Today

Today, William woke and began to use a new name for me; Mamma, with a French/Rwandan accent so the ‘a’ sounds more like an ‘o’. He has consistently used this name for me all day. Each time it leaves his mouth I pause for a moment as reality hits me; I am beginning to have a multi-lingual child who will correct me, be embarrassed by me in whole new ways and pick it all up naturally as I struggle to learn each word and cultural norm. I am excited for him, glad and relieved to see him adjusting so quickly, and also feel a little daunted.

Our second Sunday at the 8am English service took us by surprise, being even better than last week! Again there was an excellent message from the Bible, but with the addition of a wonderful choir (which I’ve been invited to join) who blitzed some Australian Hillsong songs we know well, ending with a moving, harmonised rendition of Amazing Grace. There were more people in attendance, including…drum roll…some other children! They happily sat in the centre aisle with ours sharing the colouring in and puzzle we had brought. Hannah discovered that short cropped African hair feels nice and kept rubbing a patient boy’s head while he solved the puzzle.

After church we came home (a short 50 metres down the driveway) as Andrew left for the Kinyarwanda service. “An hour?” he questioned, “M-m-m. I think it must go quickly through every part! You must come to the Kinyarwanda service!” Yes, we really should. Three hours would give much more time to each part, and it would help our Kinyarwanda. But at the moment, I am secretly quite glad the bishop suggested we attend the English service. It is wonderful! We are learning about God, can see ways we can contribute to the community, and are already building relationships in it. It is kind of amusing that we would attend the Kinyarwanda service for language study, and our service is full of Rwandans who attend it to improve their English! For the moment we are in the right place.

Shortly after Andrew left, he returned…with half a dozen kids in tow to play football (soccer) and frisbee with Will. They had a great time in the back garden! It began to rain but the kids kept playing, and as the rain thickened I was glad they were summoned back to church to keep them somewhat dry. Before long some of them were back, and played for a bit in the rain until we put an episode of playschool on. When Andrew came home they got in trouble; they had snuck out of Sunday School to come back!


Play School kept the kids out of the rain for a while.

After sleep time the kids and I went for a walk into town. It was a bit cold after the rain so for the first time I put on some jeans instead of a mid-length skirt. Traditionally in Rwanda women wear skirts and the thigh is more provocative than the chest. It was still so when we were here seven years ago. But I had noticed quite a few Rwandan women in Butare and Kigali wearing jeans and trousers, so thought it would be OK. As soon as I walked out the gate the men across the road (who know my name because we have shopped there) reacted. Hmmm, it was quite strange to be in jeans and feel like I was wearing a sexy, revealing top! It’s not really the look I was going for, I was just looking forward to wearing my familiar old every-day clothes from home. But they won’t feel the same to wear here and I think I’ll put them back in the cupboard for now.
In town, the kids and I sat down to a nice bowl of chips in a cafe, inside one of the little supermarkets where we shop. I made a discovery; requesting ‘lemonade’ produces an extremely tart homemade lemon drink (even after adding sugar I couldn’t finish it) so I must remember to ask for ‘sprite’. I made another discovery; it is much easier when two-year-olds do their number twos in the toilet at home.

“I’ve done a poo!” he urgently called out at the table. His wording never ceases to send my stress levels up. “You need to do a poo?” I replied, “quick, let’s go!”. I quickly put Hannah in the carrier and on my back without taking time to tie her in, grasped Will’s hand, and rushed through the turnstile into the supermarket and down to the back of the shop. The toilet is very dirty, smelly, has no seat to sit on or water for flushing. And it was engaged. Will stood beside me ‘dancing’. As soon as it was free, we rushed in. With Hannah on my back I lifted Will and held him over the toilet hoping the added height would not make a bigger splash that could get on him and me. There was already someone else’s poo in the toilet and wee on the floor I was trying not to step in. Try as he might, it wasn’t coming. Hannah was complaining and starting to climb out on my back. After a bit I put Will down, took Hannah off my back and handed her to a shop assistant. I turned to see Will’s shorts around his feet…in the wee. Desperate, I asked, “Will, can I put a nappy on you? You can do it in a nappy.” “No Mamma, I want to wear undies.” “Can you hold on until we get home?” I asked. “Yes,” he replied as he danced on the spot. He was not going to be able to walk 500 metres home dancing like that. “Let’s try one more time,” I decided. This time there was success. Then I had to try to clean him while stopping him from touching walls or floor as he bent over, with limited success. Finally, I got out four nappy wipes to wash our hands due to the lack of running water, despite their expense, then collected Hannah from a happily engaged group of shop attendants on the way back to our table. I handed Will a fork, which I was very grateful he accepted to eat the rest of his chips. A couple of minutes later I was disturbed to see him holding the head of it in his hands before stabbing another chip and putting it in his mouth. I told myself I would just have to get over it.

On the pleasant walk home, we passed the furniture shop where we had put in an order. Three days later it was ready! A high chair for Hannah. The men in the shop had never heard of one but I drew some pictures and we guesstimated some measurements with their tape measure, and three days later it was done! Meal times will be much cleaner now! It was $50 well spent I hope.


The kids eating dinner, Hannah in her new high chair!

After a dinner of bread, jam and little bananas the kids went to bed. I started this post. And now after some moaning and groaning in her sleep Hannah is awake with a fever. It's probably all that dirt she keeps eating. She’s quite perky after a drink and some panadol, so let’s hope for a good night…

She’s fallen asleep hugging me in bed. Time to lift our mosquito net and place her in the cot under her own.

Goodnight everyone.