SHYIRA, a mountain village in North-West Rwanda.
Ninety years ago in Shyira, a small mountain village in northwest Rwanda overlooked by volcanos, a medical missionary husband and wife built a hospital with the village people to serve the thousands of people living in the area around it. They puddled clay and built wood kilns to fire the bricks and the hospital still stands today. Although a small village, Shyira has achieved an extraordinary reputation; perhaps because it had the first hospital ever built in Rwanda during a time when witch doctors provided the only medical care working in the jungle which covered the country. In 2017 a new, larger hospital was built in the valley below and Shyira’s hospital became a Health Centre. When President Kagame opened the new hospital, he referred to Dr Norman and Catherine James as the pioneers and said, “I am the Norman of today”!
Norman and Catherine are my parents and I, and my two sisters, were born in Ruanda-Urundi. My wife, Amanda, and I visited the hospital recently and observed the poverty of the people in the village and the strong Christian faith sustaining them despite the horrific events during the 1994 genocide which they have survived but which has had lasting effects on them all.
Rwanda, The Land of a Thousand Hills.
Rwanda is a beautiful country known as the Land of a Thousand Hills. It is lush, green, and virtually corruption free, with a friendly population and is the second safest country in Africa. The climate is very pleasant all year round (24/25*C) because of its height above sea level. There are two rainy seasons.
Kigali is a clean, modern, green city with wonderful new architecture and is well worth visiting. A large new airport is under construction.
Rwanda is experiencing a buoyant revival in many areas although over 50% of the population still live in poverty. The government's model village programme has been successfully moving people from rural areas into new housing in the cities where there is more potential for earning money and a better standard of living. However, there is also an opportunity for stimulating ways for local communities to earn money for themselves which can maintain extended family unity and village community.
