Day 11

We all set out at 8am in two cars with Bishop Samuel and Pastor Irrazmas. After an hour and a half drive on very unstable dirt tracks we arrived at the first church in Nyabinaga. The whole village greeted us with song and welcomed us humbly. There was a large choir that sang a few songs before speeches were made by several important figures of the community and Free Methodist Church in Rwanda. After speeches had been made, John introduced the whole group and we all sang two songs in Kinyawandan which they all found amusing. We continued to the local primary school which is twinned with Elmore Green. All of the children lined up while singing a song in English, as well as presenting us with pictures of Elmore Green. Two of the children put petals down on the ground in front of us as we walked down the steep path. The children had obviously put in a lot of effort to learn different phrases in English as some of them welcomed us with speeches. There was an exchanging of gifts between the group and the school. We gave them some exercise books while Elmore Green had given, along with a cash donation for the school. In return they presented us with some handmade gifts for their twin school, some doves made out of wood with inscribed bible verses and a few hand drawn pictures. After being shown around the classrooms of the school and their school rabbits, we set off again to visit the local health centre. The health centre was described as one of the better ones of the area, however we were still all shocked by the difference between Rwanda and England. As in Kibogora hospital we were taken around the different wards including the maternity unit and men/women wards. The health centres are more like cottage hospitals in England as wards are available to treat patients who are not seriously ill. To our surprise we were given lunch and there was another opportunity to meet members of the community and staff of the health centres. We were given more gifts to represent our friendship with Rwanda including some wood carvings. Due to the state of the hospital, Yvonne decided to use some of the money that the people of St John's in Bloxwich had given her to buy bed sheets for the wards. They were very grateful for this gift and it was obvious that it would be greatly appreciated. Our final destination was Gitsimbwe school, which was where Bishop Samuel taught for nine years before the genocide. We were told of how nine out of the fourteen teachers at the school had been killed in the genocide, with many of the children and teachers being locked in a room and set alight. It was estimated that approximately 5000 people died at the site of this school. As with the previous school we were greeted by singing and dancing. Unlike the last school, this school also encompassed a secondary department which is gradually developing. More speeches were made, and we were also given a tour of this school. A meal was also provided for us which ensured that we were all very full for our long journey home.