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Mothers Union in Blackburn Diocese |
Rwanda Visit |
The highs and lows: Memories are made of this.Ø Finding myself seated beside a delightful Malawian minister on the way out. Ø Arriving to a tremendous welcome at Shyogwe. Ø Passion fruit, pineapple and papaya every day for breakfast. Ø Boiled rice every day for dinner, (and for lunch if I had any!). Ø Noticing, with alarm, that the toilet door in my ‘quarters’ had a bolt on the outside only! Ø Noting also that the shower taps were at knee level and both gave a cold trickle only Ø There was no shower attachment anyway! Ø Wash-basin tap revolved on own axis so water flowed onto the floor. Ø A five hour service to admit new members to the MU. Ø Leading a two hour seminar on ‘the role of a Pastor’s wife’ Ø Being asked to continue for a further hour on ’Family Planning and HIV/Aids’. Ø Being woken at 6 am to be told breakfast with the Bishop was at 8 am instead of 7 am! Ø
Seating in one church, miles from anywhere, consisted of layers of
bricks. (I was given a chair) Ø A 2 hour session in the health centre ladling out beans and flour to mothers for their children. Ø The delighted smiles of widows receiving our gifts of goats. Ø An executive MU meeting in ‘my’ room at 8.45 am. Ø Preaching on three Sundays and speaking to 18 different MU groups. Ø Being presented with some gifts too heavy to bring home. Ø Being presented with a bucket of potatoes after one session. Ø Coping with no electricity between 5 am and 8 am and 3 pm and 6 pm every day. Ø Constant flow of visitors at ‘inconvenient’ times. Ø Eating bread called ‘Millennium Bread’ (Yes, you guessed right!) Ø Seeing a beautiful compound by a lake for women dying of AIDS. Ø Seeing the beautiful smiles of Christian women dying of AIDS. Ø Dining with the American Ambassador two evenings. Ø Being asked to host her myself on the third evening! Ø Listening to survivors’ harrowing stories of their experiences during the genocide. Ø Hearing how children are still in danger of rape while their mothers are working the land. Ø Being overwhelmed b the joy, exuberance and resilience of MU members. Ø Being impressed by their seriousness of becoming members of MU. Ø Taking a small part in an immunisation session at the health centre. Ø Observing the care and concern shown by the Christian staff there. Ø Finding a lizard tangled in the mosquito netting by my pillow. Ø Finding Malcolm, my husband, waiting for me at Heathrow on my return. Who will come with me next time? Thanks for all who prayed for me. I kept fit and well and free from accidents.
Betty
Scott
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visit to Rwanda recently brought moments of both joy and sadness for our
Worldwide co-ordinator Betty. She shares her highs and lows, ending
with.........
'Who will come with me next time'? |
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