Road to Rwanda-----Bad Roads, Skin Color, and Mountains

 

I feel less tired this week as I get more into the groove.  Felt well enough to go to the church Wednesday night prayer/praise service.  Of course it is never easy.  A friend said he would walk us over there.  He arrived on the back of a taximoto to our front gate.  As I have said, the main roads in this country are gorgeous and immaculate, but the minute you are off them, oh my.   It was about a 10 minute walk past rather nice gated homes in the city streets, but the roads were deep in mud.  We waded through puddles a few inches deep, ruts that went on forever, etc.  Very few street lights, so just using our phones, and picking our way.  The worship was good, but the trip was tiring. 

Twice yesterday, two little boys in separate incidents, reached up and petted my cheek.   It was a loving gesture, but a little strange. I think they might be checking to see if the white would rub off, but I am not sure.  We were told in devotions on Monday that a little preschooler was crying and crying on one of the first days of school.  The teacher asked what was wrong.  He said, “I am scared!” “Of what?”  “Of the white people.”  Not quite sure what to do with that one. I have spent most of my adult life as the minority.  Sometimes it is an important factor in life and living, and sometimes it makes no difference.  Because there really are so few of us here, our skin color does affect us.

Yesterday I saw all 4 of the volcanoes that surround our town at once.  That means that we have been here almost a month and at no point has it been clear enough actually to see all of the mountains.  It is a haze/mist that just constantly surrounds us. (“Gorillas in the Mist”)  On  one of the mountains there was snow this morning, which since we are at 3 degrees sought latitude, it means it has been really cold….and I can attest to that fact.  Such incredible beauty and majesty.