BURUNDI, THE TRUE LAND OF BEAUTY.

One of our partner in Burundi, Giscard

Going to Burundi is always a highlight of my work travels for two main reasons: Burundi is a beautiful country, and it has beautiful people. They are some of the kindest and most beautiful people I’ve come across in my short lifetime so far. The journey this time was not as smooth as expected for a number of reasons.

The bus from Kampala to Bujumbura normally leave at 12 or 1 A.M. the time has been changed of recent to 9 P.M. though this may sound like an advantage to many, its surely a big disadvantage to me for I never sleep well on the bus. Meaning I now have to spend more night hour trying to find sleep which is determined to not be found. I’d almost swear it was playing hide and seek with me that night. I only started getting half dozes of it(sleep) as it was coming to 2 A.M. The up side of the time change though, is the fact that we now arrive earlier in Kigali at 6am, so by that time, we had hit Kigali city and I was on my way looking for a guest house.

Being the newly built town that it is, there was not much to do by the lonely soul I was then. Tried to call a friend working there to meet for lunch or something but luck wasn’t on my side. We had literally crossed paths as they had travelled to Kampala the night before. After checking into the nearest, cheapest motel I could find, there was only one thing I could do, finish my Sydney Sheldon book, ‘The Sands of Time’. (PS: Prosper is such a show off!!)

I booked myself onto the earliest bus to Bujumbura the following morning. What I didn’t realize is, the first bus company offices to open in the morning that necessarily has the earliest bus leaving. After being convinced that the bus leaves at exactly 8 A.M, it was not until 9A.M that I realized I should have sat down after all as I waited for the bus( so for about an hour I was pacing around waiting to board the bus). The Horizon bus was actually coming from Kampala and proceeding to Bujumbura.

What the ticket issuer at the offices didn’t bother to inquire about though was whether the bus was full or not. Turns out, it would have been a wiser move on his side if he had asked. I was stuck with a bus ticket, with no bus seat. After exchanging a few not so kind words with the operators, I was allowed to stand for the 8 hour bus trip. I nearly asked for a full refund, just before I remembered I am still in Africa. Fortunately, someone jumped off at the border which was actually a lot nearer than I remembered.

I was welcomed- at the Bujumbura end- by Emmanuel Bagumako who I was to stay with for the next few days. We went to a youth gathering which happens at his church every Saturday. I was not in the greatest of physical and mental shape for this but I endured it through all the same. After a brochette, all I could do for the rest of the night. Finally was catching up with my hide and seek playmate, sleep.

Church in Bujumbura is always rejuvenating and exciting. This Sunday was no exception. I went to Minevam Kigobe church where I was welcomed as a long lost missionary as usual. Not complaining. Fortunately, I was not asked to deliver any sermon as usually happens in rural churches. Though am supposed to be prepared in and out of season, this was one of those times where being unprepared was blissful. I spent the rest of the evening with Pr. Aime, Nina and their two toddlers. Great evening it was.

On the business side of the trip, I met up with Florent and Giscard, two of our counterparts in Bujumbura. We discussed a lot of prior and upcoming work in the area. The Bujumbura youth workers network that we helped them set up last year was central in the talks. As short lived as my stay was, I can only say, there was not a single regret at the end of it all. That is if one does not count the bus trip down….

 

 

 

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