Living, eating, and surfing

Hey, I have survived in Rwanda more than a month, and here is the bottom line.

Let's start with finances. OK, I spent under US$400 the first month. That's living pretty frugally by Western standards and yet eating fairly well. I've made it my quest to find the cheapest buffet in town ($2). In fact, there are four buffet places within walking distance of where I live. But the buffet has to have green vegetables. And salads. All the starchy stuff (i.e., rice, fries, cassava, mashed potato), will fill you up, but for real nutrition, go for the dark green. That means sombé (cassava leaves), dodo (amaranth leaves), and sukuma wiki (Swahili name for collard greens). Pumpkin and avocado are also healthy. Sometimes when I'm lunching with a local brother, I taunt him: "Where's the green on your plate?" That's because many locals prefer the starch. It's that way in many of the developing countries I've visited.

Here are some photos of these vegetables when cooked:

Dodo, sukuma wiki

By the way, the expression "sukuma wiki" literally translates "push the week" or "stretch the week." How is that? Since these greens are cheap, readily available, and grown year-round in the dusty soil of nearly every garden in East Africa, they are used to "stretch the week," when other supplies have run out or meat is scarce. You can find them at Kenyan restaurants here in Rwanda.

Sombé

Sombé is prepared by mixing the cassava leaves with bones (!) and groundnut (peanut) paste, thus giving it a nice flavor and texture, as well as a high protein content. It resembles, at the very least, creamed spinach, but you can use your imagination.

OK, that's my "healthy food" speech. Now, generally speaking, here is my take on various categories of expenses:

Food: cheap, if you eat local, moderate to expensive otherwise
Transportation: cheap, except taxi cars (bus fares are government-regulated)
Cell phone: cheap
Housing: moderate (although right now I've got a sweet deal, namely, free)

What about internet? When I was in Malawi 7 years ago, the only internet was in the cafes. There was no wi-fi. I went to a cafe about once every 2 weeks to check my e-mail. I ask myself now, how did I survive? What did I then spend my time doing that I am now wasting surfing the internet? Now, it seems, internet is everywhere and is almost considered a necessity. Here, I pay about $30 a month for internet. It has moments of speed, usually early in the morning or very late at night, but much of the time it's slow and occasionally nonexistent. And I live only about a 5 minute walk from the internet company headquarters! So I wish I could post more photos on this blog, but waiting forever for them to load is often not an option. (Note: A recent online report stated that Rwanda has the fastest internet speed of African countries. Ha! That's like saying the three-toed sloth is the fastest of all the sloths.)

The other day, I wanted to download to my tablet 5 publications from jw.org--not huge ones, mind you, 3 songbooks, English and French WT study issues--and so I decided to send them to myself by e-mail so that when I found a wi-fi spot in town (which turned out to be quite a challenge), I would have them all in one location to download. Well, just sending them by e-mail took almost the whole day. Then, at the meeting, a brother recently moved here from Angola told me that where he lives, which is on a big estate (read: suburban tract of homes), he gets superfast internet. So one day I went with him to his house--quite far, with no bus service--and loaded all my documents in 10 minutes! (at 200Kbps)

That was very kind of the brother, but in terms of decent wi-fi closer to town, I had almost despaired of finding a place, when I discovered that at a Chinese restaurant where I have a return visit, there is a sign advertising fast wi-fi. Their food is rather expensive (e.g., $36 for a seafood platter)--Chinese food here is generally more expensive than other kinds of food, whereas in the U.S. it is generally cheaper--but maybe on occasion I can order a drink or something and avail myself of their wi-fi. Oh, and also do my return visit!

Latest news flash: The other day a brother at Bethel, Dieu Donné (meaning "God-given"), told me about this outdoor bar where Chinese construction workers hang out in the evenings to have brochettes and beer. Did I mention before that Rwandans make these awesome goat, beef, and fish brochettes (shish kabobs)? If I didn't, here is a picture:

But back to the subject. We went to this bar the other evening and found a table of 6 Chinese people enjoying themselves. I wondered, how can we inject ourselves into their company without appearing too obvious? So first, we ordered some brochettes (60 cents apiece) and soda (sorry, no beer, we're on duty) and then I casually said hello to one of the Chinese guys. After a few seconds of small talk, he invited me to join their table! Pretty easy, right? I ended up placing several tracts and getting some names and phone numbers.

After about an hour at the bar, the brother asked whether I wanted to go into town to the Bamboo Chinese restaurant on the top floor of the 2000 supermarket. I told him I had been there before and talked to the lady proprietor. She was polite, but not particularly interested. But the brother replied, did you remember seeing a grand piano there, one that no one plays? So I agreed, let's go check it out. At the restaurant, the proprietor wasn't there, so after asking permission from one of the workers, I banged around on the piano for a few minutes. (It had a good appearance but was generally out of tune.) Then, as we were about to leave, we saw a Chinese person in the office. It was the 26-year-old chef. It was about 8:30pm and there weren't many customers at that point. He invited us into the office and we talked until nearly 10pm! He had so many questions, so I showed the video, placed a couple of brochures, and arranged to return the following week. Since after 8pm is the best time for him, I will have to determine whether I should get someone to drive me there in a car or take the bus alone or with a partner. This will be my third Bible study!

By the way, I intend to ask the proprietor if they would pay me to play the piano a few evenings a week. I can bring my own brandy glass. Hey, it's worth a shot . . .

Mosquitoes and diseases

Ah, those bloodsucking, parasitic pests, one of which is flying around my head even as we speak . . .








Conclusion: If mosquitoes had been one of the Ten Plagues, Pharaoh would have given up long before.

A few weeks ago, I bought this liquid mosquito repellent, which is a thing you plug into the wall.

The current heats the liquid chemical, which releases into the air with a fragrant scent. It's only about $5, cheap enough, but I'm not sure of the long-term effects on human health. All I could find online on this subject were very technical reports that no doubt owed their unbiased nature to millions of dollars of grant money.

But does this device actually work in repelling mosquitoes? Since they manage to get into the room anyway (under the door, since I never open the windows), I notice that when the device is on, the mosquitoes all stay on the ceiling, motionless. Since the ceiling is high, this is no doubt where they feel the least effect of the chemical. So in a way, it is effective because at least the mosquitoes are not bothering me.

But there are a couple of things I learned in Malawi about keeping away mosquitoes. Mosquitoes do not like:

• Moving air, such as a fan (because they can't land)
• Air-conditioning (cold)
• Garlic

Yes, garlic. If you eat a lot of it, mosquitoes will stay away. (And so will everything and everyone else.) Why that is, I will have to do a technical report on. In the new world.

Meanwhile, since death is inevitable here anyway, what are some diseases that can do you in?

I don't know about the countryside, but here in the big city the breakdown on diseases is as follows:

malaria: very occasionally (more prevalent in the rurals)

yellow fever: none (then why was I required to bring my yellow-fever certificate, which they didn't even ask to see at the airport??)

typhoid: occasionally in restaurants, so be careful (usually has a connection with untreated water)

hepatitis A: some risk

dengue fever: some risk

cholera: some risk

So all in all, if you're careful, especially by washing your hands frequently and watching where and what you eat and drink, you can manage not to die. Fortunately, Kigali has made great strides over the past few years in food safety and general hygiene. The authorities have even undertaken to close down restaurants (imagine!) that do not meet their health standards.

Also, I brought from the U.S. a bottle of Green Black Walnut Wormwood Complex and a bottle of Oil of Oregano. These two work wonders at getting rid of parasites, amoebas (amoebae? nah...too many vowels), etc. Operating principle: The nastier something tastes, the better it is for you. So I'm ready!

Minor, non-life-threatening health annoyances: I have had isolated days of constantly running sinuses. This condition lasts the whole day, sometimes two, and the only thing I can do is lie down and sleep, which is not always practical, such as when in a crowded public bus. The generic form of Singulair (for hay fever) I brought from the States has no effect. After the day or two of misery, I'm fine. No problems until maybe a week later. So what is it--pollen, dust--that is giving me the problem? I went to this hospital close to home to see what they could do for me.

I paid $9 for a consultation--such is the case without insurance--then waited to see the brother who happens to be the Bethel doctor, Brother Gahigi from Congo. I had to explain my symptoms in French, which was manageable (for the most part). Je pense que la poussière me dérange… He prescribed some tablets and a nasal spray ($18 total), which seemed to work when I used them that evening. So...a little on the expensive side, but I'll live!

Unrelated note: This very day, I achieved 35 years of full-time service! Also, my student, Liu Xin En, who has been so anxious to get his own Bible, finally got his wish! Epimaque remembered that there were two Chinese Bibles at his parents' place, given to him previously by a brother visiting from the Nairobi Chinese Congregation. So this past Saturday Mr. Liu was very happy when I gave him a Bible, saying that "now he can look up the scriptures himself." I also gave him a Bible Teach book and said that we would now be switching from the Good News brochure (after 3 lessons) to this book, since he seemed to easily grasp the brochure and could now handle the book's material. Making very good progress!

Security and safety

Kigali is one of the safest African cities. Because of strict laws, including anti-corruption laws, there is not as much crime as in other places. There are severe penalties for traffic violations. Every time you enter a bank, a shopping mall, or other public venue, you have to pass through a metal detector. (I'm not sure how effective this really is, but at least it is a deterrent.) And there are armed guards outside these buildings. On the street in many neighborhoods you see armed guards, sometimes soldiers. So you feel a certain sense of security walking on the street, because who would attempt to rob you under these circumstances?

This is in contrast to other large African cities, where there are reports of robberies, burglaries, assaults, etc. In one city, for example, several well-dressed men entered a Kingdom Hall early before a meeting and proceeded to rob anyone coming in thereafter. In this same city, bank robbers use guns given to them by the police! Due to corruption, the police allow use of their guns in order to get a cut out of any robbery proceeds.

Here in Rwanda corruption is not tolerated, at least, in principle. One of the construction projects here in town is hired out to a Chinese company. Originally, they had a Chinese project manager, but when there was some problem with using fake iron (imagine!), they replaced the Chinese manager with a German manager. Problem solved! Not only that, but they will no doubt stay within their budget and every franc will be accounted for.

But back on the subject of guards, in many of the estates here in the city, with large well-manicured two-story houses lining the paved streets, the residents get a guard whether they want one or not. Probably the cost of the guard is included in the rents, which can be US$1000 and higher per month.

Of course, all the major construction projects (and there are many) have security guards. The key is to get to know them so that they view you as a friend. The other day, we finally managed to find the entrance to the construction site of the Kigali Convention Center--remember the photo of the circular building in one of the previous posts? It required walking around and around the perimeter of the property. That place is a fortress! Anyway, the security guard's name is Patrick. We tactfully asked him if we could go in and talk to a guy named Liu Zhen I had previously met on the street, who told me he worked at that site. Since I had a specific name, Patrick let us in. We discovered, the place is a gold mine for Chinese! It was during the lunch hour and Chinese were coming and going with food bowls; some had eaten and were returning to their residence rooms to rest. Unfortunately, no one I questioned had ever heard of Liu Zhen, but it didn't matter--I managed to place a few tracts and get a few more names of people. On the way out, we found Patrick with a Bible Teach book in his hand, and two brothers and a sister from one of the French congregations witnessing to him. I thanked Patrick and told him he was a "good person." Nothing like turning on the charm, huh? So next time, we hope, Patrick will view us kindly and eventually feel comfortable with letting us in anytime we come. Obviously, this is one of those places where we have to be patient: be brief, get to know people, be friendly, don't be pushy, etc. 慢慢来! (literally: "slow slow come")

Memorial results

I don't know about your Memorial attendance, but ours was record-breaking: 260! (for 80 publishers) They say that last year's was 160, so that means there was an increase of 62.5% over the previous year! I guess we did our invitation campaign too well, huh? Since the Kingdom Hall only seats 150, that means there were over 100 people standing! There was even one guy I met at the following Wednesday evening meeting who said I gave him an invitation on the street. I couldn't remember him specifically, and he hadn't been able to attend the Memorial, but there he was at the meeting, two days later. At the same meeting was a brother visiting from Ethiopia, originally from Congo, who bowled me over by speaking to me in fluent Chinese! He said he previously lived in China for 6 years. He was visiting relatives in Kigali but after returning to Ethiopia (where there is a Chinese group), he intends to move to Nairobi in the near future.

[pause to kill mosquito]

Sorry, that was a bit anticlimactic. But I guess I just get excited over seeing all these new people at the Hall. There have even been two reported sightings of Asian people--one Chinese, the other Korean--walking past the Kingdom Hall and asking when the English meeting is held. They haven't come to the English meeting yet, but who knows? We're planting a lot of seeds and Jehovah can make them grow. This is the sole English congregation in the entire country and has been in existence for only about 5 years, so it is still experiencing growing pains.

Preaching results

Well, here is the latest!

The circuit overseer's visit was to be scheduled for April 8-13, but due to the week of mourning, the visit was rescheduled for the end of May. He kindly agreed to come conduct our meetings for field service every day this week even though it is not an official visit.

This week of mourning is almost coming to a close. Where I live is a street over from the Kingdom Hall as well as Bethel; on the other side of Bethel is a big stadium. During this week there have been speeches, rallies, and other events including a visit from the president. Businesses are open every morning but are expected to close in the afternoons. So it is somewhat hazardous to be out in the afternoons because everyone is expected to show their respect for the genocide victims and survivors and their political solidarity. Also, some people, especially in the rurals, can go emotionally crazy and it is possible to be attacked if you are doing something considered inappropriate, such as working, during this time. So the brothers and sisters were advised to exercise caution as to their activities.

Last Monday, which was Genocide Memorial Day, the authorities came to Bethel and demanded to see what was going on. Fortunately, the branch committee had foreseen what was happening and earlier that morning told all the Bethelites to leave work and go to their rooms. The only department operating at Bethel was the kitchen. They even cancelled the Watchtower Study that evening. The authorities left, satisfied.

On Sunday, the last day of the week of mourning, when there was some final event planned at the stadium, our congregation moved the meeting an hour earlier and held only the Watchtower Study. I had planned to do some Chinese territory that afternoon, but thought better of it. Anyway, this will all be over on Monday. So we should be able to hold our Memorial celebration that evening in peace and without disturbance.

The days I preach it is usually for about 6 hours, which is about as much as I can do, energy-wise. My preaching schedule is thus: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, all day, and maybe an hour or two on Sunday before the meeting at 11:30am. This seems to work out, because until I can get used to the walking and the humidity, I need a full day of rest in between the preaching days. I think eventually I'll be able to expand my schedule.

Every day I go out results in one very good call, on average! So right now the tally is 2 Bible studies and a number of return visits that look likely to turn into studies.

For example, on a Sunday, we were doing business territory around the Kingdom Hall. When my partner and I split up toward the end of the morning, I walked toward home and passed the Airtel headquarters. Airtel is one of the large internet companies here in Kigali.  I was hoping to leave a Memorial invitation with someone there, but they were closed. As I was leaving I noticed that adjacent to Airtel is a construction site where there were a number of workers, including a Chinese man. We talked for at least 15 minutes. He told me he has time on the weekends and said he was interested in learning about the Bible. I met with him and a Chinese girl the following week and talked for close to 3 hours.

The following Tuesday, I met a very friendly worker at a supermarket (called 2000) who has been here only 5 days from Guangxi province. He speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, and a bit of English. We exchanged phone numbers and he asked me to call him to discuss further. I have been back several times since and, though extremely busy, he has been quite receptive.

Then on Thursday, I went with a Rwandan brother (not in the English Congregation) on a call at a Chinese restaurant in an area called Kacyiru. He had previously left a Bible Teach book in Chinese with a man there, but since they couldn't communicate too well, he asked me to accompany him. The man was very receptive and I promised to return the following week and consider chapter 1 of the book. I returned the following week and we had our first study! As I asked the questions for the first few paragraphs of chapter 1, he took a piece of paper and began writing down in Chinese the answers to the questions. (I guess he didn't want to mark up the book.) He has been in Rwanda for 10 years doing construction work but has been the owner of this restaurant for only a month. It is in an out-of-the-way location so at this point they don't have too much traffic, except for Chinese customers who know him.

At a supermarket called T2000 (the old version of 2000), I have a study with a Chinese man who appears to be the owner. We are using the Good News brochure, and during the third study he pointed to the image of the Bible Teach book and asked how he could get one of those. He also liked my Bible and wanted me to give it to him. I promised him the Bible Teach book next time, but said that my Bible is the only copy I have. Until I can get some Chinese Bibles, I will just have to share mine. This man follows every scripture we read with keen interest, so I would like to get him a Bible as soon as possible.

Another day, we were directed to the headquarters of a media company called Star Times, where we found 8-9 Chinese people working. Actually, the Chinese own this company, and employ locals. We were invited into their conference room, where I showed the 4-minute video and offered some literature. They were about to have a meeting, though, so I had to cut the conversation short. But several expressed interest, and I hope to return.

The photo below shows the future Kigali Convention Center in process of construction. (Nicknamed "The Egg House" by locals.) As you might expect, it is being built by Chinese. I am still trying to penetrate this site so as to talk to the workers.

I am usually accompanied by African brothers on these calls, since they are more familiar with the area. Quite a few of them are now asking, when will there be a Chinese class? Good question!

Genocide Memorial Day

Most people know something of what happened in Rwanda involving the Hutu and Tutsi, two groups that have coexisted for centuries in this area. The relationship between Hutu and Tutsi started many years ago as a socioeconomic distinction. It was during the time of the colonization that the concept of racial superiority took hold. That, combined with extremist political forces and their propaganda, gave rise to the "final solution" that the Tutsis should be wiped out. Thus, the seeds for genocide were sown long before the mid-1990s.

The mass slaughter of Tutsis and Hutu moderates started within hours of the shooting down of the then-Hutu president's plane on April 6, 1994. It continued for about 100 days, with little or no intervention from the outside world, until the Tutsi-dominated political party took control of the country. During that period an estimated 1,000,000 Rwandans were killed (as much as 20% of the population at that time), and millions fled to surrounding countries.

Recently, I went to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, where over 250,000 victims of the genocide are buried. The center contains exhibits taking the observer through a description (with photos) of the events before, during, and after the genocide. There is also a room containing photos of genocide victims, and a second room with close to life-size pictures of individual children, each with a plaque stating his or her age, interests, favorite food, and cause of death (e.g., by machete, tortured, shot). It is absolutely heartrending. Finally, another room contains photos and descriptions of other genocides that have marred the history of humanity in other parts of the world.

For many Rwandans, visiting this Center is too painful and traumatic.

What a testament to 'man's inhumanity to man.' How Jehovah must long for the day when he will reverse the ravages of suffering and death, and bring about a world when the "former things will not be called to mind, nor will they come up into the heart"!

Unfortunately, they do not allow you to take photos of the exhibits inside the building except for payment of a hefty fee, so these pictures of the surrounding grounds will have to suffice:

From downtown Kigali comes this photo:

Hôtel des Mille Collines

Over 1,200 people took refuge in this hotel during the genocide. The story of the hotel and its manager at that time was the basis of the film Hotel Rwanda.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda, so it is expected that a lot of presentations will mark the occasion, including a visit from the president.

April 7, Genocide Memorial Day, is a public holiday every year. But the week following is also designated as a period of mourning. Businesses are open in the mornings but close in the afternoons. This means that out of respect for people's sensitivities, we will not be preaching in the afternoons.

African market

Kigali has a good number of modern-looking supermarkets, as well as mom-and-pop stores. But to get the real flavor of Africa, you have to go to an open-air market. There is one at Kimironko, about a 10-minute bus ride from where I live.

This is a huge market, where they sell everything from produce to clothes to flowers to baskets. When you step into Kimironko Market, you feel like you have entered another world. It's a crazy place! If you can't handle crowded places and overstimulation, stick to the supermarkets. But that would be missing out on a fascinating look at a part of Rwanda that Westerners do not often see.

This video gives you a nice introduction to the market. (I wish it were mine, but I don't have the wherewithal to make good-quality videos.)

A local sister helped me navigate the market, since she goes there frequently and deals with many of the vendors. She pointed out those who know her well and "will not cheat you." You can ask certain young guys in the market to haul your purchases around while you shop. Just give them a tip when you are ready to leave.

Here is what I bought at the market:

Finally equipped for cooking!

Healthier in Africa than in America? No doubt . . .