Team Inzozi Day 11

Today is a sad yet exciting day for each of us.  We are finishing up the training as we try to let loose the reigns of the projects we have started.  Many relationships have been formed as we have entered into the lives of the people of the Gasarabwayi church.  

We had a great meeting with the ladies this morning of the micro finance cooperative. They have been freed up to reuse the money they have already paid back to invest is other small businesses started up by women of the church.  Rose, Pastor Elie’s wife is the president of the cooperative.  Her wisdom and business sense wowed us all.  This group is setting the pace for economic rebirth in this country.  Within 6 months they returned what they borrowed and are looking for better ways to utilize the money from investors.

Computer training took a little over two hours.  The first half was training on the camera we are leaving with them.  It is funny seeing them try to get used to using a LCD screen on the back of the camera.  We have them set up with a laptop and a modem for internet.  The internet in this region is slow but it will work for their purposes.  Hopefully this will help communication between their church and ours. Who knows, someday a skype session might happen.

Our Interpreter peter instructed on the Proclaimer boxes.  These are little boxes that have the bible on them in audio form.  A large percentage of the area is illiterate so this is an awesome opportunity for all to hear the bible.  Also they can be charged by wall power, solar, or crank so it is totally accessible for people in this area.  This village is almost completely without power other than generators. Pastor Elie setup 5 groups that will have a time and a place in which they meet and anyone is welcome to come.  

Finally they are finishing up training on the Eco-San Toilet.  We are turning over the keys hoping that instruction will be upheld on this toilet.  Their old latrine wreaks strongly and is very unsanitary.  The new toilet will hopefully be maintained on a weekly if not daily basis.  The fertilizer produced by this toilet will hopefully be useful in one of the nearby fields. 

Above is a picture of the kind men who have taken us in can kept us on track over the last week.  The three who really have importance are Emmanuel, Anastose, and Pastor Elie.  These three are the from left to right between the four white people…  We love these men dearly and they have cared deeply for us.  They are very wise and are leaders of the next generation of Rwanda.  We look to them for advice when bringing in new ideas.

As we look through our bags and our clothes we see a distinct red dust that will never wash out.  We know that this dirt will continue to follow us back to the US and we may see it on luggage in years to come.  So it is with the church here.  They will always be in our hearts and our lives even if we never return, they have impacted us.

Tomorrow, as we go to the wild game park, we will have time to process what happened this week, and really understand the long term impact that our relationship with this church will have on both us and them, as well as get to see some amazing animals.  We are signing off early tonight, but we should have some cool pictures for tomorrow.

Mark

Team Inzozi Day 10

As we draw this day to an end we also end our stay in Gasarabwayi. Tonight we are staying back at the guest house and are very appreciative of warm beds and being able to wake up, look out the window and not hear, “Goode Morning, Agachupa?” (a.k.a children asking for a plastic bottle.)

Our time in the village was great and though we spent only 4 nights there we felt as though we were a part of the town. Today we were able to go on a walk to see the source of their water. It was a spring at the end of the valley. This was an amazing walk about 12 miles round trip that really allowed us to see what makes this village tick.

We checked our water samples this morning and found that the stream in the swamp and the stream next to the well we tested both were positive for e.coli. Luckily these are not main drinking water sources. However we did find that the spring tap that the church gets water from contains only small traces of e.coli possibly not harmful. We finished the day by packing up our bags and cleaning out the 9x7 room (all four of us slept in there…) we called home for four days. We sat down with Pastor Elie, Emmanuel, and Anastose to talk over the agenda for tomorrow. Our day tomorrow will start out early by going back to the market place, and continue with meetings and training throughout the day breaking only for lunch.   

I will end with one story. Craig and I wanted to go to the toilet to use the hand washing station before lunch. As we started walking 50 or 60 children started following. Because there isn’t much room we decided to split up. So as we were walking I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around which immediately drew the attention to myself as Craig walked on without any children. Craig finished up and came back whipped out his camera and yelled, “PHOTORE”, all the children rushed him, and I was able to get away to wash my hands. Those who have been to Rwanda may probably get a little more kick out of this than others but we thought it was funny.

Thank you again for following our adventures and keeping us upheld in your prayers. Tomorrow we bring it home with a bunch of amazing volunteers and great church leaders. Please pray that they are receptive and that we are patient through our training. These Rwandans are courageous people.

Mark

Team Inzozi Day 9

Wow it was hot today! Over 90 F . Mark sunburned his neck during our walking trips to sample the wells and other water sources for E.coli.. In this climate we have been consuming lot’s’ of water and sun screen. We set up the solar cooker toady and the rice was perfect, the village women loved it. The solar dehydrator is sitting on the village church roof.,( ask Bruce about that one) so on Thursday we should have dehydrated pineapple and mango . The eco sand toilet/shower room is complete. A shower was soooooo awesome after using a bucket. Bruce designed a solar shower with solar lights for night time use and a am/fm stereo with a big flat screen tv. ( just kidding about the am/fm etc) This commode has the olny lights in the area. On our way home from testing the water sources we stopped at a local saloon for a couple of cokes. This place was like the old west, all dirt streets and adobe looking buildings. As we set enjoying our drinks a mother came in and started breast feeding her baby behind us, ok that is normal around her so we just kept talking. Then it got even more interesting, we noticed a bird nest in the rafters the mother was feed the 2 chicks flying in and out of the open air building. Then as we thought it couldn’t possibly get any more interesting a chicken came in it’s chicks strolling in the front door and out the back. It’s getting late and the babies are starting to cry around our hut. Most nights we hear the women singing to their children. How cool is that? Thanks for reading our blog

Bill DeSilva

Team Inzozi Day 8

Hey all, last night we were experiencing internet issues so we decided to move the post to this morning. Yesterday was a good day but somewhat discouraging for the church leaders. Going into our well drilling experience we were expecting to either hit material too hard to drill, 100M or to hit water. As of yesterday we ended up having to abandon that part of the trip. We hit about 25 feet and ended up in softer material than we were expecting. Although we didn’t hit any of our goals, we did learn a lot about the soils in this area. We came over to learn and did exactly that. Saying that the Church leaders seemed pretty discouraged that we didn’t hit water. We tried to explain before we started as clearly as we could but it is hard to get the details exact through a translator. We think they now understand but, we aren’t sure. They seem in better spirits now. That being said today we are working on our solar projects and our water testing kit. Bruce made two solar cookers and a solar food drier that we are going to set out today. Also yesterday morning we finished making our shower in the ECO-SAN Toilet. Bruce figured out a way we can use the sun’s heat to heat up our water and the first shower was 102F. We all enjoyed having a hot shower! Later today we should be going to their three water supplies to test for cleanliness. Thanks so much for keeping us in your prayers.

Team Inzozi Day 7

Wow our first night in the field! We had a hard time sleeping in the tent last night with all the new sounds and heat. Our interpreter Pastor Peter left us before dark so communication ground to a halt. Our alarm clock was the rooster so we managed to crawl out of the tent at 6:30 and back to the drilling by 7:30. We had great progress today with the help of our new friends. Bill and Mark were leading the drill rig while Bruce and Craig continued on the eco san toilet. We all made great head way! They reached 22.5 feet down in the well. Bruce was able to set up a solar shower up in the new toilet. The Lord is certainly behind our efforts. The women of the village have made us meals three times a day and bless our food before we eat. We’re not sure what they are saying but I know it’s good. I think we will sleep well tonight. The temp was 92 today and dry. I think we drank 3 cases of water today. All the children follow us around and ask us for agacupa. Agacupa stands for water bottle. They all want the empty bottles to use for bringing water around with them. The school is next door to the church were we are working. There are 500 students in the morning and 500 in the afternoon. Guess where they go when they get out! That’s correct, straight for us. They are learning English and I think they will be very good at it soon. The Lord is doing wonders here. What a wonderful place. CM

What a great Lord’s day! After viewing the most intense night sky we’ve ever seen last night we were ready to praise God African style. Three different choirs were singing their hearts out to strong rhythms.  Everyone was dancing and shouting praise to God. We heard three preachers including Bruce. The service went long even for Africans. The members began arriving by 9:00 am, were dismissed by pastor Elie at 1:00 and took another ½ hour to say goodbyes with lots of hugs and handshakes. 

We met with the ladies savings cooperative after lunch and took pictures of their officers and microfinance participants. Shortly afterward we waved goodbye to our translator and driver who were heading home to their families for a few days. We are now on our own for three days and feel at ease among our friends. We walked to the top of a nearby hill to take in more of the beautiful countryside. About 30 children followed along to practice their English. 

As I write this, the other three guys are communicating with our Rwandan friends using a phrase book. I hear lots of attempts to imitate foreign sounds with plenty of laughter. 

Team Inzozi Day 5

Another amazing day in Gasarabwayi.  The great well drilling project started today with three attempts at raising the main rig.  After two attempts with a new tripod design we decided to make a conglomeration of the two ideas.  We augured down 8ft by the end of the day.  We felt that the day went well on that front.  On Monday we will actually start drilling with the drilling rig.  

In other news, we were talking with one of the Pastor’s of the Church, Emmanuel.   Bruce was asking about his crops (mainly corn) and remembered that last year head had 2 rooms full in his house.  Sadly this year has been very dry that there won’t be a harvest.  Through this we felt saddened but also hopeful for the reason we are here.  The new water and soil technologies that we are hoping to partner in, may help even in drought years.

Today was a very hot day.  We all agreed that it was probably the most intense sun we have ever experienced.  Peter guessed it was somewhere around 28c or 82f but it was HOT!  We enlisted the help of three men who stuck this out with us in this heat for the day.  Thanks to their hard work we were really able to get some headway on the project.  

Tomorrow we are able to join in worship with the Gasarabwayi church.  Bruce is getting geared up to teach and our hearts are ready to be opened wide to a new way to worship God!  Tomorrow will bring a great new experience! 

(above left: Jean-Claude teaching Bill Kinyarwanda above right: The Team on the Boat Ride)

Team Inzozi Day 4

Muraho! Today was another exciting day on the Rwandan front.  Pastor Elie told us to set aside this day for rest because we will be working hard next week and there were local elections today.  The elections are for the leaders of the Umundugudu or Village) who have 4 year terms.  Because of these elections most businesses were closed until 2pm. 

In the morning we were able to sit down with our translator and friend Pastor Peter as he expounded on Rwandan Culture and his passion for Rwandan’s. After breakfast we had the chance to take a boat ride around the lake.  This was supposed to be a 15-minute ride but we are in Rwanda.  Peter checked with the driver to make sure we were set for gas at the shore.  He was sure we would be fine.  After about 5 minutes we ran out of Gas.  This was an awesome experience as we picked up the paddle that was pieced together from a couple shards of wood and assisted in getting back to shore.  We ended up having about a 45-minute tour on the late ending with the driver borrowing a paddle from a nearby boat.  It was another great Rwandan experience.

After this we left for Kayonza for another time of haggling and 30-40 minute stents in one store to by one or two items.  As the day moved on we started getting brave in our interaction with the people of the town.  A few purchases were made without the aid of any translators.  In the morning Bill orders coffee and tea for all of us before Peter and Jean-Claude (our driver) arrive. 

We are also excited to be developing quite the relationship with Jean-Claude.  He has been with us all week and has been helping us all learn KinyaRwanda.  Even though he knows very little English he is translating for us occasionally.  Jean has asked us to call him next time we are in the country.  Please be praying for Peter as he continues to develop a relationship with him after we leave.

Tomorrow we are in for a big day as we start our first projects.  Keep us in your prayers, that we will have patience and wisdom in our interactions with the Church.  We thank your for your continued support and cannot wait to come home and share the stories that didn’t make it on here.  Goodnight from Rwanda! 

If ever you could go on a road trip today, was the one to be on.  Essentially Rwanda is a little bit bigger than New Hampshire in area… but the areas we were driving, it felt like Rwanda was the size of the entire United States.

We woke up at the Anglican Lake House to a beautiful view of the lake behind the house.  The day started off with breakfast on the patio quickly followed by a trip into Rusera to pick up the well drilling equipment.  We then drove to meet up with the pastor to the church where the equipment was being held.  About an hour and a half later we ended up in remote valley on a one-lane “road”, with no ability to turn around or back up, a quarter mile beyond our destination.  So, we decided to carry the equipment to the van.  This included three pipes, a top part to anchor the pipes together, a bailer to bring up the material from the bottom of the well as we drill and the 250lb drill bit.  It was an adventure!  And we loved it.  

Probably one of the things we newbies (Craig, Bill, and Mark) found the most odd, but still loved, was the children who run after the ran yelling “MIZUNGU , MIZUNGU” (a.k.a white person).  Some of the children would even follow you for a quarter mile or more just wanting to see the weird white people who have travelled through their village.

After picking up the equipment from the church we were met down the road by Pastor Elie who led us on a shortcut to Gasarabwayi.  Once again, this was another hour and a half trip through the beautiful countryside of Rwanda.  

Upon Arrival to Gasarabwayi, people surrounded the van with their huge smiles.  We were quickly ushered into the church building and greeted by the sounds of the entire church singing and dancing to welcome us to their village.  We arrived in town around 2ish and we heard that some of the church members had been waiting for us since the morning.  Pastor Elie gave a very warm welcome and then two different choirs sang great songs about God’s love and his greatness.  

As we walked out of the building Bruce and Craig quickly got involved in a discussion with Pastor Elie on the Eco-San toilet (latrine) that the town had finished and the well drilling.  I pulled out my camera to take pictures of the Eco-San and immediately I was flocked by children saying, “PHOTAGE!”  This only started the madness.  Bruce and Craig entered into the church’s other building and Bill and I ended up surrounded by what felt like a 5 million children just staring at us and trying to get closer and closer.  Luckily Bill and I were able to entertain them by very poorly learning their language.   We really enjoyed ourselves but were exhausted when we entered back into the van for the ride home.

As I looked back on the day I realized that we were dancing with them in worship and the songs they sang transcended all language and ethnic barriers.  We were all in love with the same God.  As Eric Munyemana from the P.E.A.C.E. office told us, “We are now worshipping as one People!” 

This morning we received a warm and gracious welcome from our friends at Purpose Driven Ministries.  Eric Munyemana gave us the PEACE Plan overview including the recent expansion into all 5 Provinces.  We praise God for the way he is using this local church strategy to bring hope and healing to this beautiful nation.

We visited the Rwanda Genocide Memorial today – a sobering reminder of the depravity of our human family not only in Rwanda, but also around the world where the people of even modern nations have slaughtered one another. The Rwandans are, for all of us, a living example of God’s power to redeem us from shame and brokenness.

For the rest of the day Team Inzozi learned about “Africa Time”.  Everything was late and took 3 times longer than we expected.  African time seems to be divided into 3 hour periods instead of our 5 minute intervals.  For Africans it is all about the relationship and the story.  We seemed to be the only ones trembling under the tyranny of our self-imposed time master.

We witnessed the compassion of the man on the street today. A pedestrian woman with a HUGE  bundle on her head and a baby on her back was sideswiped by a passing motor scooter.  She was assisted by those nearby and about 20 young men calmly surrounded the driver to insure everything was satisfactorily resolved.

Tomorrow we borrow some well equipment from a sister church and make our way to our dear friends in Gasarabwayi – can’t wait!

Bruce