For the genocide memorial week, Rwanda and notably Kigali, are pretty dull. We took the opportunity to visit the Salesians’ lake house at Lake Muhazi and had an amazing time. It was a much-needed vacation and I enjoyed much sleep, reading, eating and daily swimming.
We spent one day challenging nature (taking a break from the daily bags tournament) and had to both swim across the lake and also climb the giant hill by the house. This is the view from the peak!
When we returned home vacation was immediately over, with school beginning and the student returning to live at the center. Our director, Father Frans, suggested that we all take a stint living with the boys in the Foyer to see how life is there. (You must pronounce foyer with a French accent to get the full effect, “foy-ay”). I started in the room with the younger boys, aged around 10-15, and Chris started with the older guys, 15 and up. The kids have a busy schedule, waking up at 5:30 and a day full of studying, school, study halls, manual work, sports and prayer. By the time the lights are off at 9:45 I’m normally asleep before they are, and haven’t done half of what they have!
Being in the foyer has been a great experience so far (I have since moved upstairs with the older guys). The kids love seeing us around and are often surprised to learn that we wanted to come live with them. They can’t really understand why we would give up our comfortable living conditions and good meals to come live in a crammed room with 60 other people and eat the same thing for every meal. But this type of experience, hanging out and trying to be a good friend/role model/guy to the boys is exactly why I came here, and I’m enjoying it greatly!
“Kahunga na Ibishimbo” (Corn meal and beans) is the staple at Gatenga. Its not bad, but eating it for every meal gets a little old. On Sunday and Wednesday nights they boys get rice instead of kahunga (a great improvement) and Friday night is the real treat with the “Matoke” (bland banana) substitution. It is best eaten with the fingers, but sometimes I do slip a spoon in my pocket.
The boys, especially the smaller ones, crave male attention, and, as all young boys, prefer this attention in the form of fighting, laughing, throwing and spinning.
In the Salesian tradition, every night before bed the boys get an evening talk, or a “goodnight.” I have been put into the rotation and give the goodnight every couple weeks. Last week I let the boys style my hair (they are fascinated by it) and incorporated a moral lesson. Octavian on my right is translating my English and attempted French into Kinrywanda.
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