An ordination in Rwanda

 

 

It seemed a simple plan. At the invitation of Emmanuel to attend his ordination and first service as a priest at Shyira the following week. In the days between, I planned to visit Shyira schools, and to do whatever else the bishop suggested. That was not how things worked out!

To the north of Rwanda, along the border with Uganda, and extending into the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, there is a chain of volcanoes. Only two are active (Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira) and one, Nyiragongo had erupted since I left home. When I arrived in Rwanda large areas the town of Goma in DRC had been engulfed in lava from Nyiragongo, which was 12 miles from the town and towered 7000 feet above it. About half a million people had become refugees.

Goma. The Lava is 6 feet thick. The smoke is from a petrol station where more than 60 people died.


The cathedral compound in Ruhengeri was very busy. Its dormitories were crowded with displaced people, the guest house was full of people attending the ordination, and many refugees had to sleep outside. Thankfully the weather was dry for a few days, and nights. Frequent earth tremors shook the area. I don't know what they were on the Richter scale, but to me some felt strong.

 

The guest house in Ruhengeri, with its communal washing and toilet facilities, could not be described as luxurious, but considering the people sleeping outside I felt quite uncomfortable to be occupying one of its rooms.

After the ordination, the ordination guests moved away and the guest house became home to refugees for a few nights. Some aid workers also stayed there. Never have I stayed in such a noisy environment! Bishop John apologised but as I said to him, "These people have lost everything and you need to do what you can to help."

As the week progressed, many of the refugees moved back to Goma or to the camps. Many others were living in people's homes. For example, Rev. Frank, the Diocesan Administrator, had 14 people staying with him, and Pam, the English lady working at Sonrise School, had a refugee family occupying half the house she shares with Sharon, an American.

Refugees sleeping outside the
diocesan guest house in Ruhengeri.

Many Rwandans have been refugees themselves, so there was an empathy with the people of Goma. For example, Bishop John had been a refugee in Zaire (now DRC) and Uganda from 1959 until after the 1994 genocide. He said to me "I know what it is to be a homeless refugee in a foreign country." He worked tirelessly to bring help, and committed whatever resources he could. For example, his almost complete Diocesan Youth Centre became a refugee camp. There were many visitors over the week. These included aid agencies, some of whom were doing good work, and Oona, a British MP from East London.

The Ordination.

It had been planned to hold the ordination outside, because there was not sufficient space in the cathedral. However, the large number of refugees around the cathedral compound meant there was insufficient space available. Also the planned garden party could not be held, and Ordinands held their own parties in homes around Ruhengeri. Four people were ordained deacon, including Emmanuel and one lady, two were ordained priest, and two people were made Cathedral Canons. 

 

 

The Ordinands

Emmanuel with wife Jeannine and children Isabella (standing) and Onesimus.

The service, which lasted 4¼ hours, included Holy Communion, and a few guests were expected to speak. I gave the people greetings from St. Luke's. A Ugandan Bishop who had held a retreat for the Ordinands preached, and he with Bishop John officiated at the ordination.

Following the ordination, two of the Ordinands, Emmanuel and Justin, had arranged a reception to which I was invited. It was held outside a house in Ruhengeri, and many neighbours were present, including some Muslims. I think the reception went on late into the night, but Emmanuel had to return to Shyira, and I left when he did.

Shyira Schools.

For the first time I was able to visit the schools of Shyira when the children were in class. The children at the primary school welcomed me with song and dance, and I was shown the furniture which a local craftsman is making from timber purchased with a gift we took last year. Some of the children will no longer need to sit on the floor! Another essential they had purchased was chalk, something we take for granted.

At the secondary school I talked with all of the children who have been sponsored by people from St. Luke's. This was an enjoyable time, because all of the children were very grateful for what was being done for them. Although they were unsure of their ability to write in English, they had all written to their sponsors.

I was surprised to discover that there is a third school in Shyira. It is a private secondary school, established by a group of concerned parents "In order to up-lift the education status of this rural area." The nine teachers seem to work for the love of the job, and little more, and the school has 127 female and 104 male students. Many of the children are orphans, I was told, and the school requested our prayers for them.

Emmanuel's first service at Shyira.

We travelled up to Shyira from Ruhengeri in the hospital's ambulance. The driver was experienced in the vagrancies of the road, a fact I was very grateful for. As we ascended the hill, with the speedometer exceeding 50 km per hour, but the vehicle hardly moving because the wheels were spinning in the mud, I was reminded of our scripture verse for 2002 - "Be not afraid for the Lord your God is with you.." At times I was looking from the front passenger seat over the edge of the precipice. The drop was several hundred feet! Eventually the vehicle could go no further, and we had to walk the last part of the climb

Early in the service I was welcomed to Shyira, and at that point I presented the chalice and paten which had been sent as a gift from St. Luke's. The church there had lost their original communion set in the genocide, and had been using a plastic set since their services were able to restart. The plastic set had recently been damaged. The clergy and congregation were all delighted with the gift, and at least five minutes of song and dance resulted. Archdeacon Ephraim immediately consecrated the chalice and paten.

The congregation watch the
presentation of the chalice and paten

A roadway in Shyira.

Emmanuel had asked if I would preach at the service, and I had agreed. My theme was healing and reconciliation, although I did not use either word. The sermon was developed around the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and seemed to be well received.

The service was quite short - only about 2½ hours. It was followed by speeches, and by a reception for the parish outside Emmanuel and Jeannine's home.

Shyira Hospital

Renovation of the outpatient and administration buildings has been completed. Otherwise the news is not good.

The maternity hospital has been closed! It is in danger of falling down, and has become too dangerous to use. A medical ward has been adapted for maternity use until the maternity hospital is rebuilt. Detailed plans and costing are available.

Two American Doctors were expected last November. Their arrival has now been delayed until next November. They have sponsorship of US$100,000 from a church in America, and this is expected to pay for renovation work of part of the hospital.

Allan Hobson.