Our last days in Rwanda sped by with a bittersweet ease. The team woke up early Sunday morning in our Northern Province hotel, fresh from our wonderful gorilla trekking the previous day. As Maurice, our guide, interpreter and friend, drove us back the two hours to Kigali, we wound our way along breathtakingly beautiful and treacherously steep, curving mountain roads.  The landscape is stunning (think of an African version of the White Mountains combined with the rolling hills of the Lake District of England). The colors of the early Sunday shone in the morning light, with the Rwandese dressed in their Sunday finest walking to church (perhaps for miles). Children and families, old and young, in bright greens dresses and handsome shirts. Maurice spoke to us of different Rwandan cultural items differences and idly whiled away the long drive into the city, reminding us to always “think in love”.

Emmy, our dear interpreter for the majority of the two weeks, was happy to know we’d be attending his church for the Sunday services. Located in a snappy part of town in a hotel convention hall, it was a near mirror image of MCC back home (they even sang of our familiar songs!) The congregation was young, hip, very well dressed and completely walking their faith in full throated joyousness and song. The people were relational to the core, welcoming us with so much friendliness as if we were all just old friends whom they hadn’t seen in some time.

Before our evening plans came to be, we spent a final debrief with the leaders at the PEACE office in Kigali. Eric, Moses and Jean-Pierre graciously invited us to a wonderful African lunch; we all shared with one another the highs and not so highs of our two weeks in Rwanda, how a few things could be improved (communications among leaders) and stressed the beautiful exchanges that took place in our clean water trainings in the Northern Province. It was clear that great and lasting friendships were formed between New Hampshire and Rwanda.

The day ended with a long planned farewell dinner at Heaven, the restaurant, in Kigali city centre. Frank Reynolds, our retired senior pastor, was in Rwanda on PDL exploratory meetings with various African pastors. Frank was happy as a pig in mud to join us for dinner, along with Pastor Theo! The surreal feeling of hearing Frank’s distinct voice gently drifting through the chill Rwandan night air was something to behold. We laughed, chatted, shared and ate. It was wonderful.

Monday would be spent souvenir shopping and preparing for our departure to Europe and home. But there was so much to ponder and weigh. The friendships that were formed. The people, always so relational with their quick smiles and ready hugs. The beauty of the landscapes. The colors. The nearly unbelievable turnaround, in grace, of these people who have seen the best and the worst of themselves.

We will miss them. But there will always be another time.

Now, we will be winging our way back home to snowy New Hampshire.

Au reviour, mes amis. Thanks you for a beautiful and blessed time. The red, dusty clay of Rwanda is firmly upon our feet.

Peter