go2ndmile.org » volunteer travel

Video from Rwanda

denise — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 05:29:07 +0000

This is a man named Emmanuel who was our interpreter while in Rwanda during the reconciliation workshop. He wants to be a song writer and this is one of many songs he sang for us and we recorded. He will be so happy to know that he is on youtube.

Community service day in Burundi

Leigh — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 06:22:21 +0000

Oh my gosh! Diane and I had the most amazing experience Saturday morning. Every Saturday the whole country is required to do some community service work to pick up trash, to clean areas, or to help a project along. They work anywhere from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. The car we rode in wound through dirt roads, back alleys, over speed bumps (sleeping policemen as our friend from the Netherlands, Lesley-Ann called them), all at break-neck speed, except when we slammed on the brakes to avoid losing the very tires we were riding on in order to avert a pothole.

We stood in a long line shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of other community service day participants and passed bricks, sang, and danced our way through the morning. Apparently a news camera caught the antics of the only two mazunga’s in the entire place but we did not have a chance to see it on TV. Ultimately we ended up in the Congo later that day, buying tomatoes and corn . . . Who would have guessed? More on that later. It was an long and adventure filled day. Going to a Batwa village, walking along lake Tanganyika and ending up at a night club in Bujumbura.

Today we are heading out to another Batwa Village called Matara. Community for Burundi, our host organization while here, and the Batwa, have begun to rebuild the village from huts to more substantial houses, as well as empowering the residents to support themselves.

Be in the moment

Leigh — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:59:12 +0000

Four students, including our professor, Dr. Rose, left today. It was bittersweet. We’ve shared an amazing time together for 10 days in Rwanda. As part of our conclusion today, we did some symbolic acts of remembering. We took stones from the garden and each contributed what they stood for. Each stone was placed beside or on top of the other, thus making a symbolic remembrance. Some stood for hope, forgiveness, for Emmanuel whom we met, others for Tutsi, Hutu, Batwa, one’s own burdens and committing to keep them here in Rwanda and deal with them rather than hide them, just many, many very beautiful thoughts. Then secondly, we took some stones and placed them in another part of the garden and named some aspect of hope. It was a great way to bring some closure to our time.

I sit now upon the lanai, late at night, almost in the pitch dark. Looking out at the muted city lights of Kigali and feeling the fresh breeze blowing, I realize one segment of our trip is coming to close and I am wanting to absorb it and be in the moment with its many memories. It’s so good to reflect, to ponder and to just appreciate experiences in our lives.

This one will be right at the top of the list for some time.

The mosquito net – by a novice

Leigh — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:00:48 +0000

The trials and tribulations of . . . the mosquito net. Now, I generally don’t think about mosquito nets much, but here in Africa, they are an essential part of the experience. There is a learning curve however, on the nuances of their use. For instance, one should always check to see if there are already mosquitoes inside the net before getting in, Needless to say you are a captured audience otherwise. One should always bring in anything you want to read or write, prior to climbing in and tucking it all around you. If not, it is quite a little ordeal to untuck, get out, and tuck back in again. The last bit of wisdom I want to pass on is that it is difficult or really impossible to turn off the overhead light while inside of the net. Note to self . . . bring a flashlight.

Murambi Genocide Memorial

Leigh — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 05:56:17 +0000

Yesterday (Saturday) went to Murambi Genocide Memorial. The projected two hour ride south took three hours. Apparently we were on Africa time. Murambi memorial is where 50,000 people were slaughtered in the early stages of the genocide. One cannot help but be profoundly affected by what we saw. We took our time as we were guided through the grounds. Then at the end we all sat together and reflected and prayed about how this was touching our lives.

Today (Sunday), we are headed to what is purported to be a lively church service. We have been informed there is drumming and dancing. We hope it’s a good African experience. Then we head to the Genocide Memorial in Kigali. We’ll be memorial-ized out by that time. These are wrenching emotional experiences, but good to really get the reality of this crime and others that should never happen. The rally cry in Rwanda is “Never Again.”