Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.

Just in case you don’t wake up at the crack of dawn on Thursday mornings to listen to the Sonrise Morning Show with Brian Patrick, you can catch the interview that I did yesterday about our Rwanda trip with Catholic Relief Services online at the CRS Newswire website here. I think my favorite thing about that feature is the photo, which I’ll make you click through to see there.

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional updates from the CRS Egan Fellowship trip to Rwanda.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.

Today for the first time since returning home from Rwanda last Sunday night, I’m feeling back to “normal” physically. My ears have stopped ringing from thirty plus hours in the air, my ankles are back to their normal shape, and I no longer feel like bursting into tears of gratitude at the sight of a hot running shower.

But as “normal” as my body may be feeling, my heart is still reeling quite a bit from the experience of spending a week in Rwanda. I thought today that I would endeavor to capture some of these emotions before I forget them, so I hope you’ll bear with me as I share honestly here in this space.

First, I feel compelled to again thank Catholic Relief Services for offering a blogger the chance of a lifetime to participate in the Egan Fellowship. In writing of the fellowship’s namesake Eileen Egan, former CRS Executive Director Ken Hackett (now the U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican) said of Ms. Egan, “Her recognition of war refugees as human beings worthy of dignity and respect represents the basic principles through which CRS was founded.”

I obviously never met Ms. Egan, but I can say with great certainty that her attitude towards those she served continues to permeate the work of Catholic Relief Services’ staff members around the globe. From the moment we arrived at our orientation at CRS headquarters in Baltimore through the time that we departed from Rwanda, I was able to witness firsthand that “dignity and respect” with which the CRS team treated every individual we saw them serve. And perhaps those relationships we were able to enter into ourselves are the reason that now, even a few days out from the trip, my heart is aching a bit more than I had expected.

This trip was more than a “go find out facts and report a story” type of experience for me. This might be a risk of sending a blogger on a journalism fellowship. Early on, I noted my somewhat different perspective on how I would be encountering and sharing the journey. My colleagues — trained journalists representing the most highly regarded Catholic publications — were far less likely to pose for selfies with little Rwandan cuties or burst into group shots to have their photos snapped than I was. Their journalistic professionalism showed itself at every encounter we had along the road. But I think they too would tell you that this experience, at this point in time, became far more than the chance to simply report a story.

Our travels together took us half a world away to a country reeling even twenty years after being so torn apart by genocide. When you try to ponder the absolute calamity of over half a million (and by some counts over a million) souls lost in the space of one hundred days to genocide, perhaps one of the few ways to cope with the loss is to examine it clinically. But then you come to know Rwanda and her people firsthand, and such emotional separation becomes virtually impossible.

Our trip did not only involve learning about the genocide and its aftermath. As much as we dwelt on conflict resolution and how this society moves forward relationally, we also learned of economic and societal programs that provide an enviable model for recovery and prosperity to the rest of the world. And the more I was impressed by Rwanda’s emergence and vast potential, the more challenging it became to simply emotionally separate from the devastation the people I’d met had suffered.

So I think the feelings I am encountering this week as I return to my simple suburban lifestyle are as much a mourning as they are a coping with the physical nature of this trip. To not express this deep emotion I’m encountering would feel like a whitewashing of my Egan experience.

At least three times since coming home, I have suffered a nightmare based upon last week’s visit to the Murambi Genocide Memorial. While at the Memorial Centre, we stopped in several rooms containing the skeletal remains of genocide victims (for a small sample of this, you can see a photo here — be forewarned that it is graphic in nature). We saw the body of a man, buried alive, whose mouth was agape in a silent scream. We saw the tiny bodies of babies and young children, ripped from the arms of their mothers as they were killed en masse. We saw more than one female skeleton, legs spread and arms covering her face in a defensive posture as she died in the process of being raped. These images have featured in my nightmares, mixing the souls of those Rwandans lost with my own loved ones — my children, my husband, my girlfriends — killed in my dreams.

Even the description of this nightmare here feels like a belittling of those I met last week who experienced the loss of their loved ones in real life — not in a dream. But I feel compelled to share this emotional reeling with you to more fully paint the true picture of what we Egan Fellows encountered. We went, we saw, we experienced, and now it is our duty to share these feelings so that — in some very small way — we add to the defense against something so horrendous ever being perpetrated again.

I think part of my emotional reaction to the tragedy of the genocide is that it occurred in my adulthood, and completely outside of my scope of attention. I was too busy in my own world to notice, to care, to act. I can’t take back those years of not caring, not acting. But I can resolve to do better in the future.

I still have much to share about this Egan Fellowship experience, so these journal entries will continue in the weeks ahead as I unpack what we learned. There is so much good work to report on — the valiant efforts of Catholic Relief Services to provide for the Rwandan’s needs, but more importantly to work with them in building a future that is bright, prosperous, and filled with hope and faith. So future journal entries will share those programs and efforts and will encourage you to become a partner in the work CRS does around the world.

For today though, I will admit to the emotions that fill my heart. I ask you humbly to join me in prayer for the repose of all of those souls lost to violent and horrific deaths in this and other genocides, but also to pray for those left behind to cope with the loss and to care for one another in the aftermath. And would you also join me in remembering those CRS team members who have given so fully of themselves to be the Gospel — in such a hands on way — to those they serve?

For those who died, for those who lived, for those who are Jesus Christ’s hands and feet to the world around them… for ourselves, that we may translate attention and caring into service and action, we humbly pray.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.

While my body is officially back home in Fresno, California today, my heart and mind remain torn between this place and the green hills of Rwanda, half a world away. Over the next few weeks, I will continue to share my reactions to the experience I’ve enjoyed as a Catholic Relief Services Egan Fellow. Today though, I wanted to share with you the final installment of the last few days in Rwanda. Today, we’ll pick up on last Friday’s memories and take you through our trip home over the weekend.

SILC World Savings Day Celebration

After spending a few nights away from our very comfortable accommodations at the East African Villas, it was a joy to wake up in Kigali once more. We piled into the CRS van that was our shuttle for the week and proceeded to Zaza Parish for a celebration of World Savings Day and overview of CRS’ SILC program. “SILC” is shorthand for Savings and Internal Lending Communities:

Catholic Relief Services works through the Saving and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) approach. SILC mobilizes very poor people in saving and lending activities. They invest in small businesses with the objective of allowing them to increase lifelong livelihood opportunities and improve household revenue through income generating activities. CRS also works through a model called Private Service Provider (PSP), which is based on a fee-for-service structure. After becoming certified, field agents help new groups get started or existing groups become more advanced. Currently, CRS is implementing SILC and PSP projects with 8 partners in 17 of Rwanda’s 30 districts. To date 3,092 SILC groups have been formed with 72,673 members in total. Active members—16,160—mobilize $141,401 in savings.

We had seen a youth SILC group earlier in week on our visit to Rurango Parish in Huye, but Friday’s look at the remarkably transformative power of SILCs was indeed a celebration. After a dirt road drive that lasted nearly two hours, our van pulled into the courtyard of a Catholic Church. A stroll down a dirt path brought us into a clearing amidst scores of banana trees, where a few hundred men, women and children were preparing for a party. We were invited to sit on special benches which gave us a terrific vantage point for the event that ensued. Speeches, songs and dances, tributes and even a savings and lending themed original poem marked the success of SILCs. A highlight — which likely looked as hilarious as it felt — was an impromptu party that broke out when the performing dance troop grabbed each of the CRS team and invited us to join them in dance. Sadly, no video footage was captured but I do have this amazing little snippet of those same dancers a few moments earlier.

Having had the opportunity to learn about CRS’ SILC program, it was terrific to hear testimonials from two individuals whose lives have been vastly enhanced by the program. Indeed, witnessing what a “culture of savings” has done in this small community in Rwanda, I would say that many of us living in the United States could benefit from the principles taught in SILC.

World Savings Day Celebration in Zaza Parish — highlighting the impact of Catholic Relief Services’ Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) programs in Rwandan communities

All too soon, the Savings celebration drew to a close and it was time for us to say goodbye to yet another new group of friends.

Church Strategic Support

After the party, we enjoyed a terrific lunch at the offices of the Diocese of Kibungo. Joining us was Father Viateur, the Treasurer General of the Diocese. Following lunch, Father Viateur and CRS staffers provided us with an overview of CRS’ strategic partnership with the Kibungo Diocese to provide institutional strengthening in the wake of the diocese’s financial crisis. With over 1.5 billion Rwandan Francs in debt and reeling from the resignation of their previous Bishop, the diocese recognized the critical need to assess and revamp existing management structures. They partnered in this endeavor with Catholic Relief Services to implement strategies and management tools which have had a near-immediate impact upon both the financial strength and the administrative efficiency of the parishes in this diocese. Some (but by no means all) of the results of this strategic partnership include:

• Existence and implementation of management tools in all parishes in the diocese, including thorough inventories having been conducted in half of the parishes
• Organization of Finance Committees in all parishes in the diocese and qualified accountants in place in all parishes
• Monthly financial reports by parishes
• Bank accounts established in all parishes
• Employment contracts for all newly hired employees

Seeing the success of this Catholic Relief Services strategic support in Kibungo, several other dioceses are now anxious to partner with CRS for continued enhancement of management, financial systems and administrative structures.

Lunch and Church Strategic Support meeting with Kibungo Diocese

Most of us who hear “Catholic Relief Services” think about food and shelter relief for the most basic of human needs, but this level of Church Strategic Support in Rwanda reminds me that CRS has an impact not only upon immediate base needs, but additionally upon long-term processes that build efficiency and self-reliance in both individuals and larger organizations, including the Church herself.

Final Night in Kigali

After a final drive through the Rwandan countryside, we were able to stop in for a quick visit at Paroisse Regina Pacis. Even on a Friday night, the parish was vibrant with groups meeting and the faithful inside praying quietly. A very large structure, the parish is home to a tabernacle in the traditional shape of an African basket. The silent atmosphere in the very large church was the perfect place to give thanks for the amazing week we had experienced in Rwanda.

Paroisse Regina Pacis

Our Friday night dinner out on the town in Kigali was a goodbye of sorts to our new CRS Rwanda friends. At a large banquet table, we sat interspersed with the entire team, getting to know them individually and sharing stories of our week of discovery.

Dinner with the CRS Rwanda team

At moments like these, it seems impossible to ponder the fact that you’ve only been in a place like this for less than a week, and yet your heart is so fully taken with the country and her people. All too soon, it was time to say goodbye — I think I speak for the rest of my fellow Egan travelers when I say that this is a place that has transfixed us and that will forever change the way we see the world around us. This is thanks in large part to LeAnn Hagar and her team of dedicated professionals, including our guide for the week – Joseph.

Time to say goodbye!

On Saturday, we took advantage of the lack of scheduled activities to rest up for our major travel days ahead. In Rwanda, there is a mandatory community service day from 8:00am to 11:00am, on the last Saturday of each month. This day is referred to as “Umaganda” and is as much a day of community building as it is a communal labor effort. When you traverse the public areas in Rwanda, you see the impact of Umaganda as the country is pristinely kept. Moreover, observing the community spirit of Rwanda’s families helps you to see the role that this service program has had in bringing her people closer to each other as they emerge from the devastation of their all too recent history of genocide.

Home Again

As I write this recap of our last few days in Rwanda, I am home again in Fresno. The trip home was uneventful but prolonged, involving four separate flights and over thirty consecutive hours of travel. As I type this, I am dealing with a bit of physical exhaustion, but more so a heart full of emotions. Since this post is already too long and my bed is beckoning, I will plan a post for tomorrow that will be a recap of some of the feelings and emotions that are overwhelming me today. Suffice it to say that I am smitten with Rwanda, with my new friends from Africa and also my Egan fellow-friends, and that I’m committed to using this experience to continue to transform myself and my service to the world around me.

I’d like to say a word of thanks to Catholic Relief Services for having made this trip the opportunity of a lifetime. To CRS staffers Kim Pozniak, Helen Blakesley, Ryutaro Mizuno, Leann Hagar and the entire team in Rwanda, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you did for us this past week. You exemplify CRS’ mission – motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to cherish, preserve and uphold the sacredness and dignity of all human life, foster charity and justice, and embody Catholic social and moral teaching.

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional updates from the CRS Egan Fellowship trip to Rwanda.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.

First of all, please accept my apologies for the abbreviated post yesterday. While the hotel we stayed in — the Centre Saint Andre owned by the Diocese of Kabgayi in the Muhanga district was beautiful, the Internet connectivity (and the hot water — as my photos will prove) leaves much to be desired. It’s probably just as well… I’ve been averaging about five hours of sleep per night here in Rwanda, so one night without Internet did me the favor of letting me catch up on sleep a bit.

A Bishop

Morning Visit with Bishop Smaragde Mbonyintege and to Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady

Our first visit of the day was a courtesy visit to Bishop Smaragde Mbonyintege of the Diocese of Kabgayi. While we expected to be greeted politely for a few moments, Bishop spent quite a lot of time with us. Our first portion of the meeting involved introductions. I finally gathered a bit of courage and introduced myself to him in French and presented him with a copy of my books. While I doubt seriously that Bishop Smaragde will sit and read A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms, it brings me great joy to know that a copy of it will reside in Rwanda. Bishop Smaragde is a very charismatic religious leader. In our conversation, he spoke with great animation about the Church’s response to the Rwandan genocide and her continual commitment to service to the survivors. When I asked him we — as Catholics — might better serve the survivors, he carefully explained that it was important that the Church continue to personally — on a one-to-one basis — examine the individual needs people have rather than coming up with blanket solutions. He gave us a personal example of a woman who desperately came to him one day recently with two children in tow and obviously pregnant. He personally found her shelter, then located a family member to care for her children while she was placed in shelter to await the delivery of her next baby. Imagine a Bishop taking time and care to be involved in such issues. We know that they are all men of great compassion, and yet Bishop Smaragde so beautiful exemplifies the teachings that we are currently hearing from Pope Francis that we must all love and serve one another. After sharing this story, Bishop took us to a lovely gallery of photos in his residence area, telling us the history of all of the dioceses in Rwanda and introducing us to the Rwandan bishops. He paused with great compassion before the now famous photo of Popes Benedict XVI and Francis in prayer together and expressed his great affection for both pontiffs. We were also able to see a beautiful photo of Bishop Smaragde with Pope Francis. With bishops such as this man in Rwanda, the future of the Church is undoubtedly bright here. After having met him and having attended Mass with Rwandan young adults, it is obvious to me why the country’s seminaries are overflowing.

A Broken Nose

Sweet Helen’s injury and our visit/field trip to a Rwandan hospital.

After our visit with Bishop Smaragde, we took time to visit and pray in the gorgeous Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady. Then it was time to visit the hotel and pick up our items before heading to our next appointment. Unfortunately, a small mishap occurred when our friend Helen Blakesley had a small accident. Helen is CRS’ regional information officer for West and Central Africa. She is based in Dakar, Senegal and along with being our primary translator on this trip, she has been a great source of light for all of us with her warm and engaging personality and infectious smile. It became clear to us that Helen had likely broken her nose, so our CRS leader LeAnn and I decided to forego our plans and accompany Helen to the “hospital”. The mom in me kicked in, and I simply thought of what I would want to have happen if one of my sons were injured in foreign country. LeAnn was there to handle all of the admissions process and I simply sat and held Helen’s hand – she was quite brave! In the end, it was determined that her nose was indeed broken — Helen will now have a big story to tell and I have a firsthand view of the medical system in rural Rwanda.

The personnel at the hospital were extremely warm and caring, but it’s clear that the system is still in development. A picture of Helen’s “medical record” shows you one small example: it is a tiny notebook made up of recycled notebook paper stapled and scribbled with minimal details. Yet another reminder to me of how blessed we are in our country, and how important it is that we supportive aid agencies such as CRS who toil in other countries to bring the basic necessities of life to the underserved.

At the hospital, we met a lovely nun named Immaculee who was clearly in charge. She greeted us personally as we sat on a bench outside after Helen had been discharged and followed up for additional information. An angel in disguise!

Helen is recuperating, but please keep her in your prayers! And while you are praying, please remember the many pregnant mothers and babies that we met at the hospital. They raise families in very challenging circumstances but are never short of smiles and friendly greetings for us foreigners!

Institute for Research on Peace and Development

While I had to forego the visit to Radio Maria Rwanda to accompany Helen to the hospital, I was able to learn about this media outlet from my other journalist friends who visited the radio studios. Just as in the United States, Radio Maria here broadcasts religious content and is listener supported. They operate with outdated technology, but a committed staff of volunteers to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel across Rwandan airwaves.

Our next meeting was with Professor Rwanyindo, the Director of the Institute for Research on Peace and Development. Founded in 2001, the Institute is a major peacebuilding leader in Rwanda and contributes in many ways to reconciliation in the country in the wake of the genocide. A leading think-tank, the Institute conducts broad research and issues results-based recommendations to policy makers with an aim towards adding data to help shape policy and law in this country. Professor Rwanyindo was quite generous with the sharing of his time as well as his personal circumstances before, during and after the genocide. In Rwanda, it is rare that you meet someone who has not been impacted in some way personally. This professor and his colleagues are clearly turning their personal loss into a fantastic effort to aid in the construction of a united Rwanda.

With Professor Rwanyindo,Jean-Damas Gasanabo of the CNLG, and a great shopping (but bad-hair-thanks-to-no-shower) day.

Shopping!

After our meeting at the IRPD, it was time for a bit of souvenir shopping at Caritas Rwanda. While the store was overflowing with goodies and we only had a limited amount of time, it is wonderful to know that our small purchases will aid in Caritas’ support of those living in poverty in Rwanda. If you ever have a chance to visit Rwanda, I recommend that you purchase your gifts at this lovely boutique for a good selection of hand-crafted Rwandan artifacts.

National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide

Our next stop was to CNLG – the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide. Our host for the afternoon was Jean-Damas Gasanabo. An expert on genocide prevention and education, Gasanabo leads a unit of CNLG which is charged with research and documentation. Among his many responsibilities is the stewardship and preservation of over 40 million Gacaca court documents from the aftermath of the genocide. As always in RWanda, I am reminded of the incredible strides made by many individuals and organizations here who lack the technology and resources we sometimes take for granted. As with other meetings on the topic of genocide prevention, this meeting with Mr. Gasanabo inspired me to educate myself further on this dark period of Rwanda’s history and how we might each personally participate in eradicating genocide in the future.

Rwandan Pizza

A view of Kigali, a street guard and dinner at Sol e Luna (with Helen and Ron)

Tonight for dinner we dined at the lovely Sol e Luna restaurant in Kigali. While I felt guilty eating pizza in Rwanda (and washing it down with a passion fruit margarita!), I must admit that dinner was delicious! Our companions for the meal were two remarkable men. Professor Paul Rutayisire — a former Catholic Relief Services staff member — is the Director of the Centre for Conflict Management at the National University of Rwanda. Also joining us for dinner was Peacemaker Mbungiramihigo, the Executive Secretary at the Media High Council Rwanda. The Council works to promote freedom, professionalism and responsibility among Rwandan media. During a lively conversation, I especially enjoyed discussing blogging and social media with this incredible knowledgeable professor of communications who holds such a responsible position in the Rwandan government. I believe that social media will have a great role to play in Rwanda’s movement forward towards continued peace and prosperity.

As I type this, my clock now tells me that it’s after 1:30 am Rwandan time and that all too soon my alarm will be ringing. I look forward to a hot shower and a final day of Rwandan adventures in just a few short hours! What an amazing adventure this has been!

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional updates from the CRS Egan Fellowship trip to Rwanda.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.

Mass, Our Lady of Wisdom, Diocese of Butare

Mass at Our Lady of Wisdom, Butare

This day started with an early wake up call — we were off to Mass bright and early at Our Lady of the Miracles, the Cathedral in the Diocese of Butare. As a gift to our group, our celebrant Father Jean Baptiste Kazinda said Mass in English. We were joined by the amazing “Good News Choir” with young people who had come from St. Dominic’s prayer to join us in praise and worship. I simply can’t wait to share the videos of their singing!

Huje Green Mountain Coffee Cooperative

Huje Green Mountain Coffee Cooperative

Our second stop introduced us to two separate agricultural projects that Catholic Relief Services aids on in Butare. At the first site, Clemece, the leader of the “Let’s Get Out of Loneliness” group, introduced us to their cooperative agriculture program which aims to teach Rwanda farmers biointensive agriculture techniques. This group is comprised of a variety of ages and sexes working together in a communal setting to grow crops that are then taken to market. The techniques they learn in the community garden are then brought to their home gardens and replicated with fantastic results. We viewed multiple styles of gardening before moving on to the second group, the “Let’s have a common understanding” group. Again in this particular garden plot, we heard group organizers explain their techniques for growing a variety of crops. This group had already conducted a variety of tests in their plots and determined that with their advanced growing techniques — taught to them by Catholic Relief Services — that their produce yield had tripled. In addition, the presence of this communal garden has given them funds that can be reinvested in their community and has had a dramatic impact upon child nutritional levels among their members. Our final stop at this group took us into the coffee bean groves for a first-hand look at the way CRS’ involvement and support is enabling them to make drastic steps forward in production and yield.

My new Rwandan friends

As impressive as our visit with the farmers was in showing me the value of CRS’ work in Rwanda in providing Rwandans with tools and techniques that will change and improve their lives, my favorite aspect of the visit to these farming groups was the chance to be with their children. Perhaps it’s the fact that I look and sound so differently to them that attracts them to me, but regardless the joy of spending time among Rwanda’s future leaders is a true joy. They begin to learn English at a young age so they do know a few words, and have taught me a few Rwandan terms as well.

I’m running out of blogging time for the day, so I will share a few photos from our other visits to the Murambi Genocide Memorial and the Shrine at Our Lady of Sorrows in Kibeho and will follow up soon with complete posts about our next stops for the day — both of which merit full descriptions.

Wednesday’s “selfies” with Rwandan kids

Visit to the Murambi Genocide Memorial

Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows in Kibeho

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional updates from the CRS Egan Fellowship trip to Rwanda.

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.

Today’s journal entry is going to be exceptionally short. While the day was filled with amazing memories, I am operating on three hours sleep (too much Rwandan coffee yesterday!) and less than ideal working conditions. My “office” tonight has me perched on the edge of the bathtub in my hotel room, the only place I can muster up even a one bar of internet connection. If your first reaction is, “Ewwww, yuck!” then you haven’t seen some of the sights I’ve been privy to in the past two days.

Each of our stops on today’s agenda were remarkable and will merit future expanded journal entries. For tonight, since I simply must sleep, I’m just going to share a line or two on each of our stops and a few photos. I find that with each passing day, I fall more in love with Rwanda and especially with her people. This trip has launched a voracious appetite to see more of this continent of Africa, but also to hopefully come back here to Rwanda some day soon to spend more time.

National Unity and Reconciliation Commission

National Unity and Reconciliation Commission

While I’m learning that there is so much more to Rwanda than the country’s amazing recovery from the 1994 genocide, today’s first stop at the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission provided greater context for answering the question of how so much progress could have been made in less than twenty years. 100 Days, over one million souls lost, and yet today this country is able to function not only peacefully, but also cohesively. Our first stop this morning was to attend a presentation at the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission by Deogratis Nzabonimpa, the Commission’s Director of Administration and Finance. His informative talk provided both a historical context for events leading up to and during the genocide, but also a roadmap to Rwanda’s profound social and economic recovery in the twenty years since the devastation. I will share the details of the talk in a future post, but want to thank Director Nzamonimpa personally for the time he spent educating us.

Karmonyi Women’s Genocide Survivor Community

Karmonyi Women’s Genocide Survivor Community

Immediately following our Commission orientation, we took a prolonged drive out of the Kigali city center and into the countryside, where city buildings give way to massive green hills covered with small agricultural plots. Our winding road took us eventually to a dirt cart path sprinkled with large rocks, where we were greeted by a community of Genocide survivors who are predominantly widows. These women have chosen to live in community and have been supported in recent years by Catholic Relief Services. Our meeting with the widows took place in an open field surrounded by goats and their small housing structures. The photo you see above features the restroom they kindly opened for us, as well as some of the amazing personalities who shared their stories of loss, survival and community with us. While there were men and children gathered with us, it was clear to me that these matriarchs have forged a bond that has allowed them to not only survive horrific loss and grief, but also to become a support and a family to one another. I could have stayed at Kamonyi all day. One lasting impression of this place is the reminder that our donations to Catholic Relief Services, modest though they may sometimes be, can have a profound and lasting impact on the lives of the families support by CRS. These widows were quick to thank us for the goats that had been gifted to their community in the past year from CRS. For less than the price a family of four would pay for a dinner out at home in the US, an equivalent donation could be a lifeline to people living on the edge of devastation.

Rugango Parish, Huye

Community Healing and Reconciliation Program – Rugango Parish, Huye

Following a delicious lunch in Nyanza, we had another exciting drive through a rain soaked dirt “road” to Rugnago Parish in Huye, where Catholic Relief Services has partnership programs with the local community. Our first meeting was an intimate conversation with members of the Community Healing and Reconciliation Program where we witnessed genocide perpetrators and survivors sharing their testimonials about the reconciliation they have built in the years since the genocide. One after the next, standing in pairs, a genocide survivor who had lost his or her family and livelihood to mass murder and theft stood partnered with the perpetrator who had killed their loved ones. Time after time, they emotionally told both sides of their stories and finished with a message of renewed forgiveness and an embrace. I have several videos of these moments that I will be sharing in the weeks ahead. For the second time of the day, I was overcome by emotion and moved to tears.

SILC Akazi Kanoze Youth Program

Our day ended on a high note as members of the parish community’s “SILC Akazi Kanoze Youth Group” serenaded us with an original composition of song and dance. Supported by Catholic Relief Services, the youth program encourages savings, investment and community service aimed at building financial prowess and civic pride — set amidst a firm commitment to faith values — amidst Rwanda’s youth. Wait until you see the video of the welcoming song these young entrepreneurs prepared for us! We were treated to a tour of one SILC member’s financial project — a tomato farm that would rival many organic operations that I’ve seen in the Central Valley. Following our formal meeting, I had the chance to snap a few “selfies” with my new Rwandan friends. It became clear today that Rwandan youth and children are definitely not camera shy! All too soon, it was time to say goodbye to these teens and young adults who had so swiftly stolen our hearts.

With this brief recap, I hope you gather a sense of the extraordinary experience we Egan Fellows are having here in Rwanda with Catholic Relief Services! God willing and Internet cooperating, I’ll be back tomorrow evening with another installment of my Rwanda Journal.

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional updates from the CRS Egan Fellowship trip to Rwanda.

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.

The more time I spend in Rwanda, the more I see it as an amazing place of both contradictions and of consistencies. Permit me to ponder this for a few moments before I recap today’s amazing highlights.

First: contradictions. This came to my mind today when a friend commented on one of my earlier blog posts with his impression that my photos contradicted his perceptions of Rwanda as a “third world” country. I think this commenter’s perceptions likely mirrored my own prior to coming to Rwanda. I imagined drastic poverty. And while our presentation today by Catholic Relief Services’ Rwanda staff underscored many of the socio-economic and healthcare challenges faced by this country, even a casual observer will be impressed by not only the modernity, but also the impeccable cleanliness, of Rwanda’s capital city. Another contradiction — one that I’m still learning about — is Rwanda’s tragic and all too recent past contradicted against her current level of safety and relatively moderate crime rate.

While these contradictions will definitely merit more pondering at a later time, let me say a few words next about Rwanda’s consistencies. First and foremost, Rwandans are undoubtedly among the most hospitable and friendly people I’ve ever met. Additionally, their intelligence is clear in so many ways, not the least of which is many Rwandans’ fluency in three languages. Finally, the amazing cleanliness of nearly every corner of the city we’ve visited convinces me that this orderliness is not solely a government mandate, but additionally a personal priority for Rwanda’s citizens. If you spot a small piece of litter here, it stands out immediately and doesn’t seem to linger for long. The result is that even some of the least developed areas we’ve visited practically sparkle. Set against the country’s many rolling hills and her pervasive greenery, this physical care for the city is enviable for an American who’s all too used to graffiti and gum stained sidewalks.

Enough mental meandering for now… let me turn to the events of the day. I wish I had more time to dwell on each of these, but in favor of getting some sleep I will hit the major memories of the day.

Lisa at CRS Headquarters in Kigali, Rwanda

First and foremost, we were treated to a tremendous presentation from the Catholic Relief Services Rwanda staff. I will definitely address some of the highlights in more detail, but a few of the statistics need to be shared now to put my posts into a larger context:

• With a population of 11.6 million and an area roughly the size of Maryland, Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa. 81% reside in rural areas and 57% are Catholic.
• The GDP per capita is $1,136. 90% of the labor force work in agricultural occupations. Rwanda’s main cash crops are coffee and tea.
• Rwanda’s life expectancy is 55.4 years. 11.6 % of the adult population and 44% of children under the age of five are under undernourished. The rate of HIV/AIDS prevalence is 3%. 77% of women and 80% of men are literate.
• Rwandan females hold over 60% of the seats in Parliament.
• With a staff of 29 in country, CRS has engaged in a broad cross section of program sectors of the year including (but not limited to):
  • Institutional feeding
  • Agriculture
  • Nutrition
  • Small Enterprise Development
  • Emergency Relief
  • Trauma Counseling and Community Reconciliation
  • Orphans and Vulnerable Children/HIV and AIDS
  • Institutional Strenthening
• Current CRS priorities include Nutrition, Agriculture and Food Security, Church Strategic Support and Economic Strengthening. Peacebuilding continues to have an ongoing impact upon current CRS priorities in Rwanda.

Our morning with the CRS Rwanda staff concluded with a sharing of fair-trade coffee and tea. After this treat, I may never again touch non-fair-trade brews. For a sampling, check out CRSFairTrade.org.

Visit to the Rwandan Episcopal Conference

After our CRS Orientation, our next stop was to Conférence Episcopale du Rwanda (CEPR), the Bishops’ Episcopal Conference in Rwanda. For an overview of the Church’s role here and her partnership with CRS, we enjoyed a prolonged conversation with Abbe Celestin Hakizimana, the General Secretary for the Episcopal Conference. This meeting was followed by a fascinating presentation on the Church’s reconciliation efforts with two high level staff members of the Episcopal Justice and Peace Commission. One question I posed during this session dealt with Rwandan parents’ challenge of presenting the Genocide truthfully to their children without causing emotional damage. With most families in this country having been either survivors or perpetrators of the Genocide in some way, support for all parties remains a continual and challenging priority for this commission. I will revisit both of these topics in later posts, but suffice it to say that the work of the Catholic Church in Rwanda is both evident and greatly needed. Inspired by the leadership of Pope Francis and the country’s Bishops, Rwandan seminaries are currently at capacity, full of future priests, and the gospel message is vibrant and pervasive.

Egan Fellows claim their newly minted press credentials at the Rwandan Media High Council.

After a wonderful lunch at Chez Robert, we quickly stopped in at Rwanda’s Media High Council to obtain our press credentials. This press pass will undoubtedly be one of my favorite souvenirs of my Egan Fellowship trip!

Our final official stop for today was a wonderful visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. As was the case with my visit to Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Center) in Israel, this particular venue left me both emotionally reeling and filled with conviction to help play some small role in ensuring that such violence never again occurs in my lifetime. The Kigali Memorial Centre is both a place of memory and a call to action. Here is a brief description from the Centre’s website:

The Kigali Memorial Centre was opened on the 10th Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, in April 2004. The Centre is built on a site where over 250,000 people are buried. These graves are a clear reminder of the cost of ignorance. The Centre is a permanent memorial to those who fell victim to the genocide and serves as a place for people to grieve those they lost…One of the principle reasons for the Centre’s existence is to provided educational facilities. These are for a younger generation of Rwandan children some of whom may not remember the genocide, but whose lives are profoundly affected by it.

Among the most moving areas of this remarkable place are the mass burial areas which are the final resting place of over 250,000 victims of the genocide and a touching children’s memorial that underscores the tragic impact of this dark period of history on the lives of so many of Rwanda’s most vulnerable souls. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Rwanda, the Centre is a mandatory visit to more fully comprehend the events leading up to, during the siege of and immediately following the hundred days of genocide.

Kigali Memorial Centre

As I type this, I’m safely ensconced under my mosquito netting (quite a sight!) and my mind is racing a million miles an hour. It is hard to imagine that we have only been in Rwanda such a short time, and yet that this amazing place has already so touched my soul. While I have much more to say, my alarm will be ringing in less than six hours for another full day so I will say goodnight for now. We move to another hotel tomorrow, so I’m not sure what our wifi situation will be. Rest assured that I will log on to share more of this experience as soon as possible.

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional updates from the CRS Egan Fellowship trip to Rwanda.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.

Greetings from Kigali, the capital city of the country of Rwanda and our first destination after a very long day of travel. Praise be to God, our flights were completely uneventful. After a four hour layover in Ethiopia, I hit “the wall” — the lack of sleep kicked in. I vaguely remember snapping a photo out the window when we were briefly on the ground in Uganda, but I can’t find that shot anywhere on my phone so maybe I dreamed the whole thing!

After a brief stop, our flight to Kigali was less than an hour. Clearing customs was a breeze, although we did have a photo taken and had to have our fingerprints scanned. The whole process from climbing off the plane to gathering our luggage took less than twenty minutes. The border agent who cleared my passport was an absolute doll and welcomed me so nicely to Rwanda. I have the sense that he is simply the first of many generous folks I will encounter here!

East African Villas

After picking up luggage, we were greeted warmly by the Catholic Relief Services staff and transported to our beautiful hotel, the East African Villas. Along the road to our guest rooms, we were able to observe some of the normal aspects of Rwandan life, including heavy foot traffic, “motorcycle taxis” and the number of people out walking the streets.

Here’s a short view of my perspective from our bus:

Once settled into our rooms and having had our first shower in over a day, our team was off for a special welcoming dinner at the Hôtel des Mille Collines. If the name sounds familiar to you, you’ve likely seen the movie Hotel Rwanda:

The Hôtel des Mille Collines is a large hotel in Kigali, Rwanda. It became famous after 1,268 people took refuge inside the building during the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. The story of the hotel and its manager at that time, Paul Rusesabagina, was used as the basis of the film Hotel Rwanda. (wikipedia)

Dinner at the Hotel Mille Collines

Although the “real” MIlle Collines does not appear in the movie, having seen the film makes a visit to this hotel more than simply a pleasure stop. Fittingly perched atop a hill in this land of “mille collines” (a thousand hills), it gives a amazing vantage point to look out over the city. We dined poolside, reminding me of the film’s references to use of that same pool’s water supply to help the sheltered guests survive during the hundred days of the genocide. Today, this hotel is an upscale gem in a city that defies simple descriptions.

In many ways during our quick trips too and from the hotel, I was already mentally trying to process the current Kigali against the images (many false) I’ve held inside my head. Sparkling clean, bustling with well dressed folks walking her safe streets, Kigali is a mingling of patchwork family farm plots, small business districts, bustling real estate development, and amazing vista points. Drive five minutes down the road and you view will be renewed, your perspective updated. It’s not a simple city to describe, so I hope that pictures I’m able to share with you will capture some of the charm as well as the current development level of this place.

Our visit to Rwanda and our overview of Catholic Relief Services’ presence here begins in earnest tomorrow. I thank you for your continued prayers for all of us. Please pray that I will be worthy of this amazing opportunity to witness and to share the gospel message in action through the work of CRS.

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional updates from the CRS Egan Fellowship trip to Rwanda.

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.

As I write this, I’m sitting in Terminal 1 at Addis Ababa Airport in Ethiopia, waiting for our connecting flight to Kigali, Rwanda. Try as I might, I can’t truly get a fix on the time. My computer clock says 10:12 pm, which tells me that for my husband Greg at home in California it’s still Saturday night. Hopefully he’s happily celebrating a Fighting Irish football victory over USC. For my friends in Boston who have been at the Catholic New Media Convention all day, they should be either closing down a local bar or heading off to sleep after a day full of learning about use of technology in the New Evangelization. It’s been fun to follow the conference via the #CNMC13 hashtag on Twitter.

Addis Ababa Airport, Ethiopia

The clock here in Addis Ababa says 8:16 am, but my body has no idea what time it wants to be living in. Our journey so far has been smooth and uncomplicated. After a short night of sleep and a 3:45 am wakeup call, we traveled to Dulles Airport in Washington DC to catch our early flight via Ethiopian Airlines. I was overjoyed to find myself in a bulkhead aisle seat with plenty of legroom and an empty seat next to me. Such things matter when you’ll be in the air for thirteen hours.

I can’t say enough about how wonderful the Ethiopian Airlines experience has been. The plane was super clean and bright. The flight attendants remained gracious and friendly throughout the entire flight. We only encountered one patch of turbulence, so it was overall a very comfortable experience. I caught up on some recent movies, slept for approximately an hour, and enjoyed the flight very much. While I had planned to sleep more, I think the excitement of this experience is still helping me to run on overdrive.

Here in Ethiopia, it’s clear to see that I need to make a trip back to Addis. The airport is modern, comfortable and equipped with a good, free wifi signal, so I’m a happy camper. I do really wish we could escape into the city for a few hours, but unfortunately that is not in the cards. There is a small Ethiopian cafe here in the terminal that serves delicious coffee, and a general atmosphere that makes it easy for me to ponder my blessings. My brain may be a bit muddled by the travel and lack of sleep, but I’m clear enough to recognize what an incredible experience we are already having.

I may have another journal entry later today, but wanted to share this update so that family and friends would know how well the trip is going so far. Keep those prayers coming, and know that I am returning them for all of you!

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.

Today started bright and early with a wake up call that roused me from a short but delicious sleep. Our hotel — the Days Inn Baltimore Inner Harbor — is only a few short blocks from the Catholic Relief Services headquarters. You can’t imagine my excitement when we came up to the CRS building. I have been waiting for this opportunity for such a long time, but even more importantly I work online on a regular basis with several contacts from CRS. To visit with them in person was a true treat. These are professionals who work tirelessly to serve our Church and those in need around the world. The opportunity to learn from and with them and to meet so many of them “in real life” is a definite bonus of taking this trip as an Egan Fellow.

Lisa visiting Catholic Relief Services headquarters in Baltimore.

Our lineup for the daylong Egan Fellowship orientation was quite comprehensive. At some point in the future I will share follow up blog posts on each of our listening sessions. For today, I simply want to give you a brief overview of each of our speakers and their roles within CRS:

• Kim Pozniak — Communications Officer and our host and organizer for the Egan trip. Kim has been working with us for months to help prepare us for our journey. Along with preparing countless details for our trip to flow smoothly, she is an excellent resource for us as her focus for CRS is on media and Africa.
• Tom Price (Acting Direcotr of Communications) and Jim Stipe (Digital and Visual Media) — Tom and Jim gave us a general welcome to the program, providing an overview of some media related issues (such as our all important #CRSEgan hashtag) and helpful information on effectively communicating our mission as Egan fellows.
• Chris Tucker (Senior Advisor) — Chris provided us with a fascinating overview of the history and evolution of CRS’ strategic mission around the world. What began as a war relief effort in 1943 has grown into a worldwide entity seventy years later, an organization that continues to refine its mission and guiding principals to keep pace with an ever-evolving world and to keep true to its core Catholic identity. Learn more about the history of CRS here.
• Pat Johns (Director of Risk Management and Staff Security) and Michael Hill (Senior Writer) — This particular session of the aftermath of the genocide on the ground was presented by two amazing men who were actually in Rwanda twenty years ago. Both men gave us firsthand accounts of their personal experiences during and immediately following the genocide. For me, this was probably the most memorable session of the day and will definitely merit a journal entry of its own very soon.
• David Leege (Director of Program Impact and Quality Assurance) and Jennifer Nazaire (Program Officer Human Resources) — Both of these two professionals served as Country Directors in Rwanda in the years following the genocide. They gave us fascinating accounts of the lasting impact the tragedy had upon not only the victims, but also upon their CRS staff members as well.
• Mass — A true highlight of the day, the opportunity to receive the Eucharist with members of the CRS staff. The homily by Father Robert Twele (Director of the Office of Legal Services) for today’s feast of St. Luke was (coincidentally, and unbeknownst to Fr. Twele)  a compelling “send off” message for our fellowship: a reminder that our Church’s service and grace is for all, including the poorest of the poor, and that prayer needs to be at the heart of our work. Following Mass, we were able to meet and chat with Dr. Carolyn Woo, the President and CEO of Catholic Relief Services. I have such a high level of regard for Dr. Woo. Sharing the Mass and a brief conversation with her was a true gift.
• John Lindner (Web Managing Editor) — Following lunch, John Lindner shared his personal reflections on his recent visit to Rwanda, including some practical pointers on bats! John’s firsthand experiences will definitely prove valuable in the days ahead.
• Joan Rosenhauer (Executive Vice President, US Operations) — Joan’s overview of CRS’ mission statement and guiding principals set an excellent backdrop for the work we will see being done by CRS staff in Rwanda, but also gave us a terrific vantage point to see the organization’s work here in our own country, including in our dioceses and parishes. When I return from my Egan Fellowship, this will likely be the sphere of CRS’ work that I will want to share most directly with our readers. There is so much good being done to serve around the world, but another fantastic aspect of CRS’ work is the effort they give to connecting all Catholics to the core values of our Catholic identity.
• Aaron Chassy (Director of Program Impact and Quality Assurance) — Aaron’s presentation was our last of the day, but dealt with the all-important topic of Peacebuilding. Aaron provided us with a current outlook on CRS’ peacebuilding efforts, including a perspective on how this work permeates other programmatic initiatives in places such as Rwanda.

With this full day of orientation sessions concluded, we four Egan Fellows said our goodbyes to the CRS staff we’d met and made our way to “America’s First Cathedral”, Baltimore’s Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This beautiful place of worship was the perfect spot to give thanks for the day’s blessings and to offer a quiet prayer for a safe and fruitful journey.

My bags are now packed, my electronic devices are charging and it’s time to head off for a bit of rest before my 3:45 am wake up call. Our travels tomorrow aboard Ethiopian Airlines will have us en route until Sunday afternoon Kigali time, so check back on Sunday or Monday for my next Rwanda Journal installment. In the mean time, definitely keep an eye on my Facebook and Twitter feeds in case I find wifi along the way! Thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes — they are greatly appreciated!

Check out “Comprehending genocide: Rwanda, 20 years later” by Egan Fellow Michelle Bauman.

Follow all of my Rwanda Journal posts here.