A Multitude of Drops: Life in Cyangugu

I've been in my site placement for two weeks and I've experienced a wide array of emotions and experiences. I underestimated how difficult it would be to leave the comfort of my yagm group and head off on my own to the other side of the country, but luckily my host community has been supportive and welcoming, making me feel right at home!

I'm living with my site supervisor who is the pastor of the Kamembe Parish of the Lutheran Church of Rwanda. In the home is Pastor Godwin, his wife Mama Muhire, and two little ones named Mukire and Reinhild. Pastor Godwin has three other sons who are away in boarding school, but they will be home this fall for school holiday. Rwanda's school year is different from America--the year goes from January to October. My family is wonderful and I've loved getting to spend time with the kids. Reinhild, or Reiny as we call her, is the only girl of the five children, so I think she likes having another female around the house!

The YAGMS and our Pastors on departure day--and some youth from the Kigali Parish to see us off!

Pastor Godwin and myself

Cyangugu is a really wonderful town, with rolling hills and beautiful views of Lake Kivu. There is a nice downtown area of Kamembe with supermarkets (which are unlike American supermarkets and more like small stores with food and drink), pharmacies, banks, internet cafes and more! Cyangugu is right on the border of the Congo, and my host parents do some business there trading small fish and cassava flour across the border. My first day in town, my pastor took me to visit his wife in Rusizi, which is the small area right on the border. He showed me across the lake to where we could see the hills of the congo and walked me right up to where the border is. It seemed to me so inconsequential, that a nondescript division of land so changes the lifestyle and economy of the people on either side of it. The homes look the same on both sides of the lake, and as we walked through the town I couldn't tell who was Rwandan and who was Congolese. It's interesting to reflect on the ways we create divisions between us and others.

I made it to the water!

Enjoying a cold coke by the lake

My first few weeks have been filled with activities at the church and settling into life in Cyangugu. The parish here is only a few years old, but there is a lot of life and energy in it. The children's program is strong, with many children from the area the parish is in coming two or three times a week to have a program and practice in the choir. Over the next month or so, Pastor Godwin and I will visit every church member in their home and share in fellowship with them. We've already spent time with quite a few families, and it has been nice to get to know them outside of the Sunday worship. The language barrier is difficult, but I'm aslo learning a lot about how to create relationships across the divide of language. The first church member we visited, Murebwaire, gave me a gift on an umbrella when I got to her house. She said it was to prepare for the rainy season, and I was touched at this thoughtful gift. It came in handy as not one hour or so later, when she came with us to see another church member, it started pouring. We joked that it was God's way of saying thank you for the gift of hospitality!

All in all, I've been enjoying my introduction to this part of the country. I'm starting to have a regular schedule, which is helping me to feel more settled. This week and next I am beginning to work at a local Anglican school teaching English and helping to advise some of the clubs. I will also be teaching English classes for district and sector government leaders in the evenings. Both the school and the district office are on the same hill as my home, so it's a very close walk.

In my reflections about these first two weeks, I had a conversation with someone about other life transitions I have had, particularly with college orientation. I remember the first few weeks of being at PLU to be stressful and intimidating and sad. Soon enough, however, I found my place and eventually PLU became the best thing to ever happen to me. Without placing too many expectations on the experience, I have a feeling that being in Cyangugu will be the same. I've been experiencing a whirlwind of unexpected homesickness and awkwardness, but all that is starting to feel like it's passing. I think it's important to name the fact that moving across the world isn't always easy. However, I know that I am supposed to be here. In the generous greeting hug from my host mom, the enthusiasm of the children from church at my introduction, and the repeated phrase "you are welcome" when I meet with someone or visit a new place: these are the things that remind me that I'm exactly where I'm meant to be.