Tuesday - kenya to Rwanda

Five hours after getting on the plane in Muscat, we arrived in Nairobi, Kenya. We walked off the plane to the tarmac – where we were all uncertain about where to go next. The plane faced the airport at an 80* angle and when we got off, to our left stood some workers talking, to our right stood the luggage cart, and beyond a door, some more trucks and no signs about where to go. Gratefully, there were some that had been here before, so we walked toward the airport, then to the right, under the plane to some steps in the distance – how crazy – several other planes just unloaded and so it was a mess trying to get on the huge ramp that lead to the second floor of the airport. As we left the ramp, I walked with traffic to gate 3 (the gate I was told by the flight attendant was for Kigali), and wandered the short, narrow hallways past all the duty free shops. Gate three was near a few other gates and a coffee shop and no one knew what was going on. The monitors read that Gate three was going to some random city that I’d never heard of, but the flight number was right. I had a few hours, and so sat by a friend I made on the plane and slept on and off until an hour and half before my flight. Then I wandered – to the gate, to the bathroom, to the gate, ask a question, repeat. They said that the city listed on the monitor was the final destination and that Kigali would be a stop on the way. The monitor never ever listed my flight as boarding or even open to go and wait, but I wandered down stairs with 45 minutes til we left, stood, asked a question and got in line. Right before it was my turn they called for Kigali people and so I came forward, got my boarding card (a laminated sheet) and went through another security. They took my water – jerks – but let me through – and I thought I heard a call for Kigali so I wandered past the huge group of people sitting, standing, laying around the room towards the door. The people in line also thought they were maybe in the right line to Kigali so I stayed, handed my boarding card to the attendant and went back on to the tarmac. There were three planes and three groups headed to these planes – they said “Kigali straight” so I went straight and prayed I wouldn’t end up somewhere I shouldn’t. Finding my seat, and settled back and passed out cold. I only woke for the breakfast, then fell fast asleep until we landed. I must say that Rwanda was much better than my Kenyan experience. They directed, I went, it was easy. I asked where the bathroom was and they led me directly to it- no pointing, actually took me there. And then I sat and waited for my dear roommate.

Elise was a welcome face, and it was wonderful to meet her father – he took us back home. The shower – while a bit cold – was absolutely incredible. It felt so good after feeling so greasy and gross. Elise and I sat about checking email and watching youtube videos, and then we were called for dinner. It was an amazing meal – chicken, rice, tomato sauce, with cooked vegetables. Mini bananas were for dessert – and they were great too. They look as fat as normal bananas, but just stunted in length – they have a Smartie ® like tang to them that is oh so tasty :).

After this, her father needed to return to work, so he dropped us off the Rwandan Genocide Memorial. It was really, really well done. It had an audio device that supplemented the written text on the walls and it went through the history of Rwanda, the elements that led to the tension and the catalysts that triggered the genocide. It was very hard to walk through, hard to see the images, watch the videos and hear the stories. I forced myself to look at the atrocity and commit to memory the personal face to such an awful event. It’s amazing that such cruelty, hate and murder happened not 20 years past. In this day and age… It should never happen. It should definitely not happen now. One quote sticks out – “After the Holocaust they said ‘never again,’ did that only apply to them?” Or something like that… basically – we promised then that no people shall ever be wiped out with the world only watching ever again – and yet in Rwanda it happened, and we watched. Is it happening today in Syria? In Libya? Do we know enough now to act and prevent the massacre of a people group? Is it our duty as humans to prevent this where ever it occurs? Is it our duty as Americans- rich, blessed, well trained to enforce it? Kofi Annan the leader of the UN said in a quote he could have done more – they could have done more to prevent it all. Is there another situation today in which we could do MORE? Anyhow – thoughts to ponder.

After this, we were picked up by the family driver, picked up Elise’s friend Michelle and were taken to her sister’s house. Her son had gotten hurt that day and they wanted to see them to make sure everyone was alright. Very soon, we left to go to a hotel for the French speaking Rotary meeting – Elise and I wandered the garden, then read Grimm’s fairy tales until the meeting was done. We actually read two stories in a row that ended well – I was stunned. So many of Grimm’s tales are so very, very dark.

Soon her father came out, brought over a Professor from the states and Elise, her father and this prof started having a discussion on the transition of a people from genocide or oppression to forward movement, and restoration. They were discussing the similarities between Rwanda and South African apartheid. I was in and out of consciousness. I heard some, nodded some and smiled appropriately, but honestly, my brain had shut off. Soon enough we said our goodbyes, came back home – ate a bit more, and fell asleep for real. I am sleeping in a bed with a mosquito net – which actually is kind of cool. It reminds me of how I wanted my bed to look when I was a kid – It’s like a secret hiding place even though you know the net is see-through. All I remember was the warmth of the blankets and the heaviness of my eyes, and I was out.