July 29, 2008 (Gisnye, Rwanda) — If you ask someone in Rwanda how long it takes to get from one place to another, or when dinner will be served, or when they will meet you, the answer is invariably "20 minutes."
That is, in fact, how long it takes to get down the bumpy road from the highway to the well-known Imbabazi Orphanage, which lies about 40 minutes north of Gisenye.
The orphanage was founded shortly after the Genocide in 1994, when Rosamond Carr, an American who had spent 42 years in Rwanda and fled in the wake of the killings vowing never to return, did return.
She decided to turn her substantial farm into an orphanage that would serve the children left parentless in the murders.
Today it is arguably the most famous — and certainly one of the best-organized — children's centers we have seen.
We had no particular plan in visiting Imbabazi, except it was on the way to our next stop on our whirlwind tour of this green, lush country in the middle of Africa.
Oftentimes, no plans turn out to be the best.
Most of the children at Imbabazi are between 8 and 18.
Within 10 minutes of our arrival, our kids had split in two. Half were engaged in a lively game of soccer; the others were holding hands and signing with a teenaged Imbabazi guitar player, accompanied by one of the most beautiful voices we have heard in this land of singers.
This time there were no small children to break our hearts with their vulnerability.
Mostly the kids we met were teens, and quite assured of their futures.
David Nshimyumuremyi, their teacher, said those who want will have the opportunity to attend university.
Later in the day, when we arrive in Gisenyi, we meet with Emmanuel Mahagarara, Imbabazi's director, and Zachary Dusingizimana, its financial manager.
As with so many Rwandans, Zachary wears many hats. Along with his role with Imbabazi, he also founded his own organization — the Ubumwe Community Center — that teaches people with disabilities to earn a living by making handicrafts.
I meet one of these men. His name is Frederic. He has no arms below the elbow, but has learned and then taught others to make woven baskets, dolls and even clothing. He also paints.
The logo of the center shows a person on crutches, pushing another in a wheelchair.
Zachary explains the center's philosophy: "One person with a handicap helping another person with a handicap."
"If they make something," Frederic explains, "they feel better."
Later I am invited to visit Zachary's home, where he lives with his wife and Christian, a 4-year-old he adopted in January from Imbabazi.
Zachary's wife is currently in Kigali waiting to give birth to their next child, who will be a boy named Bonaire.
Zachary has known Christian since the boy was brought to the center. No one knows what his mother died from. "His grandmother brought him," Zachary says.
Zachary is a modest 30-year-old who owns his home. When praised about his adoptions, he says only, "He is a good boy."
As far as we have seen, that can be said for all the children we have met on this journey.
They are good.
To be continued ….
Editor's note: For more about the trip, read first lady Cecile deJongh's Travel Journal.
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