Travels to Africa are always an adventure---even if uneventful. It appears that this trip will start like a lot of them--with flight and travel issues. I'm stuck in Brussels awaiting a technical issue with Brussels Airlines, hopefully to be resolved by Wednesday. I learned early this morning that there is a baggage handlers strike on, [...]
Most visitors to Kigali, Rwanda, at some point, want to drive by one of the most famous hotels in the world--the Milles Collines. This upscale hotel was the center of a life and death drama during the 1994 genocide, as bands of soldiers and marauders searched for ethnic tutsis to kill as part of a [...]
The last few days have been spent with our Redeemer Missioners to Rwanda, Dan and Kari Hanlon. What a great time we have had reconnecting, learning about their life and work here, and experiencing the city of Kigali in new ways. On my previous trips I have stayed at the Anglican Guest House and tried [...]
For years we have talked about our relationship with the Anglican Church of Rwanda. In the last few months this has become even more real as we have had to discern our congregation's future journey with our Rwandan brothers and sisters. During this visit Amanda and I had the privilege to be included in a [...]
Wherever one travels in Rwanda, particularly in the rural areas, small children wander the roadsides and villages. Public education used to begin around age 7, although it is being lowered in some places. But before that time, children are generally left to fend for themselves while the mother or parents work. To help meet a [...]
First thing Monday morning, the Bishop drove us to visit and observe one of the preschools started by the Shira diocese. Starting preschools is one of the diocese's major initiatives - and it is proving to be very successful, allowing Rwandan mothers to go to work and keeping the children safe during the day, in [...]
People walk everywhere in Rwanda. It makes driving a bit scary... but that's just life in Rwanda. Bikes and motorbikes are very common, with or without passengers. Precocious school kids greet the muzungus. Time to get back to class! Visiting the preschool - cute much? One of the volcanos overlooking Musanze.
We all arrived safely Saturday night, then drove two hours north (with our driver Herman) to Musanze. Sunday dawned very early (it seemed) with pastoral duties for the clergy. Deacon Amanda preached at two services at Sonrise School, first the primary school children then the high school, and Fr. Jay preached the kinyarwanda service at [...]
This is my fourth visit to Rwanda, and its starting to feel like a real adventure. Without rehearsing all the details, let me just note that we are in Brussels, very tired, looking forward to actually being on the flight to Rwanda tomorrow (Saturday) after missing the flight the last two days. First, because our [...]
This June Church of the Redeemer will once again visit Rwanda and our brothers and sisters there. Pastor Jay Greener, his wife Dr. Susan and Deacon Amanda Rosengren will leave Chicago June 20 for a trip to strengthen relationships, bring encouragement to our Missioners Dan and Kari Hanlon, and explore new paths of partnership. Highlights [...]