Rwanda Part 3: A Day In The Life

(springs of water)
We were guests of Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM) in Rwanda in August. One of the cultural experiences was visiting AEBR projects in Food Security. Some Rwandans are being taught more efficient methods of subsistence farming. We went in pairs with a translator as guests to several of these homes to experience "A Day in the Life".

Presenting gifts to our hosts of oil, beans and rice. 

 Because I am not physically able to walk an hour down the mountain to fill a yellow five gallon jerry can with water from a well then carry it for 2 hours back up to the home on my head or back or any other way, 

I stayed longer visiting my host. Her name is Odette. 
She is a widow with 2 young teenage daughters. 

I got to do really cool things like wash  some clothes and dishes in a bowl of cold water that someone had carried on their heads for 3 km up the hill. 

After this, I offered to peel the green bananas.
Green bananas are a staple in the Rwandan diet. 

They gave me an old bread and butter knife.
 Because green bananas are sticky, 
we rubbed oil on my hands first. 
It was hard on my arthritic hands but 
I managed to get a half dozen peeled and in the pot before 
my host Odette brought out her razor sharp machete 
to finish the rest pretty quickly. 
And yes, we had to wear skirts everywhere.

In the meantime, the rest of the groups headed down the hill with jerry cans in tow. 

My son-in-law turned over the manure pile 
before carting it away. 
He had the choice of a wheel barrow or a basket on his head. 

The other pastor used the basket.

This is the kitchen. 

It is in a separate building from the main house. 

My host had the cooker brought out 
before lighting the fire underneath. 

We used a couple of sticks and a few dry corn stalks for fuel. 

The temperature was maintained by pushing the sticks in.

Filling the jerry cans with water from the spring.

Water was added to the peeled green bananas then a couple of handfuls of beans. 

Time to water the 2 cows and calf. 
Again, water came out of the jerry cans.
 We added a bit of rock salt. 

Then carried over to the 2 cows

The others started back up the hill 

with their jerry cans full of water.

After the green bananas and beans had cooked for about an hour 
I chopped up a few small onions and tomatoes. 
These were sauteed in oil then added to the cook pot 
along with a couple of pinches of salt.

Potty break time. 
We were instructed to keep a small pack of tissues in our bra. 
What a novel idea. 
They call this a "long drop". 

It gets tricky when the hole in the dirt floor 
is only about 4 inches square.
 I kid thee not. 
I kept a small bottle of hand sanitizer hooked onto
 my cane so it was always within reach. 

They call it "Mazungu soap". 

Sisters 

Getting closer.

Waiting

Lunch is ready. It tasted so good.

Triumph!!!

There are no 20 minute hot showers here. 

No need to go to the gym for a sweaty workout either. 

Blessings, 

Chris

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