Michelle and Thomas visit Rwanda!
on Annemiek Miller (Rwanda), 05/Aug/2006 22:32, 34 days ago
I am much behind with writing to keep you up to date. It's August 4 today and I want to go back to April and early May, when Michelle and Thomas came to visit. They were most supportive and enthusiastic and it was very affirming to have them spend time with me and show such a genuine interest in my work with the schools. Michelle was able to confirm the fact that Rosedale Presbyterian Church has committed funds to support a number of secondary school students at Kigeme high school, by paying the school fees and incidental costs for school supplies and personal effects. We have chosen 6 students whom we will start to help immediately. These same students will receive some training in leadership, organization and entrepreneurial skills in preparation for their role as camp counsellors in a vacation camp for very poor children from primary school to be held in November 2007.Here are some of the highlights of Michelle's and Thomas' visit. We spent an hour of (quality) time with a group of 13 mountain gorillas two of whom were competing silverbacks. These dominating males weigh more than 250 kilos and we were able to observe them from only 3 meters away! It was rivetting to be so close to these magnificent animals. We also accompanied Valens to his parental home so we could see where he lived and meet his parents. We left at 7am and took short cuts by going straight up the mountain and down the other side. Seven and a half hours later we arrived at his house. It was the last Saturday of the month, so we passed many a road crew fullfilling the "umaganda " requirements of community clean-up. This remote part of the province is rarely frequentded by abazungus (white people) so we caused quite a commotion as we came marching through. At one point, around noon, we had 100 or so people walking behind us, hoes over their shoulders. I have perhaps only walked this long in one day on two or three other occasions in my life. Very tiring but quite rewarding. Before we left to meet up with the motor bikes we had ordered for 4 pm, Valens asked me to give his father some advice. His father had come to visit me in Kigeme back in March to thank me for paying Valen's school fees. At that time I had offered to pay Evaste and Chantal's ( Valen's brother and sister) fees also, provided he promised not to sell any of his animals or land. This time, at his house, I praised him for supporting his childrens' going to school and urged him to continue to encourage the three children to stay in school.Thomas and Michelle were wonderful guests and my first visitors. It makes a big difference now in the way we communicate. They know what I am talking about!