to do was cross to a neighboring country every 3 months for reentry. (Visa fees for neighboring countries: Uganda, $50; Tanzania, $50; Kenya, $50; Burundi, $40; DR Congo, $115+.)

Suddenly, almost without warning (which is typical for African countries), the Rwandan immigration law changed on November 1. Of course, it is now more restrictive, not less so. And it goes without saying that the authorities are always looking for ways to get more money.

So now the story is: I have to pay $30 to enter the country, and for a period of only 30 days each time!

This means that just to leave Rwanda and reenter will cost me $40-50 for the neighboring country, $30 for Rwanda, plus the bus fare, which totals over $100, not counting whatever I spend in the country for accommodations, food, etc. Repeat every 30 days!

I had a trip planned to Uganda the first week of November, but I canceled because it would buy me only a week more in Rwanda, since I still have about a month left on my current 90-day stay.

Too much 麻烦 (trouble), I thought. Does this mean I will have to return to the U.S., and all this work in the Chinese field will come to a grinding halt, just as it is barely starting? If Jehovah has gotten us this far, he will surely be able to overcome this obstacle! 

So I prayed about the matter over the next several days, and it was my Chinese Bible student Han Kai who gave me the answer. Since I am teaching him and his wife English, in addition to the Bible, he suggested that I work for him as a consultant. His company would apply for a work permit. That would require a passport, photos, diploma, resume or CV, and police report showing no criminal convictions.

Then, a few days later, he thought of a better idea. He said I should start my own business. I could apply at RDB (Rwanda Development Board) for a business certificate. Afterward, at immigration I could apply for the work permit myself. The diploma would not be required—thank goodness—and it would cost 100,000Rwf ($142) for the two-year permit. Also, by starting my own business, I wouldn't have to pay the 30% Rwandan tax on income, because it's hard enough having to pay U.S. tax on income earned anywhere in the world, as U.S. law requires for American citizens. (Even with the overseas exemption, there still is the matter of Social Security and Medicare taxes.)

So one of his employees took me to RDB and walked me through the entire process. It is free to start a company (formerly was 15,000Rwf, or $21), because Rwanda is trying to encourage entrepreneurship and new businesses. I now have a company called "Creative Learning Services Ltd."! Its purpose is to teach languages, and provide legal business services. Yes, Chinese companies often need help reviewing their legal contracts, the English of which is often cringe-worthy.

I went to the appropriate governmental agency to apply for a police report (1,200Rwf, or $1.70), only to be told the next day that I had to get a residency visa from immigration first. Then, at immigration they told me they required a police report from my country of residence (U.S.), because even though I have been in Rwanda for the last 8 months, I am still legally a resident of the U.S. In other words, being a tourist does not count toward residency. So I had to have my parents send me an application for a police report from the Sacramento Police Department, I completed and returned it to them, and now I'm waiting for the report ($62 for the report, $24 for the mailing).

I know this narrative may bore you readers, but hey, it's my diary, and I want to record every detail of all this because, who knows, I may have to go through it again, either here or in some other country. Sometimes I wonder if I'm getting too old for this.

Additional notes: Han Kai remarked during a recent Bible study that "God has blessed black people, because they live in such a beautiful country, relatively unpolluted, especially compared to China." I replied that China was just as beautiful at one time, until people polluted it. God has blessed the entire earth with beauty, but what people have done with it is another story.
...

At KIE, where I have a number of Bible studies, I recently got stopped at the front gate by security. Usually, I just walk on through and the guards never stop me, probably because there are Chinese teachers at KIE and they think I'm just one of them. Besides, the guards only speak Kinyarwanda and when they can't communicate with you, they just let you go. (General tip: When you get into a tight spot, start speaking another language. What can the other person do but allow you to pass?)

Well, this particular time the guards' supervisor was at the booth and he asked me, "Do you have permission to come in here?" I said, "Why do I need permission to visit someone?" The truth is I have come here more than 50 times and no one has given me a problem. So why is this happening now? This was the first time I had ever seen this guy and, frankly, I operate on the principle learned long ago, "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission."

Ironically, if you pull up in a car, they will open the front gate and not stop you. Does having a car somehow make you more trustworthy? . . . Additional note: Even though they are not stopping the cars these days, in the recent past they used to place this device on the end of a long pole underneath the cars. A bomb-detecting device, you think? Hardly! It was a mirror on the end of the pole, used to see the undercarriage of the car. My question is, do these guards know exactly what a bomb looks like? And what if it is in the evening, after dark? What good is the mirror then?
...

The rainy season is upon us! Part of almost every day it rains, sometimes torrential. You have to be prepared to bring an umbrella all the time, because even if there is not a cloud in the sky, the atmospheric conditions can change dramatically in the span of a few minutes. One interesting thing I have noticed: Few Rwandans carry umbrellas--maybe about 15% of the population, and mostly women. Instead, people prefer to huddle in large groups under the shelter of bus stages, or the awnings of shops, waiting for the rain to stop. The problem is, the rain could last for a few minutes, or it could go on for hours. You never know. It seems that for the locals, time is not an issue. For me, however, I can't see standing at a bus stage for hours when I have things to do, places to go, people to see. So why on earth don't people carry umbrellas!? Even the cheap ones will not break the bank, though in a fierce wind they may be demolished.

In fact, I brought with me from the U.S. an umbrella called a Gustbuster SunBLOK that retails for $70. It is a monster of an umbrella (58"), good for two persons, can withstand wind gusts more than 55mph, protects against sun, etc. On amazon.com, it was selling for $43, but with a discount coupon, I got it for $18, quite a deal! Of course, carrying such an umbrella all day in field service is troublesome (3 lbs. and long, non-retractable), but for short trips it is definitely helpful!

First to attend meeting!

The Sunday before last, October 26, was a milestone in my almost 8 months of living in Rwanda. A Bible student came to the Kingdom Hall! This was Peter, the Rwandan student who is an English major at KIE. I have had only one study with him, but he wanted to come to the Sunday meeting right away. I told him I would pick him up beforehand, since he didn't know where the Kingdom Hall was.

However, Sundays are about the most packed days in my schedule. Now, I am teaching Han Kai and his wife English twice a week (for money, of course), which includes Sunday mornings at 7:00am. We study English for an hour, then have a Bible study (in Chinese) at 8:00am, then I rush off to an English study in another part of town at 9:30am--and hope that the buses aren't running too slowly--then come back for the meeting at 11:30am. Oh, and try to eat something before the meeting, if that is at all possible. (Then, there is another Bible study after the meeting, which is a 20-minute walk from the Kingdom Hall, to round the day off.)

So, this particular Sunday when Peter said he wanted to come to the meeting, I tried to allow plenty of time on a bus to get to his place and back before the meeting, but that day, the traffic was backed up solid due to an event involving groups of runners on the street. At one traffic light, my bus sat for 10 minutes! It was stressful, but we eventually made it to the Kingdom Hall with a few minutes to spare.

Peter brought his Bible, which was a modern-English translation similar to Today's English Version (I think), but after using it during the public talk, he realized it didn't read quite the same as the version everyone else was using, so he asked me afterward for a New World Translation, as well as a songbook. Since the literature department didn't have either one of these, I managed to get them at Bethel the next day. Anyway, now Peter wants to attend every Sunday! He can now walk to the Hall himself, which would take about 15 minutes.

But that isn't all there is to this story....

This past Sunday, November 2, not only Peter but Mr. Han's wife came! Her name is Liu Hui Fang. Mr. Han was supposed to come, but he had a golf date with some Koreans. (Not to worry, we will make sure he comes to the meeting next week.) My other Chinese return visit, Zhao Li Bo, had also promised to come, but he got sick. Even though I have invited Mr. Han and his wife to the meeting before, one of the things that may have tipped the scale this time is my comment to them, "Not only will you learn more about the Bible, but you can improve your English as well." By the way, for all of them I would say that their English is 不错 (not bad).

At the meeting, of course Mrs. Han was swarmed over. Our congregation is so friendly that before and after meetings you could say the air is "electric." Sometimes the conversations are so loud that it's difficult to hear oneself!

So I managed to assign some Rwandan sisters who have started learning Chinese to help Mrs. Han to find scriptures, etc., during the meeting. I was very interested to note the subject of the Watchtower Study, "Are You Convinced That You Have the Truth? Why?" Chinese people don't know much about Christianity in general, and many of them think that all so-called "Christian" religions are alike. This article sets the record straight!

After the meeting I couldn't reach my other Bible student, but I did start a study with someone else, and after an exhausting but immensely satisfying day returned home after 6:30pm.

Here are pictures of everyone:

Peter

Hui Fang (Lucy)

A Chinese group is in the making!

"Gold mines" for preaching

One thing that you find when preaching in the English field here in Kigali is that universities are very fruitful territory. (I imagine this is the case in most parts of the world.) In particular, because the university students take their courses in English, their English is a cut above everyone else's, especially if they are majoring in English.

So, on the way to the neighborhood known as Kimironko, there is a university called the Kigali Institute of Education (KIE), which houses students majoring in biology, chemistry, education, English, geography, literature, and mathematics.

Kigali Institute of Education (KIE)

OK, aside from the nice-looking exterior, the quality of the campus as a whole isn't the greatest. Buildings are old and could use paint, notice boards need repair, and rooms are small. To show how overcrowded the place is, each room of 10 square meters holds eight students, with two bunk beds, and two persons per twin-sized bed. The students hang their clothes on the wall wherever they can find space. I have been told this is standard practice—and apparently Africans are used to it. Each floor consisting of 20-25 rooms, that is, 160-200 students, has a communal bathroom and shower. (In America, even just two persons sharing a bathroom can cause rioting.) Due to a budget shortage and consequent lack of cleaning workers, there is always the overpowering smell of urine wafting down the dimly lit, narrow corridors. I have used the bathroom at KIE only once, and I wouldn't recommend it except in case of dire emergency. Because having to go to a Rwandan hospital is by far a worse alternative.

Despite these issues, as the title of this post indicates, KIE is a "gold mine" for preaching. During the school year, which began on October 6, you can go door-to-door in the dorms and find many students to talk to—and on occasion all eight of them in one room. The challenge is to (1) keep all the names straight, (2) remember the students' schedules, (2) track where they are at any given time, because there is shifting from room to room, and (3) determine the level of genuine interest, since all of them will profess interest in our message.

Nevertheless, among the numerous return visits I have at KIE, there are two very serious students. One of them, John, studies every Saturday morning faithfully and we have reached Lesson 4 of the Good News brochure. He asks many questions, so I know he has more than passing interest. He has a Kinyarwanda New World Translation, so that is helpful for those moments when greater understanding is needed.

Another student, Peter, wanted to make sure that I returned to see him and by the end of the first lesson of the Good News brochure—and also after watching the short video on meetings—said he wanted to come to the Kingdom Hall.

On Saturdays when most of the students have time off, they do their laundry (by hand, of course—what did you think?), and those who don't complete it in time to get space on the lines have to drape their clothes over every available bush on campus. Then, they all go off to play basketball or soccer until their clothes dry. So there is a great deal of camaraderie among the students, which no doubt contributes to their enjoyment of life, if not perhaps to their academics.

By the way, KIE also has a Confucius Center, which has Chinese instructors teaching the Chinese language to locals. The tuition is reasonable, and most of the students want to use their knowledge of Chinese in business relationships. In case you were wondering, yes, I have return visits among the instructors also.

Another university close to the center of town, called the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), is another good place to preach. This university is much newer and that is reflected in the quality of the campus. I have been to this campus only once—it seemed like I was walking forever because it is such a huge place—and had some productive conversations wherein we made a point of showing the 4-minute video. Other brothers in the congregation preach at KIST regularly. I can tell you, they have a nice cafeteria where you can get a buffet for only 1000Rwf ($1.43). The cashier is even one of our sisters.

Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST)

So, there you have it. Two places where you can strike "gold," spiritually speaking. Will keep you posted on the progress of this territory.

Life in retirement (of sorts)

Right now I preach 4 days a week, and have 3 days completely free (except for the weeknight meeting). Back in the States I would be working those 3 days, with no day off. But here on those free days about the most exciting thing that happens is that . . . I go out to lunch somewhere. Oh, yesterday I also went and had one of my shoes repaired, for 300Rwf ($0.43). Actually, in view of the strong Internet signal at my house, I have also been accessing YouTube to download and watch classical concerts, film musicals, detective shows, documentaries, etc. But this activity—like watching TV—is not completely satisfying. So in the constant quest for mental and creative stimulation, on Tuesday evenings I have been teaching piano to two Bethel brothers. My only request to them is that they save me some food from the dining room. (When I was in Malawi, I had the same deal: piano lessons for Bethelites in exchange for food.) It seems to be a good arrangement, especially considering I could probably stand to gain some weight, and Bethel food is really good!

As far as a Chinese class is concerned, the branch reviewed all of the direction the organization has provided on the matter of foreign-language classes, and came to the conclusion that before we can have a language class, there must be a group in place, with some territory organized. However, you can't have a group if I'm the only one who can speak Chinese! So now we are about to start an informal class with a few carefully chosen students. After a few months, we can ask the circuit overseer to start a group, and THEN we can have a formal language class with up to 26 students. So this is the procedure we will be following.

Great experience: On Monday I got a call from a brother named Claude, whom I vaguely remember meeting at the Kinyarwanda regional convention. He said he is in the construction business, and told me about a Chinese man with whom he has a business relationship at the KCC (Kigali Convention Center) construction site—the round building, if you readers recall from a previous post—and wanted me to accompany him that afternoon so that after he completes his business, I could witness to the man. Claude said that he tried to witness before to this guy but due to the language barrier it was a challenge.

One thing crossed my mind: The several times I have been to the KCC construction site I have not had a conversation with any of the Chinese workers or staff lasting longer than a few seconds. Usually, I just get an abrupt response, or "I'm too busy," and some accept a tract, but reluctantly. It's true that they don't have much time when working. Moreover, I have found that a Chinese person is less likely to respond when he is in a group—for example, during a lunch period—than when he is alone. And these construction workers seem always to be in large groups.

So even though I don't normally preach on Mondays, I agreed to go with Claude. The Chinese guy's name turned out to be Zhao Li Bo, which reminded me of the fact that in California I used to have a Bible student named Li Bo, who worked at a massage place. He was one of the best students I have had, even attending the Chinese meetings, but after a few months he disappeared completely, without a trace. With Chinese you can never tell, especially when they are in the field of massage. To this day only Jehovah knows where Li Bo is.

But I digress.... So I asked Mr. Zhao whether he had any religious background. He said "No, but I am interested in knowing more." So I explained that we are an international organization of Christians and that we help people understand the Bible. He asked, do you have a church? After I said that we are the only English congregation in all of Rwanda and that our objective is to start a Chinese group, he said, "So does that mean if I come to your meeting, I will be the first Chinese person?" Yes!

Then, the girl at the next desk said she wanted to come to our meeting also. Both of them speak English decently. So now I have an arrangement to visit Mr. Zhao at his office on Sunday, which is his day off, and after a discussion, we will head off to the meeting.

On the drive home, Claude told me that as a result of their business dealings, Mr. Zhao considers Claude a friend. Claude has even driven Mr. Zhao to a place to play soccer, and has plans to invite him for dinner in the near future (with yours truly included). So this goes to show that after you befriend Chinese, which may take some time, they trust you and then in many cases they will be receptive to the Kingdom message.

Will keep you updated on this experience!

A pedestrian's life—how much is it worth?

OK, without a car, what is life like as a pedestrian? In some places in the world, motorists seem to be intent on running you down—as if doing so gave them points in a video game, for example. However, here in Kigali I wouldn't say this is the case, but the drivers do get awfully close to you, sometimes too close for comfort. Occasionally the cars and motorcycles seem to be heading straight in your direction, and then at the last second swerve to miss you.

When I learned how to drive—yes, many years ago this was—I was taught that you give pedestrians a wide berth. Get as far from them as you can, but still remain safely in your lane. That way, if something unexpected occurs, you as a driver can react in time. Here, there is no such philosophy. Cars and motorcycles will turn sharply in front of you as a pedestrian. They will keep backing no matter what may be behind them. If you are crossing the street, they will act as though you are not there. Especially is this hazardous when trying to cross a traffic circle—or "rond-point," as we say in French—because you don't know if the cars are continuing around the circle or exiting. (Turn signals are often meaningless.) Or even doing something such as backing up in the circle....

So, let's just face it—as a pedestrian you are the invisible person!

The main roads are, of course, paved (known as "tarmacs"). But they are outnumbered by the many dirt paths. So one needs to get accustomed to (1) getting dust kicked up by the wind and vehicles, and (2) mud puddles.

This means that a path looking like this during the dry season . . .

. . . becomes this during the rainy season . . .

So if you are wearing nice shoes, be prepared to have them ruined.

And I have noticed that unlike in Central and South America, where you can find boys on the street who will clean and shine your shoes for a small charge, no such occupation exists here in Rwanda. You would think that with jobs being hard to find, someone would get the idea of shining shoes for a living. But, no, apparently such a job is considered too menial. So instead, you can pay to weigh yourself on a scale. I would think having your shoes shined, however, is far more needed than knowing your weight.

Ah, but there is a plus to being a pedestrian. You get to see interesting things happen on the street.

For instance, the other day we were preaching near Kimironko. (Note: That was the day I walked more than 10 miles. Could barely get out of bed the next morning. Far cry from Sacramento preaching, eh?) We spotted this incident across the street: An umuzungu got one of his car tires stuck in a hole. He was immediately surrounded by a crowd of locals, who were eventually successful in pushing the car out. He gave them 4000Rwf, which they promptly fought over. (Give me the money, I deserve it! ... No, you don't, I did more work than you did!)

Ha! Got it all recorded on my tablet. This would never happen in the U.S.!

Chicken dinner?

Last week, in the compound where I live, there were not one, but two roosters running around. One had a rope tied around its leg; it looked like it was tethered at some point in time, but now is free. So the guess was that it--no, we can safely say "he"--had escaped from somewhere in the neighborhood. Anyway, these roosters were crowing several times a minute, day and night. I learned that roosters crow to establish territorial rights. Usually they pick the most irritating time to do this, such as at 4:00am, just when you are comfortably situated in bed, but in the case of these two, it was a nonstop chorus. Aside from using a good set of earplugs, there is nothing to stop roosters doing what comes naturally, short of . . . well, you can figure that out.

Well, this week, the crowing seemed fainter, so apparently they are still in the neighborhood but someone, in a fit of frustration, moved them to another yard. I don't know what the life span of a rooster is--whether naturally or unnaturally--but no doubt this current situation cannot go on for very much longer. Then, I can finally get some sleep!

Speaking of chicken, I have noted that here in Rwanda it is one of the more expensive meats. Why is this, I wonder? I was told that chickens are used for egg production and not for meat. You can't have it both ways. Not only is the meat expensive, but it is also frequently dry and tough. So it's usually best to stick to what the locals do best: beef and goat brochettes, and steaks. (And fish is not bad, since there is Lake Kivu.)

Chinese-language class update: It seems that no one (including the circuit overseer) here has heard of the application process for approving language class students. I happened to have a copy of the application in my laptop, so I sent it to the elders who are coordinating the class. It will take time for the students to complete the applications, not to mention the time taken by the respective service committees to provide their comments on the applications, so I imagine we will not be starting the class anytime before the middle of November.

Another reason for that time frame: The South Africa branch does not have pinyin Bibles and Bible Teach books. So we need to order these from the U.S. This will take at least two months.

Finally, there is a list of equipment we will need for the class, including projector, screen, whiteboards, easels, etc. I don't know about the availability of some of these items (since this is Africa), so again, time is needed!

Weather notes: Friday, September 5, was the coldest day I have experienced here in Kigali. It rained almost the whole day and reached a high of only 64°F (18°C). Then, on Friday, September 19, we had hail!

Reminds me of Northern California, in early winter! So much for tropical Africa!

Cultural differences

After being here for six months, I have noticed some characteristics of Rwandan culture that differ from those in the West. What are some of these differences?

1. Inability to say no to a request.

West: If you are not available or not interested, you directly say so.

Rwanda: It is difficult for people to say "no" to a request for an appointment, even if they are unable or unwilling to keep the appointment. Therein can be the problem. People want to please you, so they agree to your request. Then, at the appointed time, they don't show up. This can be far more disagreeable than if they had simply told you "no" to begin with. For the same reason, it can be challenging to determine who shows genuine interest in our message, because everyone will tell you, "Yes, I want to study the Bible."

2. Inviting oneself over to someone's house.

West: Generally frowned on. It would be the equivalent of saying, "Let me come over and eat your food and enjoy your hospitality. You should be generous to me." Or perhaps, like poor people or kids on the street saying, "Give me money." So the way you enjoy someone's company is you invite them over to your house, not the other way around.

Rwanda: Such a gesture is not viewed this way. When someone says, "So when are you going to invite me over to your place?" it is considered as a mark of friendship. People feel that they show they care about you by visiting you. So it is just a matter of your telling them when it would be convenient for them to come. Just their presence is all that is desired, no gifts necessary.

3. Showing up at someone's house without advance notice. 

West: Feelings about this can differ from country to country, but generally speaking, it is best to communicate beforehand before coming over, even if it's just to drop off or pick up something briefly. Who knows, the house may be in disarray, or the host may not be dressed, etc. So better to avoid an embarrassing situation and call in advance.

Rwanda: No problem! And if we happen to be eating dinner, you are more than welcome to join us!

4. No equivalent of the word "please."

West: Saying "please" when making a request is considered a hallmark of politeness and good breeding. 

Rwanda: When you want something from someone, just ask for it. You don't need to say "please," because such a word does not even exist in Kinyarwanda. Though this may be viewed by a Westerner as too up front, the fact is that Rwandans use their tone of voice and facial expressions to convey their graciousness in making the request.

5. If you suggest going somewhere to eat, you pay for everyone.

West: Though someone may expressly offer to pay for others, most people understand the concept of everyone covering his/her own meal. This should be clearly understood beforehand, because there's nothing quite as stressful as being invited by someone and during the entire meal you are wondering, "Is he paying, or am I supposed to pay for my own meal?" especially if you don't have enough money to do so.

Rwanda: Yes! And thanks for inviting me!

Note: I've never tried this, so I don't know how a Rwandan person would react if you said, "Could you invite me to lunch?"

Additional note: In Chinese culture, the way you phrase the suggestion determines whether you will be treating or everyone pays for his own meal. If you say "我请你吃饭" (I invite you to eat), that means you will be paying. But if you say "我跟你一起吃饭，好吗？" (You and I eat together, OK?), then it is understood that each person pays separately. The key word here is 请 (invite). If you don't understand this slight distinction, you may be on the hook for a lot of meals!

Burundi

Several months back, two brothers from the neighboring country of Burundi were visiting Rwanda. So I seized that opportunity to get their contact information, because you never know when it may come in handy.

Sure enough, when the time came to leave the country in order to reenter Rwanda for another 3 months, I decided to skip over into Bujumbura, Burundi. (Try saying that 10 times fast.) Three of us, David, Jean de Dieu, and I took a Volcano bus from Nyabugogo bus park at 6:00am on Saturday, August 30.

Rwandan brothers had told me beforehand that Burundi is not safe, its political situation is volatile, you have to watch out for prostitutes, etc. OK, so when you visit a place bracing yourself for the worst, the reality can only be better, right?

It is true that Burundi, situated on the eastern border of DR Congo and considered one of the 5 poorest countries in the world, has had quite a turbulent history, much like Rwanda's. Most people do not know that a year before the Rwandan genocide, Burundi had a genocide of its own (as well as an earlier genocide in 1972). Yes, this area of Central Africa has been fraught with political and ethnic tension. It is a real shame, because Burundi is an often overlooked gem of natural beauty--not to mention that the people are hospitable almost to a fault.

The information I received from the Burundian embassy here in Kigali regarding visas was different from what I read online. And even the sources online were not consistent with each other. Was the information dated 4 years ago, or more recently? Things can change in a heartbeat here in Africa. So I decided that I would take my chances and try to get an entry visa at the border, rather than obtain it beforehand. Many visa issues are not clear-cut and are left to the discretion (or the mood) of either the border authorities or immigration. So sometimes you can get a favorable result by using what could be called "friendly charm." (DEFINITELY NO BRIBING) Of course, my two companions did not need a visa to enter Burundi, because they are Rwandan.

My previous venture out of Kigali was in a westerly direction. This time, we went south, through the city of Butare, also known as Huye. The scenery was similar to what I had seen before--beautiful green, rolling hills, dotted with farms and cattle.

The first difficulty we faced: the day we were traveling was umuganda, the last-Saturday-of-the-month community service day. (See previous post on this subject.) Even though we left Kigali at 6:00am, which was OK since umuganda doesn't begin until 7:30am, at which time vehicles are not supposed to be on the road, the problem arose when we hit two checkpoints later that morning. At the first, we stopped in a line of other buses while the driver got out and left us wondering how long we would be stuck here. When he returned after 25 minutes, there was some conversation about how he explained to the police that our bus group was attending the funeral of one of the passenger's relatives, and so we had to leave right away. Apparently, the police bought this explanation--even with the fact that there was a Chinese guy in among a group of Africans--and the driver promptly sped off, trying to get away before the authorities noticed the large pile of stuff under blankets at the back of the bus (which turned out, upon unloading on arrival, to be household goods). Some in the bus thought this was very entertaining--and expedient.

But it wasn't over. At the second checkpoint, the driver wasn't as successful. This time we had to wait an hour and 10 minutes until umuganda was officially finished. So what normally should have been a 7-hour trip (6 hours+1 hour at the border) turned into over 9 hours. Remind me never to travel on umuganda again.

Can't move!

At the border, I got an exit stamp from Rwanda, then on the Burundi side, I paid my $40 for 3 days and got a receipt for the visa. This receipt is critical to keep, because you have to show it upon exiting the country. I was hoping to stay for 5 days and pay the extra $10 for overstaying 2 days, either at immigration or at the border. (More on this later.)

Welcome to Burundi!

Well, scenery-wise, the Burundian side looked pretty much like the Rwandan side, that is, until we started our descent into the capital, Bujumbura. Then, it became noticeably more hot and humid, with a big-city atmosphere. We pulled into Bujumbura after 3:30pm and were immediately met by Jean-Eudes, a brother in the Bujumbura English congregation.

David, Jean de Dieu, Jean-Eudes

We promptly went to town, to a lunch buffet (why not?) for the first decent meal of the day.

Then, we walked around town, passed the Kingdom Hall, and found our accommodations....

Downtown Bujumbura

Le Marché Central (Central Market) de Bujumbura

La Salle du Royaume (Kingdom Hall)

This is where two of us spent the first night.
It is 2 minutes from Bethel and 2 minutes from the Kingdom Hall.

Sunday morning, August 31, at 8:30am was the meeting of the Bujumbura English congregation. This congregation is only 2 years old and has 38 publishers. It is the only English congregation in the entire country. There are also a few French and Swahili congregations in Bujumbura, but congregations in most of the country use Kirundi, the local language. So in this respect, Bujumbura is like Kigali. I did notice that, generally, French is stronger in Burundi than in Rwanda, but English is less strong.

Yvan, Suzie, Régis

After the meeting, we abandoned all notions of going in field service (though the intentions were there), and instead went to...

...the BEACH!!

Ah, yes, the beauty of Bujumbura is that it borders Lake Tanganyika. Based on my prodigious research, which consisted of one quick look at Wikipedia, this lake is (1) the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, (2) the second deepest lake, and (3) the world's longest freshwater lake. It borders four countries: Tanzania, DR Congo, Burundi, and Zambia.

Once you get out of the city, all stress miraculously melts away. The water is warm and inviting. That evening, the two- to three-foot waves reminded me of . . . the ocean! I hadn't had the experience of swimming in a lake that was churned up by wind to that extent.

It's interesting that no matter where you go in the world, the human reaction to large bodies of water is the same. People, both adults and kids, have such a good time in the water. It is evident that Jehovah made us to enjoy this part of his creation.

Wow, what a day! That evening I moved to the house of a couple, Tobi and Jenny. They are need-greaters from Germany and are serving in the French field.

Tobi and Jenny

That night I slept very well. But then came Monday . . .

September 1, despite being the beginning of a new service year, turned out to be one of those days to be long remembered, or maybe best forgotten. At first I wasn't sure whether I should go to immigration and get the visa extension, or try to get it at the border. Someone convinced me to go to immigration. So I was dropped off there around 10:00am--and incidentally, it is far from city center at this out-of-the-way location not clearly marked (but maybe for good reason)--and entered what seemed like a zoo. Finally, I had a conversation with an official in French, wherein he told me I had to provide photocopies of certain pages of my passport, as well as my visa receipt. I thought, oh no, I left the visa receipt at home, so I paid 4000Bfr for a taxi and went to Bethel thinking, maybe I can take a tour before going home for the receipt. So I met Jean de Dieu at 11:00am at Bethel, where we were told that, sorry, we were too late for a tour, and could we come back at 1:00pm? Sure! At this point, I realized, to my chagrin, that I did have the visa receipt all along in my pocket. (Yes, I was fairly brain-dead during much of this trip. How else do you explain pulling out 6000Bfr for a bottle of water that costs only 600Bfr?) So we paid another 4000Bfr for a taxi ride back to immigration. When we approached the window for étrangers at 11:45am, the official told us, sorry, they were closing for lunch and we would have to come back at 2:00pm.

OK! This is Africa! We might as well eat something, since Bethel was at lunch, and I decided at that point that I was not going back to immigration a third time and spend more on taxi rides and experience the joy of being turned away once again.

Well...all four of us made it to Bethel about 3:00pm. We had a great tour, as is usually the case.

David, Benjamin (Translation Dept.),
Géraud (tour guide, Translation Dept.), Jean-Eudes

After a day filled with productive activities--OK, maybe visiting Bethel was the only one that could be considered such--and due to the cancellation of a dinner invitation, we decided to head off to the beach to get one last swim.

Then, that evening, I had a misadventure to top off the day. Unfortunately, due to circumstance I had to walk alone back to my accommodations. Because it was hot, it was dark, I was tired, and I was in a strange city where I had walked this route only once going the other direction, I made a wrong turn and got hopelessly lost. So I flagged down a three-wheeled taxi, showed him the address, and he also got lost. He asked a number of people walking on the street, one of whom hopped in. I called Tobi, who was trying to explain to the driver in French where he lived, but the driver wasn't getting it (probably because the driver didn't speak French). Then, my phone ran out of units. Finally, we found the place, but once inside the house I realized that an envelope with money was missing from my pocket. Either I was pickpocketed or the envelope fell out in the taxi. Logistically, I think it was the latter. Anyway, the result is the same: I lost a fair amount of money, including my visa receipt. I normally would not carry that much money, but since I was dealing with immigration (although that was not to be), you never know how much they will ask for. Thus, you have to be prepared. So, hey, Burundi, you got my money anyway! Use it to improve the streets, or get police who will do their job, or maybe do something about these power cuts that last for days....

On Tuesday, David and Jean de Dieu took the bus back to Kigali. Since my current Rwanda visa expired on Tuesday, I had to make sure I was out of the country on that day and therefore arranged to take the bus on Wednesday. So Tuesday morning I decided I wasn't going out of the house, at least alone (understandably), and anyway I wanted to study for the meeting that evening.

Jean-Eudes picked me up at 3:00pm because he had some Bible studies. The first study was not available, so we went into town to locate some Chinese people. We met a Chinese doctor who was polite but kept mentioning the name of another man who, he said, was more interested in the Bible than he was. So we got the name and phone number of this other person, and someone will try to communicate with him.

Then, we found three shops downtown with Chinese owners. As it turned out, they are related to each other, and all said they were Christian. So I managed to place some jw.org tracts with them and had interesting discussions. One of them has the Chinese Bible Teach book at home, given to him by a Burundian couple.

By the way, a German brother in the Bujumbura English congregation is conducting two Bible studies with Chinese men. Apparently, they both know at least a little English. One of them usually attends the English meetings every Sunday, but at present he is in China. So unfortunately I didn't get to meet him.

After we finished the Chinese calls, it was time to go to the meeting. Some of the brothers in the English congregation expressed a desire to learn Chinese. So I promised to send electronically some Chinese-language instructional materials. Perhaps they are not in a position to start a Chinese group (since the congregation is small to begin with), but some time down the road, that may be possible!

The next day, Wednesday, I was taken to the bus station. I had borrowed some money because I thoroughly expected that on exiting Burundi they would make me pay for another visa--since I couldn't produce the visa receipt--plus the penalty for staying two extra days, totaling $50. But at the border--surprise! The official asked me, did you pay for a visa? I said, yes, but the receipt was stolen (volé). So he pulled out a large ledger, recorded my statistics, and at the far column wrote "volé." Then, he stamped my passport and that was it! I didn't have to pay anything! Even the penalty for overstaying the visa! Thank goodness something went right with the authorities for a change!

But then came the Rwandan entry side. The first question the official asked me was, so I notice you've been in Rwanda for 6 months, are you working in Rwanda? I said no. Then he asked, this contact name on your entry card, is this a Rwandese person? I said yes. Then he asked, so where are you working? I said, I'm not working, I'm living on my savings from the U.S. He looked a bit doubtful, but then said, OK, since your visa expired yesterday, I'm giving you a new one. Stamp, end of interview. I'm free to go at last!

Once out of Bujumbura, the temperature dropped 10 degrees and I could breathe again. (Ah, the blessing of altitude.) The rest of the trip was uneventful. We pulled into Kigali after 7 hours.

So before this post turns into a full-length novel, let me just say that I am very grateful to have my feet back on familiar turf. And you will have to guess which country I will be visiting when I have to exit Rwanda in another 3 months (no, it is not Burundi). Never a dull moment!