Muraho!

Muraho (hello) from Kigali, Rwanda!  I arrived in Africa via Ethiopian Airlines a few days back, and I think we’re pretty much settled in at this point.  My goal is to provide daily updates of varying length, but we’ll see how it goes.  We’re actually staying in a very nice locale on a hill overlooking the city, but it’s still Rwanda.  The water has been out more than it’s been on, the electricity has already gone out once or twice, and the internet is spotty.  However, with that said, Kigali is actually quite modern compared to what I suspect many of you would believe.  We purchased cell phones through MTN (essentially TracPhones) with solid connections, and I purchased a wireless modem for less than $30 USD through Tigo that allows 50 MB per day.  There are also a number of restaurants and cafes that advertise internet hotspots.  I wouldn’t advise entering a restroom without hand sanitizer, but it could certainly be worse.

As for where we are staying, we have a very nice place belonging to Association Mwana Ukundwa (AMU), a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting orphans of the genocide.  It’s run by a woman named Rose who, during the genocide, vowed to protect God’s children if He protected her (more on AMU here).  The house has 8 rooms with 2 beds in each, and it sounds like the funds raised from the med students on the trip actually help pull the place together (funds from last year’s group allowed for the curtains and mosquito nets we’re currently enjoying).  It’s really a nice place they have here, and I’m sure the picture I’ve attached doesn’t do it justice.  We have a half hour walk down a hill to the nearest bus stop (first dirt/clay, then cobblestone), but it builds character… and the view from the top is worth it.

Seeing as it’s now 12:30 AM here in Rwanda, I’m going to call it a night.  I hope to pop in again tomorrow.

-Scott

Rwanda is known as "The Land of a Thousand Hills," and the AMU building sits on one of those hills.  The resulting view is gorgeous.