Road to Rwanda----Moto-taxis and Reunion in Kigali

 

I have been walking the kilometer back and forth to school, up and down hills.  I am so blessed to be able to do this after replacing both hips and one knee.  Sometimes the hip that was replaced first still gives me some pain though.  Seeing me stopping and resting frequently on the way home, one young lady, finally, stopped and asked, “Madam, I can see you are so tired.. Can’t I carry your backpack for you?”  I thanked her profusely, but said I was not so much tired, as in pain and I didn’t think she could help.  They have many motorscooter and bicycle taxis here.  One man on a motorscooter, drove past, then circled back…twice…telling me to get on.  I have really contemplated if I could bring my leg up far enough to get on the back of the bike or motorscooter and as I stood there with the man, I just knew that I would fall flat if I tried.  So I explained the problem, refused the helmet he was offering so I could ride safely.  He circled back around a second time to talk to me, but I just can’t visualize how I am going to make this work.  Maybe if I sat side saddle on the back of a bicycle I could get on??  It costs about 50 cents.  (Update as of a few minutes ago: I can do it!! I can ride side saddle. It is best if Rick helps me get on, but I can shinny up enough to ride on one.  This will make our lives much, much easier.)

On Saturday we went to Kigali, the capital, which is about 2 + hours away.  The director drove 3 of us on a shopping trip and also to pick up his 5 suitcases which had not arrived with him earlier in the week.  We spent LOTS of money. ( This has not been a cheap move for us, with having to entirely set up our house.)  But we got many things which will make our living easier and since we finally got our 2 years’ worth of salary out of China, we even have the money to do it.  But the best part of Saturday, was that two brothers that we taught in Indonesia are Rwandan.  They arrived back in Rwanda after being gone about 7 years to renew their passports.  They were able to get a ride for the 2 hours into Kigali at the same time we were there and we had lunch.  It absolutely meant the world to me to see these guys!  They will carry our love back to Papua for us.