Kigali City, RwandaToday was a
joyful but also very trying day. I has asked Mr. Mundeli to arrange for a 4WD for
our drive up to Giti, but he hadn’t been able to. Instead we had a small
crossover SUV that could hold seven or eight people. Ndio, a driver I know from
previous trips, picked us up at 07:30.
Patrick Mundeli was already in the
vehicle and explained the plan as we drove off to the edge of town. We stopped
at the Engen service station and waited for the others. We would have three
vehicles traveling up into the mountains, two like ours and a van from Kayenzi.
Coming from Kigali it would be a two hour trip, but from the two other
locations, more like four hours each way.
Once organized, we started out north on the paved road.
Instead of our usual turn-off toward Muhazi we continued on the paved road
another several miles. We were going to go up the back way, a sign that the
roads were in particularly bad shape. Another sign was the work parties on the
roads during a weekday. That means the government is paying them, which it
rarely does. Our usual road up was impassible; not a reassuring sign for the
day. It started to drizzle. The clay of the roads began softening and becoming
slick. Ndio was careful, but the vehicle slipped and slid in spite of his
efforts
.
I breathed a sigh of relief when two hours later, a little
after 10:00, we pulled up in front of the Church hall. The other small vehicle
arrived half an hour later. Jack and his family were warmly received, there
were hugs from people who remembered him from 20 years ago.
We received a call from Mr. Mundeli that the van had broken down
in the valley before starting the ascent.
He called back half an hour later to give an update: the accelerator
cable had snapped, a repairman was on the way. We talked with whom we could, that
is to say those who can speak French or English, which is limited to six or
eight people.
Finally after 12:00, more than two hours later, the van
arrived. We would have to speed up our schedule. It was raining hard enough
that I was concerned that the pounding on the tin roof might make speaking
difficult or impossible. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who prayed silently
about that.
We began the service as quickly as possible, cutting out the
sermonette and half the special music. The rain stopped during the whole
service. There were hymns, a prayer, announcements, one short piece of special
music and the offering. Then I spoke with Patrick translating. He can translate
from English or French, but I spoke French because there are those six or eight
who can understand the French directly.
I first said a few words of tribute to Jean-Baptiste
Sibobugingo, the deacon who recently and unexpectedly died. He was 68. He’d
lived a tough life, fathered 12 children, and was by his example and teaching
responsible for much of the growth in the region of Giti. He set a fine example
and is and will be much missed.
I also commented on the new people we had amongst us, that
there are church associations of the Church of God with whom we are compatible,
who, we believe teach the truth. I explained that we don’t believe our
association is the exclusive home of true Christians today, that we believe
there are Christians in other groups, though not necessarily all groups claiming
to be the Church of God, some are compatible, others are dangerous, I
explained. But today we were welcoming brethren among us and I hoped all would
make them feel at home.
Then I spoke on the meaning of the New Testament Feast of
Unleavened Bread. I didn’t speak a full hour, time was of the essence. I really
didn’t want to try to drive down the mountain in the dark, in these wet conditions
that would be foolish.
After the service, we had an official meeting of the Rwanda
association. When Sibo died it left a vacancy in the legal representation of
the Church. At the same time, the government has passed a law that the
president of every church association must have a theology degree (again to keep
out superstitious and ignorance-based religion). Up until now I have not been a
legal representative of the Church in Rwanda, we used the local men. But with these laws I must now become legally involved. So there was a vote on who the
two legal representatives should be, and Mr. Mundeli and I were unanimously
elected.
Then we had a meal, a precooked meal that could be
transported unrefrigerated: roasted chicken and beef, boiled eggs, avocado,
unleavened bread (of course), yam, potatoes and Coca-Cola products. The meal
was much appreciated by everyone.
About 4:00 I said we needed to start back. I wanted to be
down the mountain at least during daylight, as did everyone. The rains now came
down hard. The roads became truly treacherous. And it was our turn to break
down. Just passed Rugombo, our vehicle overheated. In a pouring rain, Ndio
thought about what to do. He didn’t want to get out, but finally there was no
other solution. He asked to use my umbrella and I handed it over.
Things were looking rather grim, but we couldn’t help
laughing when Ndio got out, opened the umbrella without paying attention to the
gusting winds, and had the umbrella immediately destroyed in his hands. He got
back in the car and handed me the umbrella, now twice as long as it was before
because the ribs were all running the wrong direct. I deadpanned “thank you
Ndio” as if nothing were wrong. We all laughed. He felt obliged to try to fix
it, in a contrite Stan Laurel sort of way. But I told him not to worry about that, and
just concentrate on the engine. One of the young ladies in the back of the car
said she would be able to fix it, so I gifted it to her.
While Ndio was back out under the hood, the young lady,
Amélie, joked that the breakdown was her fault. She had been in the van in the
morning when it broke down and had switched to our vehicle to avoid such things
on the way back. “I have become Jonah” she quipped. In the same vein, I asked
if we threw her out would the rain would stop and the engine start. We laughed
at this, but the situation was not really a laughing matter.
Ndio filled the radiator; there must have been a leak
somewhere. Windshield wipers slapping madly, we fishtailed down the
mountainside. There are no guardrails, only sometimes small dirt berms that
would slow, perhaps stop, a vehicle from going over the edge and down the precipitous
hillsides. The praying was private but intense. I thought as we descended, that
this had not been a wise decision to take everyone up to Giti during the rainy
season when the roads were known to be so bad. We had been forced to it by the
government’s new law and the fact that the members are so scattered.
The car overheated again as we approached the black-topped
road. Ndio refilled the radiator. We overheated again as we approached Kigali.
Ndio called someone, and a few minutes later a young man arrived who helped him
do something under the hood, minutes dragged.
At the entry to Kigali we hit a huge traffic jam caused by a combination
of roadwork, selfish driving techniques, and too many vehicles on the road.
We finally entered Kigali and dropped the members with us
near their homes. Then the car overheated one last time. Ndio flagged down a
taxi and paid the driver to take us back to our hotel, with his apologies.
We were scheduled to do the whole thing again tomorrow after
what would be a very short night for many members (and drivers). I talked it
over with Marjolaine and made the decision that it wouldn’t be wise to try this
twice in a row. I called Mr. Mundeli and explained my thoughts and concerns. I
said we should just have a service in the three locations without having anyone
travel. There would be disappointment on one level, but I’m sure relief as
well. Everyone here knows someone who has died going up or down mountains
during the rains. I regretted having to make the decision, but I’m convinced it’s
wise.
Margaret Villaescusa
2018-04-11
Lovely to see your pictures and receive news of the brethren. Dr. Swartz visits Raleigh and has shared his deep love for the brethren in Rwanda. Glad to see that you and your traveling companions were able to maintain a sense of humor. These shared experiences, though challenging, become part of the tie that binds. May the rest of your trip be safe and successful.
Mary
2018-04-11
Thanks so much for the reports and photos. What a challenging drive to and from the hall in Giti. Even though things had to be cut short because of vehicle problems, the pictures indicate a happy gathering. How encouraging that Jack and party were able to meet with everyone. The new government regulations will impose some hardships for everyone meeting together, so we hope that things will work out in some beneficial way. How nice the church had a meal together and everyone managed to get "home" in spite of the rain, the slippery roads, the overheated engines.
Bob
2018-04-12
Thanks to you and your wife for faithfully serving the scattered brethren. More importantly...did the umbrella get fixed?
Cecil
2018-04-13
I'm glad that you were cautious about going up the mountain a second time, although I am sure the change in plans was disappointing. It is easy for us to forget the extreme challenges our church family members face there regularly--and those that you face in pastoring. We are thankful that everyone was safe and sound at the day's end.
Emily Hyde
2018-04-14
Even reading about your adventure was intense. I’m sure it will be a memory not soon forgotten. Glad you all decided on a different plan for the following day.