Akagera National Park

What has happened recently? Well, about two weeks ago a Burundian brother named Papi stayed in my house for a week. He works in the Kitchen of the Burundi Bethel and was taking a holiday here in Rwanda. He has been accepted to the SKE in Burundi in December, which in view of all the recent changes at Bethel means he may stay at Bethel, or may be assigned to the field, who knows (anymore).

Anyway, it was enjoyable having a visitor, and I got to use my French almost exclusively with him, even though he could speak some English.

Claude, Jean-Pierre, and Papi

Then, this past Saturday, in one of the few times I have actually gotten out of Kigali for purely recreational purposes, a group of seven of us took a day trip to Akagera National Park. This large park is in the Eastern Province of the country, on the border with Tanzania (see shaded area on map).

I went on this trip even having the flu—and still have, at this writing—because let's face it, when else would I be able to have such an experience? OK, it was a challenge due to the way I was feeling, and unfortunately, we did not see even one of the seven lions in the park (which would be a miracle in a 1200 km² area) but we did see plenty of antelope, zebras, hippos, giraffes, etc.

We set out at 6:30am in our Land Cruiser and within two hours came to an important junction.

Innocent, Aurore, me, Emile, Epimaque, Taichi, and Serge

By the way, the brother in the above picture named Taichi is from Japan. In 2009, he attended the International Convention in Nairobi, Kenya, and after corresponding with a Kenyan brother he met there, he decided to move to Kenya and learn Swahili. So he has been in the city of Mombasa for the past two years. This trip to Rwanda was basically for the purpose of leaving the country to renew his tourist visa, but after spending a few weeks in Rwanda, he plans to stay a month in either Uganda or Tanzania, then fly to Japan and do some secular work.

Taichi said he loves Africa and wants to stay because as he put it, "the preaching is better here." It would be hard to disagree with that.

So we took the right fork at the junction. After arriving at Akagera, we acquired a guide who got in our vehicle and accompanied us for the next six hours or so as we traversed the length of the park. She was very helpful in explaining what we were seeing.

On the way home, we stopped at a restaurant where most of the group (except me) ordered brochettes. That's where we spotted this bird approaching our table. The video shows Taichi chasing it, all in the effort to get a photo. (My research revealed it is called "crested crane.")

Too much excitement for one day! Until next time...

Observations on a slow day

It’s Wednesday, and it’s a free day. Even the evening meeting is canceled, because this Saturday we are having our circuit assembly.

My neighbor, Bernard, the full-time commuter Bethelite, is preparing to move tomorrow. Bethel actually asked him to move to a house that is in the same compound as two members of the branch committee, in case of emergency, so I’m told. So Bernard and Claudine have all their furniture piled here in the courtyard, which is quite a bit considering that their place is smaller than mine. Anyway, my landlord Bosco is trying to get some Witnesses to replace Bernard and Claudine, realizing that a foreigner such as I am could always use someone close by.

By the way, Bernard told me that an announcement was made recently at Bethel, to the following effect:

In the near future there will be:

• no more housekeepers
• no more laundry
• a 25% reduction in personnel
• a reduction of special pioneers

These changes will apply worldwide.

This means that Claudine, Bernard’s wife, will lose her part-time job at Bethel as a housekeeper. Even Bernard’s job as a translator is at risk, because Bethel can either reduce the size of the translation teams, or just put projects on a delayed schedule. So Bernard is bracing himself for the possibility of leaving Bethel and returning to the working world. And he will probably have to change residence again. He seems to be taking it all in stride.

This is probably one of the most dramatic changes at Bethel that has occurred. What is its significance, you may ask?

As I am pondering this question, a more mundane thought occurs to me. I realize it is lunchtime, so I saunter over to this stuffy, hole-in-the-wall place that has cheap lunches (700Rwf = $0.93). I usually go to buffets, which, though they are more expensive, give you salad, fruit, and higher quality soup and meat. But today, I’m trying to economize, so the hole-in-the-wall place it is.

There is no printed menu, just an unwritten list of eight things (plus sauce, plus soup), any combination of which you can order.

Of course I’m the only umuzungu in the place, so I get plenty of stares. You get used to that, after awhile. But, hey, I can now order completely in Kinyarwanda! The girls there smile at me when I say:

“Ndashaka (I want) umuceli (rice), ibishyimbo (beans), igitoki (mashed cooked banana), imboga (vegetable), nta inyama (no meat = 300Rwf savings), ikivuguto (fermented milk = extra 300Rwf, but worth it).”

The only other things available on the menu are cassava, which is dry and starchy (no thanks), and chips, or French fries (also, no thanks). Sometimes they have noodles.

And they give you vegetable soup also! Not a bad deal.

After lunch, I take a little walk. It is interesting to watch people, especially what they are wearing. You see these T-shirts, for example, dedicated to the Marching Band of Round Rock, Texas, U.S.A., with a complete listing of each member of the band and the instrument that he or she plays. Hilarious to see this in Rwanda! Or shirts with Chinese characters on them. No doubt the wearers don’t have the foggiest idea of what the shirts are saying. They just think it’s cool to have a Chinese shirt.

So, I’m looking forward to the assembly this weekend. I’ve got a comment during the Watchtower Study, and am being interviewed for this part about preaching to foreigners (which I have done, many times).

Two of my Bible students, Peter and Shayan, have promised to come. By the way, remember how Shayan looked when I first met him? This is how he looks now:

When he walked into the Kingdom Hall with his hair cut and wearing a shirt and tie, everyone was shocked. Then he got a tailored suit (see above). Progress is being made!

OK? That’s the latest from your Rwandan correspondent. Signing out.