Sunday 22 January 2012

WATER!!!

As of yesterday, we have RUNNING water in Nyamirama.
In two weeks it will be a year that we dug the well.
We then waited almost 9 months for electricty poles... none were available in the country... and then the electricity to be installed... and then the pump was  hooked up yesterday.

RUNNING WATER!!!

Serge, the kids, Maddy and I took a trip to check it out for ourselves today. The following pics share our momentous day with you - history.

Nyamirama is a sector / township of almost 6000 households. We can't supply water to them all but we can for the closest communities to our land.

Where they used to collect water...
More than an hour walk from their home
and definitely NOT clean!
Serge and Kids standing on the well

Line of jerry cans
They used to walk over 1 hour for water.
Now it's just around the corner for many of them

John waiting for the first water
He was the first in line and had come to put
his jerry cans in line early morning.
We learned this... his wife always has got the water
as he had no time. She aborted a child because of it.
Now he can get the water ...
He was praising God for us and promises to give back

Beni with some friends


This kid - forget his name - is 14 years old.
He is hauling 100 litres of water for his family
and their grinding business.
We are currently giving the water for free.
We don't know exactly what it will be in the future.
In the meantime, they save 50 RWF / jerry can.
8 cents might not seem like much to most of us
but it's the difference of food, school fees, clothes
for the family, etc...
Resting... looks about Beni's age

... then off again towards home
The scene ... such a lovely one!

Saturday 21 January 2012

Cross Culture Moment..

Yesterday afternoon I was together with two of my good friends here.
My dear friend Anita and her family have finally moved into a new home. They were to be in last April... that's 9 months late according to their contract. Go figure! Anyway... we've been praying and waiting for this to come about for a long time.

So we're commenting on the neighbourhood - it's a nice development - cobblestone streets, they're to be putting in a little green space for the kids and there are street lights.

Val's question... 'Do they work?'
Anita's excited response...'They do!"

This little exchange completely caught my funny bone. Here we are, all expat women - 2 Canadians and S.African - and we're wondering if the street lights work - a COMPLETELY normal and legit question for Kigali... but so not a normal question for where we come from.

We had a great laugh over how only in Kigali could this be a serious / normal question...

Wednesday 11 January 2012

FINALLY!!!!

The truth will always come out... may take time and some patience but it will - no matter what it is.



Praying for a favourable ruling from the Canadian judge today as well...

Monday 9 January 2012

First day of School!


With Bucumi, our day guard, ready to go

SOBBED as soon as I was back in the car from dropping her.
Oh my... and to think that I wouldn't let my mom walk me out the
lane on my first day. My mom says she cried as she watched me
walk away... so guess it's okay!?
With Dad in her new classroom