Today was a pretty hard day. A 16 year old girl died at the orphanage. I went to the funeral and bariel. I just couldn’t help but think what a grim life she led. She was born right around the time of the genocide, possibly became an orphan because of it. Then she spent the rest of her short life in the orphanage. No parents to love, and guide her. She then died never knowing what a loving family felt like. Being Christian makes death easier for me to handle because I believe this girl is no longer suffering and has been reunited with her parents who have told her they love her and would have done anything to be there to watch her grow from a baby to a little girl to a beautiful young lady.
May angels lead you in.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Rwanda 2/7/11
Today I did a home visit to my dear friend Immaculée. She lives so far away from any and everything. It was quite the trek there and I ran out of water, so walking in the blistering heat was not the most fun thing I’ve ever done-but totally worth it. The lady taking us there was so funny, every time I would ask how much longer (I admit I was acting like a 5 year old child) she would say five minutes. Uncle Fester was getting quite upset at this point, and said if we weren’t there in 5 minutes she would have to carry him the rest of the way. Luckily for her sake we got there in a timely manner. Anyway, when I first told Immaculée that I was going to come visit her, she started crying because she was so happy. When I finally got to her house we sat down, she only had a little wooden bench so I sat on the concrete floor. She told me all about her life story: She was married to a Congolese man at age 16. They had two children together, but he started sleeping with other woman and passed on the HIV virus to her. At the time he was a soldier in Congo, and he died in a battle. So now she has 2 young children, HIV, and no husband. I will say this over and over again, but she is one of the kindest women I met there, so happy and full of life.
On the way back home I decided to try to be a Rwandese woman and carry my pack on my head. I must admit I was quite successful and walked for many miles with it on my head, much to the amusement of all of the villagers we passed. One man even commented that I’d make a great Rwandan wife!
**Funny side note: One day while drawing blood at the clinic I kept trying to get the next in line to come sit down, so I would say “umva” which I thought meant next. Every time I said it people would just stare at me, and I was getting so frustrated. A little bit later Tim informed me that “umva” does not in fact mean next, it means listen… Guess that explains all the stares I got from everyone.
On the way back home I decided to try to be a Rwandese woman and carry my pack on my head. I must admit I was quite successful and walked for many miles with it on my head, much to the amusement of all of the villagers we passed. One man even commented that I’d make a great Rwandan wife!
**Funny side note: One day while drawing blood at the clinic I kept trying to get the next in line to come sit down, so I would say “umva” which I thought meant next. Every time I said it people would just stare at me, and I was getting so frustrated. A little bit later Tim informed me that “umva” does not in fact mean next, it means listen… Guess that explains all the stares I got from everyone.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Humor in Rwanda
Tonight while hanging out with our Local Rwandese friends, Patrick changed our lives forever. Patrick told Synnøve that she reminded him of someone. A few minutes later he said, “Oh I remember, but it’s a boy.” Of course we started laughing really hard, then he continued on to say, “He plays football for Arsenal.” Synnøve was quite offended at this point, and seeing this Patrick tried to redeem himself, “Oh… but it’s not your muscles! It’s your face!” Talk about adding insult to injury. Here is a picture of beautiful
Synnøve to show that she looks nothing like a male football player. One of the other guys we hung out with told us he thought we all looked a little fat until he tried on Clara’s jacket and it was so tight on him. Thanks guys, you really know how to flatter the ladies.
Tim, and especially Lynn (from England) have the funniest expressions. One day Lynn said something that describes someone who isn’t quite all there as, A few scotch eggs short of a good picnic. Synnøve tried to say it back and ended up saying, Not enough scotch to have fun with eggs at a picnic. Haha
Synnøve’s computer, which she borrowed from her mother, has a piece of tape on the top. One time Lynn asked why there was a piece of “plaster” on it, and Synnøve replied by saying that her mom thought people could watch her through the camera.
Synnøve to show that she looks nothing like a male football player. One of the other guys we hung out with told us he thought we all looked a little fat until he tried on Clara’s jacket and it was so tight on him. Thanks guys, you really know how to flatter the ladies.
Tim, and especially Lynn (from England) have the funniest expressions. One day Lynn said something that describes someone who isn’t quite all there as, A few scotch eggs short of a good picnic. Synnøve tried to say it back and ended up saying, Not enough scotch to have fun with eggs at a picnic. Haha
Synnøve’s computer, which she borrowed from her mother, has a piece of tape on the top. One time Lynn asked why there was a piece of “plaster” on it, and Synnøve replied by saying that her mom thought people could watch her through the camera.
Rwanda 2/5/11
We have 2 new volunteers in our house. One from Denmark and one from England/USA I already love them so much! I did a home visit yesterday to a lady named Emmerance. She told us about her experience during the genocide. She showed us 4 scars (skull, neck, hip, and leg) she got from machete wounds. One night the inahawyne came after her. They dragged her out to the street and chopped her up. They left her for dead and ran after another Tutsi woman. Some people had watched the whole thing and ran out and rescued her and took her to a clinic. Yet another woman with a terrible background, and yet she is so sweet and kind.
The next day at the clinic this lady named Florentine asked to speak to me in private. She told me her husband is abusive to her and her children, so she has been coming to the clinic to get depo shots to prevent having another child being brought in to this. But her health card was expired and she couldn’t do the necessary things to get the shot and she had no money for the health card. After a series of events I was able to get her health cards for her whole family and she got the shot. Then best of all I introduced her to Lynn and she is going to join the GBV (gender based violence). Serving and helping others is the best feeling in the world.
The next day at the clinic this lady named Florentine asked to speak to me in private. She told me her husband is abusive to her and her children, so she has been coming to the clinic to get depo shots to prevent having another child being brought in to this. But her health card was expired and she couldn’t do the necessary things to get the shot and she had no money for the health card. After a series of events I was able to get her health cards for her whole family and she got the shot. Then best of all I introduced her to Lynn and she is going to join the GBV (gender based violence). Serving and helping others is the best feeling in the world.
Rwanda 1/28/11
Today helped lift my spirits a little bit. After the usual blood taking I went and helped/learned how to make beads with the Isangano co-op (HIV + women). Their cheerful singing, and chatter was just what I needed. These ladies are without a doubt the loveliest people I have ever met. They were so loving and happy for me to join them. I decided I want to do as many home visits to them as I can. After we finished with the beads, Lynn and I walked to the “arse end of no where” to visit Abubachai
and his wife. His mother and brother were killed in the genocide, while his father and sisters were spared because they were in Belgium at the time. However his father died soon after and when his sisters came back to Rwanda to look for him they couldn’t find him so they went back to Belgium. They are coming to visit this summer, and it’ll be the first time in 17 years that he’s seen them. After the genocide, he was a soldier in Angola. He was shot in the foot and it got infected and had to get amputated so he now walks with a fake leg. Everyone’s lives seem so grim, yet they are the kindest people I have ever met.
and his wife. His mother and brother were killed in the genocide, while his father and sisters were spared because they were in Belgium at the time. However his father died soon after and when his sisters came back to Rwanda to look for him they couldn’t find him so they went back to Belgium. They are coming to visit this summer, and it’ll be the first time in 17 years that he’s seen them. After the genocide, he was a soldier in Angola. He was shot in the foot and it got infected and had to get amputated so he now walks with a fake leg. Everyone’s lives seem so grim, yet they are the kindest people I have ever met.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Rwanda 1/27/11
"How do you sleep while the rest of us cry? How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye” This quote is an accurate description of my week so far. For lack of a better word, I have been quite depressed this week. At the orphanage the mothers are very cruel to the children. They all walk around with sticks and use them frequently. It literally makes me sick to see kids as young as 2 get hit. Synnøve said she even saw a mother spit on one of the 4 year olds. The way I see it these children have been abandoned in one way or another, and feel a sense of being unwanted. Instead if getting the emotional support and love they need, they get beaten down over, and over again. The worst thing is I feel so inadequate and unable to do anything. I try hard to give individual attention and love to the children, but when I'm only at the orphanage a little bit every week and there are close to
600 children, it is almost impossible. Everyday that I am there, as I cuddle and play with a child I think to myself: today I hope my love is enough.
I can attest that when doing the HIV testing in the lab, and I see a test come up positive, I get a feeling of pure dread. It was especially devastating this time because the woman was pregnant, and came to get tested because her husband cheated on her. How do you tell a pregnant woman she is positive? How do you tell her that her child has a good chance of being positive as well? How do you tell her that she shouldn't breastfeed her baby even though you know she has no other option? How do you tell her she won't live long enough to see her baby grow up and start a family of their own? How do you say that their child may never get that chance? The answer is, no matter how it's said it will be some of the hardest words you ever have to speak.
600 children, it is almost impossible. Everyday that I am there, as I cuddle and play with a child I think to myself: today I hope my love is enough.
I can attest that when doing the HIV testing in the lab, and I see a test come up positive, I get a feeling of pure dread. It was especially devastating this time because the woman was pregnant, and came to get tested because her husband cheated on her. How do you tell a pregnant woman she is positive? How do you tell her that her child has a good chance of being positive as well? How do you tell her that she shouldn't breastfeed her baby even though you know she has no other option? How do you tell her she won't live long enough to see her baby grow up and start a family of their own? How do you say that their child may never get that chance? The answer is, no matter how it's said it will be some of the hardest words you ever have to speak.
Rwanda 1/25/11
Mwaramutse, Nitwa Margot. Navuye muri Amerika kungurango Mbafashe, Kandi mbigishe ibijyanye n'gakoko gatera SIDA. Nkunda Urwanda kandi nishimye kuba hano. Ufite ikiboazo ashobora kumaza.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)