12/28/13: RWANDA: "MUGANDA"- COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY

12/28/13: RWANDA: "MUGANDA" - COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY 

Muganda Morning!

This morning, we worked alongside dozens of people doing community service on the last Saturday of the month. "Muganda" is an ancient custom and the word denotes it's origins when each member of a community would contribute one tree to the building of a house for someone. It has been revitalized by the President of Rwanda for the purpose of restoring unity to the peoples of the country and for helping with community projects. As you know, the fabric of the Rwandan society was torn by the Genocide, which took place in 1994. This was not an isolated event, as smaller atrocities occurred from 1959 on. This stemmed from the way the Belgian colonists divided the tribes, using the minority Tutsis to govern the majority Hutus (85%). (This reminded me how the Polish aristocracy used the Jews as the tax collectors, earning them the status of a despised minority.)

Morning shot of Volcanoes

We hauled volcanic rocks out of a stream bed and carried to a road in need of repair. We were accompanied by Pastor Gerrard, who tore some palm fronds off a tree and made them into a protective head covering so we could carry them on our heads. The young children were drawn to us, carrying small stone in their hands, and holding one of our hands as we walked. We walked back and forth with very large stones on our heads about five times, in line with perhaps 150 other Rwandans.

Community Service Work - gathering rocks

Fixing Potholes 

Yo with his kid helpers

 Once the job was done, a local meeting was called and these residents gathered to hear their local leaders, who mostly harangued them about individuals drinking too much at the end of the year, wife beaters and child abusers, and criminal activities in the area.  People spoke out about solving problems, speaking openly about not repeating solutions that didn't work last year and such. 

Community Meeting

  Two young people, a brother and sister, attached themselves to us and did some translating and discussing with us. The young woman took a turn to speak as the leader of the local young people. Her focus is on exposing domestic abuse.  

Young Woman Leader speaking about exposing Domestic Abuse

At the end, the local leader asked them to introduce us. Joanie spoke about our work in Rwanda and the Pastor told everyone we were Israelites. All this brought out a great deal of applause and smiles.  

Joanie was feeling a bit under the weather still, slight sore throat and swollen glands on one side. So, after lunch, she had a rest. Instead of going on the hike organized by Amahoro Tours, we took advantage of Pastor Gerard's willingness to accompany us up to one of the lakes near where he was born, close to the Ugandan border. 

We had to walk all the way into town to get the bus, even though it turns close to his street. After we got out of the micro we were accosted by about 10 moto drivers, each trying to put a helmet into our hands. The Pastor seemed to be laughing while negotiating and he eventually selected 3 motos and we got on for a way-too-fast-for-comfort ride down a bumpy road. The rewards were there, though, as we came upon a large, beautiful lake with the three dominant volcanoes standing across from it. 

Lake Ruhonda 

Joanie and Yehudah by Hydro Plant on Lake Ruhonda

Unfortunately, today was not as clear and the pictures weren't worthwhile. We got off the motos next to a large hydro plant that was powered by another lake which Pastor Gerard said had drinking quality water in it when he was growing up. He called for the boat to come from the (Lake) Ruhonda Resort to come get us and we waited a short while with several young people. Meanwhile, we observed some snowy egrets and other waterfowl as well as swallows feeding in the shallows and air around us. It was lovely to be outside town in a more natural environment. 

Volcanoes in distance 

Villagers in dugout

Lake Ruhonda Resort - President of Rwanda comes here with guests

Islands in Lake Ruhonda

Ruhonda Resort Room

Thatched Roof of one Resort Room

Great Ceiling of Thatched Roof

We were shuttled to the Resort, which we learned had only opened 2-3 years ago and is a favorite hangout for the President and his guests. It was a cut above budget at $100/night with breakfast and boat ferry included, but it appeared to be empty at the moment. The rooms are in round buildings with roofs and colors similar to traditional African houses, with one tall thatched roof building, all with Rwandan style showers and flush toilets. We wandered around awhile and then settled into a table for a round of beverages. We shared a pot of green tea with lemon, which made the trip for Joanie as she was dreaming of such to help heal her swollen glands.

After taking the return ferry, we made the journey back after Pastor Gerard called the motos and they met us as we walked back up the road, passing maize and sorghum fields, talking with young people walking with us.  

Maize Fields

Maize and Sorghum Fields

 Getting on the bus was a bit challenging as there were a lot of people waiting and very little room on any of them. One woman got really aggressive and shoved Yehudah out of the way, but there was only one seat and we were three. When we got back to town, the streets were very wet. We dodged a large downpour. Not unusual in this area where weather can hit very specific areas and not adjacent ones.  

Our final evening Poppa Gerard queried us about why Jews don't accept Jesus as the Messiah.  People here revere Jews and think that Jews do accept Jesus.  So our information was a big surprise to him. We told him more about Jews and Christianity than anyone else had and he was receptive to hear what we had to say.  He is quite a scholar and really open to learning - don't know if the discussion dampened his enthusiasm towards Jews.  We suggested he study Hebrew with the Abayudaya.