Travels in Rwanda and Madagascar – April 2016
On the 15th of April, 2016 — the week before Passover — I took a quick hop from London Gatwick (about 15 minutes from our home) down to Amsterdam where I stayed the night at an inexpensive Ibis Budget Hotel in preparation for a day flight the next day on to Kigali in Rwanda. The flight to Kigali went boringly well (all 8 hours!) and got me to my hotel in time for a good meal and a restful night’s sleep. At 9am the next morning I hailed a moto-taxi to take me on a 20 minute ride to the Nyabugogo bus station (Oh, I love those moto-taxis. You hail them, they stop, they hand you a helmet that 2 million others have worn and off you go! They are really fun, though.)
At the bus station you cram about 35 people into a bus designed for 25. After an hour-long trip through gorgeous, verdant hill country I got off in Muhanga. One of our members, a young man named Jean, met me there and another 20 minute moto-taxi ride brought me to Rushyikana’s home — a member of God’s Church for decades. On this 20 minute ride one starts out on asphalt pavement for the first few kilometers; then 20 meters of cobblestone; then a dirt road for about a kilometer, then a dirt path about 6 feet wide for a few hundred meters, then a walking path (on a motorcycle!) down a very steep incline to his home. All very exciting for me and very everyday for them.
I stayed with Rushyikana for two days and two nights. He and the family showed me amazing hospitality. They went all out and got some very special items for my stay with them — some white bread (they very seldom eat bread; too expensive), real margarine (another luxury) and bottles of beer! I’m just happy that they can enjoy something different. We had services on the Sabbath with all four members in Rwanda present. (Though I have been around languages all my adult life, it is still unusual for me to hear what I say translated into Kinyarwandan.) Another member, Kakuze, sister-in-law of Rushyikana, had been very ill with a very serious gallstone problem. She desperately needed an operation and the Church was able to help make that happen. The operation was successful. She should be out of hospital by the time you read this.
On the 19th of April it was a quick 1:30 am flight to Nairobi (over Entebbe!) and on to Madagascar later that day. Two of the members of the Antananarivo (“Tana” for short) congregation met me with a taxi and accompanied me on the one-hour plus trip to my hotel; which is only about twelve kilometers from the outlying airport, but the traffic in Tana is unbelievably horrible. It seems that everyone is always late for everything because of the ever-present traffic jams. During my week there I will take many taxis, most of which are older than I am and even more decrepit — one is always thankful to arrive at one’s destination… intact.
Eight of us met together for the Passover service, which I gave in French and heard translated phrase by phrase into Malagasy. As always, no matter what language, it is a sobering, moving and encouraging evening.
The next evening we met at the home of a member who lives in the countryside several kilometers outside of the city for the Night To Be Much Observed. We enjoyed some delicious food and uplifting conversation. The First Day of Unleavened Bread was also a joyous occasion. Spiritually thirsty minds always make the best audience for a minister. Morning services, scrumptious long lunch and lots of conversation.
To be open though, I must admit that there was a bit of a cloud hanging over the Madagascar portion of my visit. Many of you have asked about Evelyne, our deaconess there. As you know she had a stroke in January and unfortunately she is in very poor health right now. She is still unable to speak and unable to walk. The Church has paid for quite a bit of medical help, but it came after a few weeks of less than adequate care on the part of the family. She is home now. We are talking with the family trying to arrange permission for more of our members to be able to visit her. Your prayers for this very delicate situation would be much appreciated. And please pray that God’s will be done with Evelyne.
This report is coming to you from my iPhone in a plane off the coast of Africa shortly descending into Nairobi (unfortunately too many clouds to see Mount Kilimanjaro). Later on this evening I board a night flight from Nairobi to Amsterdam and then travel by train over to Cologne, Germany where I will be with the brethren for the Last Day of Unleavened Bread.
This has gotten a little longer than the usual update, but I thought it might be interesting for you to get a bit of an idea of what it is like to serve God’s people in some areas outside of the USA. They love you, they ask about you, they pray for you. And I know that you do for them, as well.
From one of your “itinerate preachers”,
Cliff Veal
