Just like the MLB draft.

le 6 novembre   Things have been pretty chaotic around here. Just like the MLB teams after a trade deadline, the line-up of our community has been changing.

Sister Rose, the Congolese sister who came to get me at the airport and whom I’ve been tutoring in English, is heading back to the Congo. Her three year mission in Rwanda is over, and she is heading back to her home country (and though we’re neighboring countries, it’s MASSIVE – she will be only accessible by plane).

Sister Emma, the Argentinian sister who also picked me up at the airport, has now become a part of our community. Technically, she belongs to the community of Butare, but they have just bought land and are looking for funds to build the house and school – clearly, not suitable for her to stay yet! Sr. Emma has been in Rwanda for 26 years now – longer than I’ve even been alive. She knows Spanish, Italian, French and Kinyarwanda. No English, though, because she’s had no need to use it. She loves to cook, and we sure are enjoying when she does so!

In the next few weeks, our community will also be acquiring Sister Gisele – Petite Sr. Gisele, as she’s often called to make the distinction from the Sr. Gisele who is the superior here. Sr. Gisele was one of the joyful, welcoming faces I met my first night in Rwanda, when I stayed with the sisters in Kigali. She is not more than 28 years old and has only taken her final vows within the last few months. Sr. Gisele is vivacious and loves to sing – of course we get along. Also, as she had studied for a time in Nairobi, she knows English very well. This is more than welcome on my behalf.

As if that weren’t enough commotion, Sister Gisele (the headmistress of our school and superior to this community) has headed out to Kenya and then Cameroon for meetings and formations and things.  She will be gone for about a month, though I’m not sure the exact dates of her return. This being the case, Sr. Emma is acting commander of our Gisenyi community.


Sister Lumiere will be coming at some point this week to help with planting, and will remain for a few days or a week – however long it takes.

So apart from Sr. Josephine and me, everyone else has changed! We’ve lost a few players but gained a few good ones, too. Besides, change is a healthy part of life. We can’t stay stagnant, or else there would be no growth.