Peaks and Troughs

I knew it would happen and so it did! This week I went from one of my lowest lows to one of the highest highs in the matter of just a few days. Yes it was the week of World AIDS Day and Monday began with my discovery that nothing that had been planned had actually happened, from booking a room to securing additional funding – nothing. Throughout the day it seemed to get worse culminating in my line manager publicly ticking me off (while I struggled to see him through my sunstroke) for not keeping him informed – nothing was happening how can I keep anyone informed of that?! I was pretty much on the verge of breakdown all day.

You can imagine my surprise on Tuesday when suddenly things came together so thoroughly that I was almost twiddling my thumbs by the end of the day, well not quite but… So my emergency meeting bore fruit in the shape of massive funding support from another donor and the assigning of roles and budget for every activity – hoorah. The rest of a week was a jumble of chasing people about, visiting banks and artists (who were painting the banner), putting up posters around the town (I felt like a student again) and calling youth clubs to check they were coming. But we did it!

The event was scheduled to start at 10am, so of course most of the competing youth clubs did not show up until 11am. By this point I was ready to take most things in my stride, as long as some people showed up it was a blessing! But we ended up with a full hall, six youth clubs competing in the areas of theatre and song on the theme of World AIDS Day in Rwanda: ‘The responsibility of the family vis-à-vis children in the fight against AIDS’. There were some particularly brilliant songs and poems, but generally the spirits were high and when the rain trapped us in at the end we just cranked up the music and everyone got dancing! After a speedy lunch it was time for the second half of the day a football match between the Military and the District teams. Standing on the sideline in the drizzle I was taken back to many a football game back in England, if it wasn’t for the state of the pitch (with no lines and almost no grass).

The following day was another kettle of fish entirely! Saturday was the District official event for World AIDS Day, which had been planned to coincide with Umuganda – the day for communal work in Rwanda. So I was picked up bright and early to go tree planting, much to the surprise of assembled Rwandans I relished the opportunity to get stuck in with my hoe and plant the little saplings. The joy was slightly diminished went the rain set in and the sorrow deepened when after three hours of damp planting we were subjected to three hours of speeches outside in the cold and all in Kinyarwanda! I was not a happy (or warm) Hannah by 3pm when we finally returned to Nyagatare, but the gift of a free lunch from the organisers was enough to make this impoverished volunteer perk up and fill her buffet plate as full as it would go!

On Sunday I discovered that if you are looking for a work out then head down to the Anglican Church in Nyagatare, where the enthusiasm of the singing and dancing reached such dizzying heights that the congregation was regularly taken to the level of jogging on the spot! Admittedly I did only stay for 2 of the 6 hours worth of service, so perhaps things calmed down after the intro! The rest of the day was much more subdued, just me and my laundry/housework.

And in other news I am in danger of turning into a banana such is my love for the sweet little ones we get here; my life is an almost endless stream of decanting water from tap to jerry can to saucepan to filter to bottle to mouth; and I have rediscovered the joy of the thermos – copious cups of tea throughout my working day – I could be at home!

Until next time…