The Women of Rwanda

 As we are communicating with supporters, it is not uncommon for people to ask us about the situation faced by the women of Rwanda.  The answer that we give is usually a two-level response.  At the government and organizational level, Rwanda has a strong emphasis on gender equality.  In 2008 Rwanda became 1^st country in the world to have a majority of women in their legislature.  And they continue to lead in this area.  As of Jan 1, 2020, Rwanda is number one in the world with 61.25% of their Members of Parliament as women.  (Senate numbers are lower with 38.46%.)  This emphasis has also been seen in the departments and laws that the Rwandan government has established to battle injustice against women.  So this is very positive.

However, the second level of our response has to do with the grass-roots level.  In the day-to-day lives of many Rwandans, one still finds discriminatory and destructive traditions that affect women.  The way that some are treated at home, at work, and even in the church shows that the job is still not finished.  That is why the Rwandan government is pleased when organizations such as CBM’s partner, the Association of Baptist Churches of Rwanda (AEBR), make efforts that reach out to address these issues.  Our colleague, Laetitia Dusabimana, is the head of AEBR’s Department of Women and Family.  In that role, over the last few years, she has led projects such as “Women’s Empowerment”, “Women’s Literacy”, and “Gender and Family Ministries”.  (I – Darrell - have the privilege of working with Laetitia as a co-teacher of the Family Ministry trainings.)

Laetitia with one of the many literacy classes

With Laetitia and her husband Gatera after she had completed
a course on leadership

Laetitia with some wives during a family ministry training

During our home assignment back in Canada last year, we were supposed to participate in the annual gathering of the Atlantic Baptist Women called “interMISSION" as they celebrated their 150^th anniversary.  Laura Lee was supposed to lead a workshop, and so she prepared by interviewing four Rwandan women and was planning on sharing their stories.  Unfortunately, COVID-19 led to the cancellation of interMISSION, so the workshop never happened.  As an alternative, Laura Lee did a short video in which she shared the stories of those women and then that video was posted on the Atlantic Baptist Women’s Facebook page just prior to Christmas.  We thought we would share it here as well since it is still applicable.  (Even though Christmas is now past, you’ll be glad to know that the Hopeful Gifts for Change Catalogue, which Laura Lee mentions, is still active if that’s of interest to you.)  If you would like to watch the video, just click on the following link:  

https://vimeo.com/502970073.

Travel During a Pandemic

It has now been a week since we once again hopped on an airplane and flew halfway around the world.  However, this journey was anything but ordinary.  First, it was coming three months later than had originally been planned.  Of course, that’s what happens when you land in Canada for a home assignment right as a pandemic is exploding around the world!  Second, as we finally return to Rwanda six-and-a-half months later, the pandemic is still ravaging much of the world.

In the days leading up to our departure, many people asked us what it would be like to fly during COVID-19.  Naturally at that point, we couldn’t yet answer their questions.  We could tell them the many things we had to do before leaving, which included arranging to have a COVID-19 test done no more than 120 hours before departing.  (It turned out we had to show this document each step of the way.)  But, until we actually did the journey, we didn’t know for certain what the experience was going to be like – although we had some ideas of what to expect.

So now that we are safely back in Rwanda, it’s time to answer the questions.  Here are the types of things we experienced:

Masks…all the time!  From the time we entered the airport to go through security in Moncton, for the next 30 hours we had to keep our masks on.  The only time we could take them off was when we were eating.  That was a long time to wear masks continuously.  Our great respect goes out to front-line workers and others who are having to wear those little devices for long periods at a time!

Goodbyes had to happen in the airport parking lot

Masks on: Final goodbyes with Bronwyn & Caleb

Where did everybody go?  Unsurprisingly, the airports were not the teeming mass of people that they usually are.  It’s one thing to be sitting at home hearing about the lack of air travel going on.  But to experience it first-hand was quite amazing.  The airports were significantly quieter.  Our airplane from Montreal to Brussels was only partly full.  We ended up in a set of three seats with no one else, so we could spread out a bit with a seat in between us.  (That pleasant circumstance never seems to happen to us, so that made the trip a little more enjoyable.) In Brussels we usually have to switch terminals for the flight to Kigali.  But this time we didn’t.  Our guess is that the lower passenger volume made it unnecessary to be staffing an additional terminal. 

The Montreal Airport: Almost a ghost town

The Montreal Airport: Even Starbucks was closed!

Our gate in Montreal only 10 minutes before boarding!

Service with a smile, we think!  The flight attendants are obviously in a position of higher risk, having to interact with so many passengers in order to look after their needs.  So it makes sense for them to be wearing a higher level of protective gear.  But to know it in your head is one thing.  It is another to see the attendants on the Air Canada flights fully gowned up as they serve you a meal.  (We’re quite sure there was usually a smile behind the mask.)  Note: We were a bit surprised that on the Brussels Air flight from Brussels to Kigali they only had masks as their “extra equipment”.

Air Canada flight attendants serving a meal

Prepackaged everything!  Both times we stepped onto the Air Canada flights (in Moncton and in Montreal) we were handed a sealed plastic bag which contained several “necessities” in the context of the coronavirus.  There was a small bottle of water, a mask, a bag of pretzels, two alcohol swabs, a wet wipe and a small bottle of hand sanitizer.  All very handy.  And their meals were different too.  They were even more packaged than usual, with each item sealed individually.  And there was no choice either – "one size fits all".  Note: In contrast, the meals on the Brussels Air flight were the same as usual.

Cold meal in a box

Different strokes for different folks!  As it was in Canada, passengers respond to COVID-19 in different ways depending on their needs, personality, culture, etc.  The rules clearly stated that masks must be worn, which everybody did – though it must be said that some only covered their mouth with their mask, and at least one woman balked at having to wear it on the plane.  (Go figure!)  But for some people, a simple mask was not enough.  We saw everything from face shields all the way up to full body coverings!

Everyone turned to look at this passing group

New arrivals.  Our return to Rwanda was different from all previous arrivals.  We landed at 12:45 am early Sunday morning.  Once we had our visa and luggage, we were transported by shuttle to a hotel where a medical worker did another COVID-19 test on us.  We then went to our room where we had to remain in isolation until we received word of a negative result from the test.  Thankfully everything went smoothly and by 10 am on Monday we were finally home again – greeted warmly by our cat Messi and by all the unpacking and settling in needed after being away 6.5 months.

Laura Lee catching up on lost time with Messi

And then it's time to unpack