Holidays

We have completed our first end-of-the-year holidays in Rwanda and you may be wondering how our celebrations differed from yours. In truth, they probably weren't as different as you may expect, but there were a few quirks. Here's an overview:

Thanksgiving

American Thanksgiving is not an observed holiday in Rwanda, however because KICS is an American school, we had the day off. We celebrated at the home of a KICS family who hosted a lovely potluck lunch. The tables were beautifully decorated and the fellowship sweet. Our Thanksgiving dinner was probably similar to yours in that it included friends, turkey, and delicious deserts, however because the KICS staff is international, it also included some less common things like gimbap (a Korean dish). Unlike Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania, the day was beautiful, warm, and sunny. We sat outside under tents and wore summer clothing. 
Our biggest challenge was figuring out what we could take to the potluck. At family Thanksgiving dinners we normally take a green bean casserole containing fried onions and almonds, neither of which are available here. We thought of pies, our favorites being pecan and pumpkin, but again lacked the ingredients. We finally settled on scalloped potatoes and an apple pie, with only a few modifications to the recipes.
KICS staff and families at the Thanksgiving potluck


Apple pie

Pre-Christmas Festivities


Similar to a Western Christmas, the weeks leading up to Christmas here included school Christmas concerts and a staff Christmas party. Once again we found ourselves scrambling as we tried to find ingredients for Christmas treats to take to the party. After searching all over for food coloring, we were finally informed that we might be able to find some powdered coloring at an Indian grocery store. We were pleasantly surprised at the vibrant colors it produced. 


Elementary school Christmas concert

Christmas cookies

Travel

Most years our Christmas travel plans have included a plane ride to Arkansas for Christmas with the Wolcotts and a walk across the yard or a drive to Harrisburg for Sims Christmas celebrations. This year we traveled from Rwanda to Uganda to see the some of the Wolcott clan. The journey consisted of an 11 hour bus journey with only one bathroom break and a border crossing... not the greatest situation when you're pregnant, but we made it. The Uganda/Rwanda border crossing entailed getting off the bus, standing in a long line, and going through immigration in one country. We then walked about a quarter mile on a very muddy road, before going through immigration on the other side, and finally re-boarding the bus.  The return trip took longer because all of the luggage was searched on entry to Rwanda. The return trip also FELT longer because Chloe had a stomach bug and was sick all day. Our "VIP bus" was advertised to have Wifi, outlets for charging phones, and individual TV screens. None of these luxuries were functional.

Highlight of the trip: roasted corn from a roadside vendor

Bus travel sure is exhausting! 

Christmas

We celebrated Christmas with family in Entebbe, Uganda. Rather than the usual candlelight Christmas Eve service typical in Pennsylvania, we attended a Ugandan church service on Sunday morning (Christmas Eve). In the evening Audrey's parents hosted a party for friends and coworkers. Traditional Ugandan food was served, with the addition of some Western desserts. It was a joy to celebrate the birth of Christ and what God had done in each of our lives, particularly in the past year.
Christmas day involved the opening of stockings, mom's cinnamon rolls, and a roast for lunch.
The days surrounding Christmas included a trip to our favorite zoo and time playing in the warm equator sun.

Christmas Eve dinner: Matoke with peanut sauce, fried plantains, grilled chicken, rice, squash, potatoes and mixed vegetables


All ready for the Christmas party in her Kitenge (African material) Christmas dress

Stockings hung with care
Chloe especially enjoyed time on the beach of Lake Victoria

Chloe and her cousin, Timothy at the Entebbe Wildlife Education Center

New Year

After our time in Uganda we arrived home tired from the bus travel, and had a sick toddler on our hands. We also found that rats had made themselves at home in our house while we were away (we are still trying to get rid of them). We were glad for a few days of quiet before school started up again. On New Years Eve we built a small bonfire in the yard and roasted marshmallows, a rare luxury here. We heard fireworks, but were unable to see them well from our house.
We have been told that New Years is the biggest holiday in Rwanda. Perhaps next year we will see more of what typical celebrations look like. This year we were thankful for the quiet of our home and the opportunity to reflect on all that God did in, through, and for us in 2017. 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ministry Information

We are excited for the opportunity God has given us to serve in Rwanda! Francis is teaching elementary physical education and helping to direct the elementary athletics at Kigali International Community School (KICS). Audrey's primary role is to care for children, Chloe and Caleb. She also enjoys opportunities to interact with other women and children in our community. KICS is a Christian school that was founded to serve missionary families in the area. Over time the school has grown and now serves families of expatriates from over 20 countries, as well as many Rwandan families. We are thrilled to serve the missionary community in Rwanda by helping to provide quality education for their children, and enjoy interacting with students from all over the world who may not know Christ. Our mission is to openly share the good news of the gospel through our words and actions with students, families, and those in the c...
Read more

An April Lament

Image
An April Lament                 We awoke to a world of silence today. Even in quarantine the neighborhood is usually filled with the sounds of children playing in their compounds. Not this morning. There is an eerie stillness and it feels as though a dark shadow hangs over the hills. Today marks the beginning of the 26 th  Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Over a million lives were lost in the span of only 100 days. Today, and for the next 100 days, friends, neighbors, and coworkers will grieve the loss of loved ones. And so, we grieve. The first week of commemoration falls on Holy Week this year.  As if the sadness of remembering the lives lost by unimaginable atrocities isn’t enough, this year it is compounded by the remembrance of our Lord going to the cross. We remember the pain of betrayal, the deep sorrow of Gethsemane, and finally the ultimate sorrow of t...
Read more

Step Into My Kitchen

Image
Step Into My Kitchen Living in a modern city, sometimes I almost find myself forgetting that I am in a foreign country. Almost. And then it’s time to meal prep and I am brought back to reality.  If there is anywhere I feel cultural stress, it’s in my kitchen. I have never felt very confident in cooking, so I guess it’s no surprise that this is an area which brings added challenges living overseas. Let me be clear. Rwanda is a rapidly developing nation with a modern capital. I am not going out and butchering a chicken for dinner and then cooking it over an open fire. We have a modern kitchen with modern appliances. I am really grateful for these! There are, however quirks. Let’s start with the appliances. Most of the appliances here are European models, which means that they are quite a bit smaller than the American versions. Our refrigerator/freezer is about 4.5 feet tall, so space is limited. This doesn’t bother me much because I can’t stand when food gets los...
Read more