Traveling Together

Now I have been to 4 of the 5 countries in the East African Community (Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and KENYA! …just not Tanzania yet). Last week I attended the Quaker World Conference in Nakuru, Kenya with my entire host family and several of my co-workers (I’m a part of the Evangelical Friends Church here in Rwanda). It was an impressive gathering of some 850 people from across the world from Bolivia to North America to Kenya and other East African countries, to some parts of Asia and Europe. It was good to see people from so many backgrounds coming together to worship and discuss how we can be salt and light in our broken world. There was some tension amongst the different types of Quakers about worship style, theology, etc. but everyone graciously tried out both the quiet worship and the singing/dancing worship. (I should probably add that I’m quite happy being a Mennonite; though luckily the Quakers who found out I am actually Mennonite were accepting!)

It was interesting being at such a diverse conference and being able to understand some of the thoughts and perspectives of Westerners as well as the Rwandans/East Africans. For example, some North Americans were commenting about the accommodations (cold water, toilets) and saying how hard it is to see or hear about people facing such hardship in their lives as the people ‘here in Kenya’. As much as I think I have adapted to and grown accustomed to life here, I can still relate to what they were saying. Then there were my Rwandan friends who were confused about having silence during worship (and seemed happy when I told them I enjoy the “loud” church services I attend here in Kigali!). I also really enjoyed seeing how some of the Rwandans enjoyed people watching and hearing their comments of incredulity about certain people’s size, clothes, length of hair, etc. Truly for many of the people at the conference (both Westerners and Africans) it was the first time to see so many people who were different than themselves in culture, dress, worship style, etc. I enjoyed being part of it and feeling at home with multiple perspectives. Overall one of the best parts for me was spending more time getting to know some of the women from the Friends Church in Rwanda better. We spent time talking, singing one night, and several hours playing cards, dice and laughing together.

I was grateful to go to Nairobi with two Friends missionaries living in Kigali (a couple, Brad and Chelsea) for a couple days after the busy and socially-demanding conference. We were able to relax and have some quiet time in the beautiful garden of the Mennonite guesthouse where we stayed, as well as indulge ourselves in one of the many malls in Nairobi. It was almost a cross-cultural experience for us when we entered and found ourselves surrounded by a large variety of stores, escalators and elevators, restaurants and so many things we had almost forgotten about. There was even a cinema! We all agreed that we are happy with our simpler everyday lives here in Rwanda, but nevertheless enjoyed window shopping, eating a sub for lunch, catching a movie (“Hunger Games”!!) and savoring some frozen yogurt with toppings as an afternoon snack – all things that are NOT possible in Rwanda! But to prove that we were still in Africa (and do something else not possible in Rwanda) we went to an elephant orphanage and a giraffe center. So I got to pet a baby elephant, watch elephants get fed from giant bottles, and feed and kiss a giraffe (feeding it a biscuit with my mouth)!  J Wow. It was a quick but enjoyable time in Nairobi.

Yet I am grateful to be back with my students and hopefully will be able to quickly settle into teaching VERY beginners English. I also feel more connected with some people from the church and work who I was with at the conference, which is nice. There’s nothing like a 30-hour bus trip, living together in dorms and traveling to a new country to help with bonding!! I think it’s going to be a great last 2.5 months.

Rwandans at the conference singing and dancing - practicing for our part in the worship

My 2 new friends: (far L) Sylvie from Rwanda and (middle) Mary from India - all the Rwandan women/girls were SO impressed and envious of her long hair!!

Giraffe feeding time! Yay.

This young elephant was SO cute!