Rwanda, post number 12 (April 3rd)

April 3, 2010; 2.17 CST

I am waiting to go play soccer and fighting with my Zune ... I do not want to play soccer: I am tired, and feel ill,  and do not wish to run around.  Maybe I can bow out.  In any case I need to change. 

Yesterday was very much a downtime day.  I was fine to work in the afternoon, but they had already finished all the shelves.  So I read and stuff. 

In the evening, the teachers went out for dinner and the Visionaries came around again.  We ate fairly late (8-ish), and then I started talking with one of the girls, Uwamahoro Justine.  We talked about easy stuff for a while, then she started telling me her story. 

[I have excised my recounting of her story in the interests of privacy on the Internet.  All I shall say here is that] I am honoured to be able to help such an amazingly brave and strong woman.

I need to change.  I am feeling slightly better, and will perhaps be able to run.  If not I can cheer.  I am not the only one who is not super-down with playing soccer, but hey.

April 3, 2010; 14.34 CST

Soccer went okay – we only lost 4-1 instead of 14-0 and we played pretty well.  I played defence for a good fifteen minutes and did a fair job.  Lots of fun was had.  Some of us taught the kids that were hanging around how to throw Frisbees, though we didn’t get to play Ultimate.  We did a quick baseball lesson after the soccer game, which had to be quick because the soccer game had started an hour later than it should have and we were already late for lunch. 

Excella High is at the bottom of the hill that the Centre César is on.  Meaning that we had to climb all the way up the hill to the inn after the soccer game in the scorching heat.  And it was scorching.  And none of us had water, really, since so many of us had drunk all the water we had during the game and there were no more bottles.  I got through the long walk by my tried-and-true method of mind over matter: I pretended, quite simply, that I was a Spartan-II.  And it worked – I got to the inn very warm, but otherwise totally fine.  I rested a bit and downed about three-quarters of a litre of water, and was good to go. 

We ate, Caroline and I started a chess game, and then we all went straight back to the Centre for the farewell ceremony.  Luc and Sandrine spoke for us briefly, thanking everyone involved; M Raval spoke briefly and got a little teary when he thanked Maman Nicole; Maman Nicole spoke; Dodou and the Visionaries gave our group a wood carving of Rwanda being held in several hands and a banana-leaf plate as thanks and a souvenir; Raymond gave Maman Nicole a book called No Limits; Maman Nicole spoke again thanking Raymond; the widows did several traditional dances of thanks and farewell; then we sang Histoire d’Antan again; then we all made a line and said goodbye to all the widows and the Centre staff and the Visionaries that were there (murabeho, tuzongera – goodbye for now, see you next time), and they wished us a safe journey.  Lots of pictures were taken.

I will be sad Monday.  I will not be sad tomorrow.  I am always sad the day after everything – it might not be until Tuesday.

We headed back to the inn and had dinner, and Caro and I continued our chess game.  She plays very conservatively whereas I am used to John’s aggressive style, so it was a very interesting game and I only won because I distracted her for long enough so that she could not make a move that would have totally messed me up.  Very interesting game on the whole.

Now fighting with my Zune again.  Have showered so am clean for the plane.  Nearly packed – just my pyjamas to put in from tonight, and my pillow, and my foam mat and my towel which is hanging to dry – oh and my sandals.  And then to quickly pack my carryon and all will be well.  I have wrapped all the fragile souvenirs in several layers of cloth and clothing but will be praying all the way home for them to reach Winnipeg safely.

Home soon.  Family soon.  I’ve determined my order of hugs: my sisters first, then Ben if he wants a hug, then Mom, then John.  And then I suppose anyone else who has come to say welcome back.