The Laws have Changed

It has been one crazy week going from nearly getting lynched for playing with the kids to nearly getting lynched for not giving $200,000 to build a church because were rich americans!

We started off the week by working in local cooperatives in and around kigali. We visited a place where they raise rabbits and crops down in the valley. The goverment owns most of the agricultural land - handy I know - and it only lets people use it if they come together as a group or association. It is a good way of building community and supporting each other and it definately works. Most of this week we have seen numerous coops were people are coming together to work despite the past.

On Tuesday we visited a farm outside the city it was twenty minutes or so down a dirt road which didnt seem to far. We saw a field full of aubergines and of course we apparently became farmers as we helped pick the latest crop which was loads so much that they gave Justin a massive bag. After we looked around talked to a few people and were taken up to somebody's house. There was some honey being made and banana beer making place thing ie a wooden bath with a stick! Banana beer is em well different we first had it in Gisenyi I asked some Congolese guy to get us one and we cracked it open it was dark so I took a large gulp not realising that banana beer is 14%! And it doesnt taste too great! Anyhoo we were told to go up to the next farm yea Im back to tuesday again keep up - they did the old trick of its not too far! It was really hot as we walked up this hill like four miles in the heat of the day 30C it was a brute! But we got to the top and found a lion - well a drawing of a lion but a lion none the less and a pig you would think Rwanda was Jewish or Muslim with its lack of pigs like whats wrong with bacon or honey cured ham! I missed both and was considering killing these peoples' only pig and source of food but luckily by the end of the week I was porked out! But talking to the people was good alot were widows and survivors of the genocide.

On wedneday we travelled to another cooperative which was made up of hiv positive people and survivors of the genocide who were really struggling to survive. Luckily CJ has invested $1000 into building a bakery for them but they still need $400 to start work. They told us stories of their lives during the genocide how groups of killers used to haunt their town seeking their blood from a piece of paper which had their named scralled on it for many it was their effective death warrant for the rest it destroyed their lives and families. We struggled to understand how these people did survive and were still able to get up in the morning and even smile. one girl told of how her mother had been raped by seven men in one night and now has HIV. How does a country which has been damaged, hurt and lost so much continue? I suppose it really shows the resilience and strength of humans but with most if not all of the survivors their strength comes from their faith in God like in Goma at times of hunger and hardship it is Him who helps them through and is a real testiment to their own faith even after the horrors and atrocities they have lived through.

For the weekend Coeur Joyeux had organised a crusade to do some healing and reconciliation! For the Crusade I had prepared my red cross tunic, sharpened my sword and was waiting to get the next flight to Jerusalem to take back the city for Christendom! Instead we headed down on the bus 6 hours of back sweating and leg debilitating journey down to Cyangugu on the border with the Congo and the notorious Bukavu.

Bus drivers in africa seem to defy the logic of self perservation, common sense and the laws of the road as they hurtle down the road at 60-70mph tryin their best to throw the whole bus into the nearest ravine. Maybe when I was on the plane the laws of common sense changed! Not looking forward to next bus trip to Kampala the brutal 11 hour journey over every hole in the road!

Chris preached at the crusade opening with the great 700 year struggle that Ireland has faced dissident repubilicans would be proud first an irish passport now this some people! but his preaching on reconciliation and healing and forgiveness really touched alot of people and definately was God led.

I have been getting random reports of various human rights abuses in Rwanda. The first being that the army are summarily executing people found in Nyumwe forest trying to gold dig apparently there have been so many people who out of desperation have died this way because the park is supposed to be protected for environmental reasons.

Secondly Janvier has been telling me that children who are born to mothers in prison become prisoners themselves its crazy! But hopefully we will meet with the justice minister next week to start a program to help these children or least give them an education! it seems the whole convention of the child doesnt apply here!!!

Anyway this month has flown Mark finally arrived after I got a flat in the taxi to pick him up and Chris and Dave leave tomorrow! We are heading back to Goma next week to deliver some aid and kick the UNs ass! Had a flock of attack helicopters (think its that or a gaggle) fly over our house yesterday was cool n made the house shake!

Going now to sleep siestas here are awesome probably the only one partaking but nonetheless awesome!