Arriving in Kigali City, Rwanda

The preparations were finally done with (but I can’t say they were “completed”!), the long flight is over, and we are in Rwanda.  We were met at the airport by a wonderful group of people.  The “leader” of the group was Callixte, the caretaker at the home owned by Vianney and Cairn where we are staying for our first few days (maybe weeks) in Rwanda.  With him was the driver for the house, Gaston, and three men who had been hired to help with our baggage using their pickup truck and a van. We had been joined by one of the other members of the HRH (Human Resources for Health) program while at O’Hare, and by three others during our layover in Amsterdam.  Between the six of us, we had around 20 large checked bags, and ten or so smaller bags, all of which were loaded onto the pickup truck, the van, and the trunk of the 1994 Mercedes.

The house where we are staying is quite large, with a big living room and dining room, five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a lovely veranda.  The veranda has a flat roof which has a great view of the northern portion of the city, which is built on a number of hills.  (This is, after all, “The Land of a Thousand Hills.”)  Right now, we are living in a degree of luxury that very few of the people of Rwanda ever experience, but this will not last long. 

In the house with Anne and me are three other members of the HRH project: one midwife from the Chicago area, a midwife from up-state New York, and one woman in Adult Nursing who is originally from Uganda, but lately from Eastern U.S.A.  We are a lively bunch!  All excited by the adventure which we are beginning, all jet-lagged and somewhat giddy.  The house also has a staff which includes Calixte, who acts as caretaker and translator, Gaston, the driver and a cleaning woman who goes by "Mama Chic".  We are thankful to have such good people around us as we begin our journey.