Madame Carre

I'm here in Gisenyi. Right on Lake Kivu, just miles away from the border of Congo. At night, you can see red in the hills where lava is flowing out of a volcano in Congo.

This afternoon I had the boda boda take me around for a tour. I visited a hot springs and had lunch in a garden on the lake shore.

After lunch I went to see an orphanage about 36 kilometers away. I thought I'd just ride the boda boda to take in the scenery, but I should have got a taxi. The whole way there was up and up. I couldn't help but think about dumb and dumber as they were passed by trucks on their mini bike up to Aspen. We had it pegged up some stretches of hill and couldn't have been doing more than ten.

On the way up I saw a small village with a soccer field and children. My butt needed a break from the seat and so I had the driver take me there. As we drove down the dirt road through the village, I just smiled and waved. They either speak Kinyarwanda or French. All I know is, "Bonjour!" "Bonjour!" and when I got to the soccer field, "Football?!" The kids all came running. I was easily the star player. Kids from both sides passed me the ball whenever they got it.

The orphanage was wonderful when I finally made it. They've taught all the kids English which was nice. I found myself paired up with Mussa, a fifteen year old boy, who took me on a tour of the place. He took me through the "big boys," and the "little boys dorm." Then I got to see the small health clinic, dining hall, and then the gardens.

The orphanage was founded by Rosemond Carr after the genocide. Mussa spoke very highly of Madame Carre, and asked if I'd like to see where they buried her. On the way, we strolled through the gardens where he said, "When she died, many kids cried and they bring her flowers and pray for her." There at her grave, we found three youngsters visiting.

Over the rest of the tour I was so impressed with Mussa, such a bright fifteen year old. As we continued walking he explained, "they are working very hard here for the kids. They give us clothes and shoes, and many things."

I saw some young boys cutting the grass with a machete and he said, "We do many jobs. Girls clean floors. Boys bring firewood. Many things. Older girls take care of little childs."

I was curious about Mussa, and asked what he wanted to do when he grew up. "I want to be a doctor a do what is called giving back. I can come back here to the orphanage and help the kids."

"Cause Madame Carre helped me, I also have to help."

His entire family is dead and all he wants to do is help others. He is a beautiful person and to think that if it wasn't for one elderly women he might not be alive.