Guiding Centenary Celebrations

For as long as I have known there is a Guide Association of Rwanda I have been trying to arrange to go to one of the ‘local’ meetings – the nearest is in a town about 2 hours away, but I have not been successful due to a variety of reasons although I was told that the Guides of Rwanda would be celebrating the centenary of Guiding and 30 years of Guiding in Rwanda on the 1^st August. Again I didn’t think I would be able to make it as I was on retreat but it turned out that the friends who were giving me a lift wanted to return on the Saturday. I was a little hesitant as I had done all my communicating in French and wasn’t really certain what was happening, where and whether I could in fact go along (and whether the whole day would be in Kinyarwanda). I finally managed to speak to a Commissioner in English who told me there would be other Guides from France and Germany there and I could stay at the headquarters the night before and would be taken to where we needed to be so I felt reassured.

I was very glad I did go because it was a great day and something really special to be a part of. I was warmly welcomed by everyone I met.

It was an early start (around 6am) following a late night (people were still up at 2am) as we were told the coaches were coming at 7am to take us to the stadium. In the end they didn’t turn up until much later. All the girls were given t shirts to wear. We arrived at the stadium and all the overseas invited guests were given seats on the main floor of the stadium with personal interpreters. I managed to get myself included as an invited guest. There was a lot of singing and chanting whilst waiting for the proceedings to begin. The guest of honour arrived an hour late amidst a lot of security. It was the First Lady of Rwanda. After that amazingly, everything ran to time.

As with any celebration in Rwanda there were a lot of speeches by different people then a display of traditional dancing. The ladies danced with pots balanced on their heads! And more singing and dancing.

Afterwards we (guests and dignitaries) were taken to a hotel for food and finally back to the headquarters just as I was beginning to wonder if I would ever make it home at all.

Apparently I was seen dancing on the Rwandan TV news that evening!!