Tuesday, January twenty eighth
Spent the whole day in Kigali running after seed corn, vegetable seed, arranging transportation, getting the phone to work and purchasing a new printing cartridge for 60,000 Rwandan Frances, about $60.00. Here is how the 160 # of vegetable seed purchase went. I had to pay in cash, see the manager, review the stock with two attendees, come back in two hours because they were busy, have three employees load the vehicle, have the cash counted twice by two clerks who then had to again see the manager and receive a typed receipt.
Wednesday, January twenty ninth
Three of the volunteers came back from Kibuye last evening. Upon arriving a couple days ago they discovered all the NGOs had left. What we did not know is that on Friday a Belgium man traveling from kibuye to Kigali, the same road we always travel on, had been shot. He was carrying two RPF soldiers, one who immediately jumped out of the car returning fire. He was hit, dragged back into the car, and they speed back to Kibuye, sounding the alarm. By midday, Saturday, most of the expatriates had taken off.
The guys did the minimal amount of necessary work and came home. I have had those moments before, so I did not blame them. I am glad they felt they could do so. Still, I had some goals which were not going to get done this week. Who says being a missionary is not exciting, thrilling, living on the edge, trusting God kind of living?
Bill and Pete picked up the Toyota Hilux. We spent $4,500 overhauling it. We had the top mechanic from Toyota Garage do the work in his back yard. We would had had to wait a month for parts if left in the garage. He had them. Yes, I know where they came from.
I had the guys visit all the local NGOs and find out what they were doing on security issues. We are as organized and productive as any. We did pick up an idea or two.
This evening we spent time strategizing about security issues. We decided when and where we were going to stay in touch, how to park vehicles in the “Get-away-position,” what to do if confronted by militia in our home or on the road. We all went to bed with one eye open. The guard woke Peter up to ask about an unlocked front door. If he had done that to me, I probably would have had to change the sheets.
Thursday, January thirty
We drive only in daylight hours, not real early, but “never” at night, stay on the main road. We have not heard of any further incidents.
We went to Gishita Commune and saw the transit camp where the returnees register. Many looked pretty bad. Up to one hundred a day are still arriving on foot from 150 miles away. Lutheran World Federation is helping with hoes, blankets, pots, and some food. We meet them in their village with seeds and staying power with Food for Work.
We have 5,500 hoes and 7.5 metric tons of bean seed. We are now ready to do another distribution this week. Ruche cooked and took care of us. She is 23 and looks forty.
Friday, January thirty first
I hired a person to organize all our inventory in the church building/warehouse. Dave and I met with fifteen leaders from each of the nine communes in Kibuye Prefecture. We described our programs and asked for their advice. We will be meeting with them monthly for their input. A good meeting.
The US embassy called a special security meeting for all Americans. The ambassador from Burundi and Rwanda gave presentations plus the military attaché. Lots of talk, not much accomplished.
Pete and Bill, our volunteers, were returning to Nairobi. The plan was to complete some errands in the city and leave the vehicle at the airport for us to pick up later. We got there at dusk. The airport was shut down and there was no vehicle. We thought they might have left it at the ADEPR Guest House or at Ranji’s store. No luck at either location. We went home and I began to wonder how we lost the truck. I phoned Nairobi several times. No answer. Just before going to bed, Bill called from Nairobi saying he had left the vehicle with Francine Iwumana. She worked for Kenya Airways. That was a relief. Now we only had to find her. Our plans for Saturday were altered to do some detective work.
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