Today was shopping day in Kigali. Theophile’s nephew Patrice helped us negotiate for good deals at the lumber yard (see photo) and at a metal scrapyard. We plan to mount solar panels on the boards and build a charcoal retort/kiln with the barrels we purchased. We spotted the final part for the charcoal retort laying on the side of the road as we were leaving the city. At the market we loaded up on rice, oil and potatoes to add to our daily lunches that will be prepared by our host church in Gasarabwayi.
Since this is Jeremy’s first visit, he paid his respects at the Genocide Memorial while Patrick and I were fueling up and purchasing a few other necessities. Jeremy caught up with us by using the ipikipiki (motorcycle taxi) which is the preferred mode of transport for Kigali’s 4 million inhabitants.
As I write, we are settling in to our countryside motel which will be home base for the next week. We will drive out to Gasarabwayi each day and experience what Theophile says is an “African massage” on some of the roughest roads anywhere.