Jil, Neil & Libby Working Hard in Rwanda

An update from the shores of Lake Kivu and a stone's throw from the Congo border on how things are going.

We finished our first session yesterday at Rambo school but in fact there were teachers from several of the surrounding schools joining us. On the first day 101 teachers were there on time and we normally just take 60! How do you turn away people who are so keen? So we took then all and were creative with supplies and got another trainer to hop on a bus and come to help us.

We fed everyone twice a day and Sina Gerard's enterprise (where we also work later) sent all the food and drink up by truck from Nyarangarama,  a two hour drive away, and we picked it up each day in Gisenyi. The car, aka the Beast, was loaded with boxes, bags and people and one day we had to make two trips up to the school. We got there at 7am and there were teachers waiting for the 8am start! And yes, you, who know us, can guess that the Beast failed us two days out of three so on the third day I got Saudah to send us a rental and the mechanic came and took the beast away!! Perhaps Neil is now convinced that we need something newer!

Having done this training for five years, I have to say that we have never had a group like this! Yes, the days were long, starting at 8 and finishing at 4, then doing the resupplying. 220 drinks a day and 220 food items! Not to mention hundreds of straws and paper napkins! But everyone was on time and keen and worked hard.

That's not to say there weren't down sides. . The car, of course, and we had two robberies from two different locked classrooms where we had stored our supplies! We lost two lots of food and drinks and Libby lost all the neat Canadian goodies she  bought as special gifts! And it did rain most days right at four. It's the rainy season!

We would all have liked to have had two weeks because things were moving along so well. As part of our graduation we had a show of the books that the teachers had made with Libby. . So creative and a new word in the vocabulary. . Tactile! The speech made by the sector education officer was brilliant and in English; just like a recommendation for the program.

We finished with a mass singing of the Freedom song in four languages and Neil had tears in his eyes!

Libby and I both said that Carol, Bernice and Dale should have been with us!

There are other benefits than a great group. . No we are not living with the priests or the nuns! We are in a gorgeous house loaned to us by the wife and DG of Bralirwa, big multinational brewery. It is the only house actually on the lake shore. . Picture manicured lawns down to the water's edge, huge trees with exotic birds nesting and orchids growing up the trunks!

Jacqueline, the house keeper, has cooked us the working day meals and what meals! I woke up dreaming of the soup! Without their help this would have been impossible.

We still haven't had the grant application approved although finally the Indian clubs have signed and the application is moving forward! So this venture is still being funded by the Bank of Fenton and I am still carrying around a huge bag of cash!

I wish I knew how to attach several pictures but I don't, so enjoy the ones which come separately!

We can truly say "wish you were here" for so many reasons!

Jill, Neil, Libby, Elizabeth, Eric and Hezikia!