The Hospitality of Rwanda

Today we worshipped at an Episcopal Church (the sign actually said that!) named Cathedrale St. Etienne. We sang praise and worship music, followed by a baptism and a beautifully crafted sermon based on the book of Ezekiel. The theme was to accept reality and come to terms with who we are. God will clean us and put a new spirit in us. I can't stop thinking that if we Americans had ever experienced such a thing as genocide as Rwandans have just fifteen years ago, would we be able to hear these words with such gladness as our fellow worshippers did.

Afterwards we went to brunch at a gorgeous outdoor restaurant appropriately named Heaven. But the day took a most unexpected turn when our driver, Oliver, who had eaten brunch with us asked if he could take us to meet his fiancee at her place of work. We were thrilled to meet a very shy Muslim girl whom he plans to marry next year. Then Oliver took us to see where he lived. We sat in the living room of his neighbors, one of whom was just finishing his prayers in the corner of the room. They did not know we were coming yet were extremely hospitable and welcoming. We also met Oliver's sister who is completing her last year at a university studying chemistry.

Rwanda is such a mix of the old and new...there we were, sitting in a small living room with three Muslim men, two in long prayer gowns, a young woman (who is Christian) on her way to becoming a chemist and motorcycle races and a Borat commercial for his new movie on the television. Did I mention that Rwanda is nothing like I expected....?