Adventures In Rwanda

I thought I would give a little update about my out of work time. This weekend was quite interesting. I met a pastor, Pastor Emos, who invited me to visit his church as he helps to teach and support 52 orphans in the area. They call the area, Sodoma; it gets the biblical reference from the number of prostitutes, AIDS, and orphans living on the street. These were by far the most friendly and open kids I have met here. They sand me a song (indirimbo) and played a drum for me. Later this weekend, I went with a friendly neighbor to a night club down the street. Although there was no dancing by audience members, it was a bit of a variety show. It started with 2 young guys lip singing rap songs, then a girl showing her midriff (which is absolutely not done here) doing a bit of a dance, then a few duets, followed by some amazing traditional cowdances. After the traditional dancing, 4 guys dressed in drag lip sang and danced together (this in a country where homosexuality is illigal and assumed a myth), then we had the infamous country western themed sketch, with a very talented young guy, dressed in a cowboy hat, one pant leg rolled up, his bottom and belly stuffed with a pillow, and a WHITE FACE. Oh my goodness. I met the owner later in the evening. A friendly and kind man, who told me that the side of this club used to be his brother`s house. After his brother`s family was all killed in the genocide, he wanted to build a memorial made from laughter and love. He has succeeded. It was incredible.

Mail update!! I think that the country of Rwanda makes quite a nice income from incoming packages. They hold the package hostage until the recepient pays a "storage fee" and 30% of the shipping plus worth of package contents. As much as I would love to receive mail, I am putting out a request for any interested party to send a package saying "present" and putting a worth of about $1. But really, I can buy most things here, while contributing to the economy. In summary, letters and cards are much appreciated!!!!!!!! However, thanks so much for the first package; I think I am stocked for chocolate and Trader Joe's Indian fare for the year : )

Mwaramutseho. My week continued to consist of my trying to learn (kwiga) what each player at my project does. Spent one morning helping to saw and sand a table tray for a seat to help support children with cerebral palsy in a good position. Spent another afternoon starting to learn to sew on a sewing machine and mastering a wonderful hand stitch to make the project's first official bean bag set (with numbers and child-friendly designs) stitched on each side.
By the way, Jess has set up our website and first newsletter (www.dbdtoys.com). If you have any interest in the toy company, please visit and pass along! Thanks Jess! I am so proud of you!
On a seperate note, I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to attend the Rwandan National Association for the Deaf conference!!!! They have voted a national committee and, with the support of a Ugandan team, have been partially-trained to form a language committee to research and eventually publish the first RSL (Rwandan Sign Language) manual. Being with the deaf, having the ability to communicate with the Ugandan Deaf, as there is definately some overlap with ASL and with some of the Rwandese, was heaven. I felt more at home in the last two days then I have since I have moved here. I hope to keep connected with the Deaf community here!
Lastly, on a personal note, I finally received my first, genuine invitation for a visit. Last Sunday, I joined some neighbors, their friends, and two children (Dada and Dadi) in their home for some afternoon chat. What a pleasure!
Hope to hear more news. Love the updates, esspecially the day-to-day stuff : )

Hello all! Some quick updates from Kigali. My field visits with the "social workers" have consisted of travelling by one or two taxi minibuses to outlying areas of Kigali. I have never imagined such poverty. It is quite hard for me to try to think of how to teach safe feeding positions so a child does not aspirate, when he doesn't have anything to eat or clean water to drink. However difficult this has been, I think it is quite important that I am seeing the "real" Rwanda.
On a lighter note...For those of you who are outdoorsy, imagine a favorite hike. Perhaps that of trinity alps or Mt. Tam. Add, a long, confining skirt, loose Dansko clogs, two children holding each hand, a strong sun, no food and water, and you have my entire week! Passing between each home was a hike in and of itself. The landscape is beautiful, but I must step past baby goats (inhene) and chickens and over water trenches, while keeping those silly clogs on my feet. Working on getting some pictures to you all. Weekend nziza!!!

Komera (hello in passing). Just trying to add a few more Kinyarwanda words to the repetoire, as Tenning already used one in an email. Wow. My funny story for the day is after trying to explain to Gerard, the guard at my guesthouse that sometimes I say a Spanish word by accident (and him really not seem to be getting what I meant), he randomly told me that he knew a Spanish song. He proceeded to provide me with the history of how he learned the song...in summary when he was a child in the Congo (then Zaire), his priest taught him this song. The song follows, havanu shalom alechem...it was Hebrew (exclamation point). I could not believe it. I was so excited...and then of course tried to figure out how to explain to him, that in fact he knew a Hebrew song, not a Spanish song. And so the world turns.
I just returned from my first independent travel experience to a town about 2 hours from Kigali, called Kibungo. I stayed with a friend and visted the town market. There is a real sense of appreciation here for my attempts to learn some Kinyarwanda...and so I will continue.
Workwise, I helped to serial cast a childs club foot. But, what I am more happy about, is my ability to finally convince one of the therapists that the saw to remove casts can be quite terrifying to the kids. After we discussed some ideas, he followed by quietly explaining to the kids that the saw is quite loud, but will not hurt them (he placed it on his own hands), then turned it on so they could hear it first, then removed the casts. Those two kids did not release a scream or shed a tear (the only two so far). I hope there can be small changes with respect to the kids mental health and support of their emotional needs. As we say here, buhoro cyane, petit a petit, or step by step.

More later...I love the blog responses. Thanks for all of the updates.