24th to 26th of February, 2018.
I see a tools shop and decided try to find another gas stove. In vain. Even with a very nice help of a local man, who walk with me for some good twenty minutes, asking for information and going front and back on the main avenue trying to help me, I could not find. To eat something cheap it would be the solution. But first I had to find a place to make my camp.
I could keep walking and try to find a place near to the lake. I could had tried going further in the forest. Instead, I decide to ask to make my camping at the church. It is high on the hill where everybody can see it. It felt like a sign. A universe sign, of course, not a god one.
Going up, some kids start to come with me. At the beginning I was thinking I would be upset but them they started to speak English and I just let it go. If I was really enjoying or I just did not wanted to act like a bad person in front of the people from the church and make them like me more? Maybe. Who knows? That could might mean that I was pretending even to myself, which sounds kind of not possible. Anyway, the kids stay with me while people were still in the church, and basic just one of them translate everything to the others. He looked like a smart boy. I tried to take a picture with all of them but at the moment most of them run. There was also this cute little girl, who came time to time to check on us and then left. Later, I would discovery her name to be Ineza and she became my good friend.
At the end of the mass, I talk with something about three man about my situation. Everyone said it was OK foe me to sleep inside the church.
The kids bring my backpack to a corner inside and a church guy explains some stuff about it for me.
When we are leaving to somewhere, I ask him for a cheap restaurant because I could not cook without gas and he offer his house for me to cook. Now I realize that he might had thought that I wanted to eat just my food and that is why he did not invited me to have dinner with his family.
Going down the stairs, Ineza grab my hand for the first time. We go to one of those small rooms they usually have around the churches, where they have meetings or something like that. I have some tea and bread.
At that man’s house, I cook some vegetables with oat flakes. It is really good but unfortunately it is not enough and back in the church I have to eat the two bananas Sameer had given to me.
I set up the first part of my tent because of the mosquitoes and also to feel more protected. Do you think that just because I was inside a church I did not sleep with my Swizz knife beside me? Of course I did.
In the morning, since it is Sunday, they would have the mass so I have to leave. I was probably in a really nice part of the town because everybody was so well dressed and at the end I saw so many nice cars. I never will get the relation between churches and money.
The first mass it is in English and French and the second on in Kinyarwanda. I fell like the people are kind of holding up to sing and to praise their god. Maybe it is like that in the whole world.
When the service was finished, the man who is helping me tells me he will be busy with the next one so I decide to wait for him. During the night, I realized it would make no sense to go to Musanze and look for schools in a Sunday. I could stay with him in his house and have dinner in there, as he suggested in the night before, then on Monday I would very early.
I feel very hungry so me and Ineza go to town to find a place where I could have some of those nice fried cakes and maybe a tea.
She suggests a place and I am concerned about the price of everything. Luckily, I realized that each one of the cakes, chapatis or bread were one hundred Rwanda francs as the same as the tea. Uhul! But then, Ineza ask me for an apple tea. I could not said no and ended up paying seven hundred just for the tea. But you know, also they helped and would help me a lot yet, so it was OK.
Back on the church, me and Ineza talk for a long time. She is so smart! Her English is really good. I think she is a dedicated student.
When the cult in Kinyarwanda is finished, I explain my new plan to Ineza’s father and he says it is OK for him. We go to his house and have lunch. A delicious rice, cabbage and beans. After lunch, me and Ineza go to the lake. A little trouble to get in there and even bigger to come back but it is OK. It is funny how just one day with someone can make you realize deeper how that person really is. Ineza, for example, my first impression of her it was as very quite and shy girl but at the end I realized that she is a little spoiled. I never thought I would met a spoiled kid in Africa. She is wonderful and kind, I am not saying the opposite. It is just that she like to be in control of the situation and she expect we do what she wants.
Back at home, we have a delicious pasta and vegetables and potatoes for dinner. We go to sleep early and my plan is to wake up at the same time as Ineza is going to school.
In the morning, me and Ineza have tea with my delicious sweet cakes. I say goodbye to her and she leave to take the bus. After getting to know how to leave town, I say many thanks and leave.
I buy one chapati and another sweet cake because I know I would be hungry. I even buy an avocado in the way. Only 50 Franc from a woman on the street when they charge 200 on the supermarkets.
I walk for a while until I can find a place (which is not perfect) but could work to do hitch-hiking.
I have my chapati and my cake while I am waiting.
A lot of people come and go; some kids staying around as usual; some people asking me what I am doing as usual.
Finally this really nice man called Elias pick me up. He speaks good English and it is very polite. We have a nice talk.
Elias drops me in one of the central schools. Before leaving, he offers me some money for lunch. I refuse and explain that I only accept lifts and food so he gave me one yoghurt. Thank you very much, my friend Elias!
You still will hear about him in the next pages and in how we not supposed to spend more time together I guess.