The Hill of the Eternal

Today we’re going to introduce you to the fraternity of Kabarondo, in eastern Rwanda. Welcome to our neighborhood, known as “the Hill of the Eternal,” “umusozi w’Uwiteka” in Kinyarwanda. It is on the edges of the city. Here people comfortably situated economically rub elbows with others who are materially quite poor.

We live among them, raising a few animals. Seeing us doing the same kind of work as they do makes relations with the people easy.  A lot of them come in for a visit when they pass by our door. Other times it’s we ourselves who go out to visit one or another of them.

Within a short distance of our place live three elderly friends. In our culture they are affectionately addressed as “grandmother.” One of them comes regularly to our house to eat her meals. We take food to another of them. And we bring a different kind of food to the third every Sunday morning: Communion. Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is her great joy.

We know several elderly people who live alone. Over the course of our visits, we have learned how very lonely they feel! They are often tired, sometimes abandoned, and greatly in need of the presence of another person, of a word spoken in kindness, of support…They give us much in return by their faith.

A poor old woman gave us a gift of a bag of potatoes. When we noted that she had carried the heavy bag all the way to our place, she told us how happy she was to share her harvest. How generous these people are, despite the fact that their own lives are so insecure!

We meet people of all ages here, but friendship with the elderly brings something special; it is founded on their faith in God. They refer to God in every conversation.

Once we went to see an elderly mother who had lost her husband. As soon as she saw us, she expressed how great was her joy to receive us in her home. One of us reflected that her joy must have been like that of the shepherds when they went to visit the Infant Jesus at his birth in Bethlehem. It was like she was singing the “Gloria” during our visit. Moments such as these are like a confirmation of our mission: the importance of bringing Jesus’ presence to others, especially to the lonely. This old woman shared with us about how she lives her faith, and we were all very touched. Before we went home, we sang together a hymn to the Holy Spirit, followed by a spontaneous prayer of thanksgiving. Going to visit people, especially the isolated and lonely, is truly life-giving, and we have witnessed small moments of resurrection.

Nor are the children left out. We invite them over every Christmas, and they come in great numbers during the afternoon. They start by visiting the Crib, and some of them say a brief prayer. Afterwards we dance and sing songs from different denominations, since very few of them are Catholic. Then we offer them sugar cane juice and small cookies and candies.  That is perfect joy for them!

Relationships with the neighbors are good, but there are other relationships much harder to navigate. ..The crows come to eat our maize and peanuts just as they come ready for harvest. These birds can devour an entire field in a day, it’s a huge worry for us!!!

Everywhere in the country the cost of living is high and it’s hard to make enough money to survive. We are impressed with how inventive people are. A few with a little more means run businesses, but there are many poor people. In our neighborhood some don’t have enough to eat, others can’t make their rent, still others see their children sent home from school because they don’t have the means to pay their tuition. It is a source of great sadness for us.

Among them there are some who pass by our house to ask for something to eat, or something to cook. We share what we have whenever possible. But when they come three or four at a time, we sometimes have to say no: it’s so hard not to be able to respond to all their needs, not to be able to help them as much as we’d like. As for them, they don’t always understand when we say no. But, as we said above, there is always our friendship which we can offer without counting the cost, and that is a true treasure.

Here in Kabarondo we can really see how much our mission is not just “doing” something for others, but also and above all “being there” for them, to listen to them, share with them, and pray with them. Even if we can’t provide materially for all the needs of the people around us, we can always pray for them, and be close to them. Thus, we place them all in God’s hands, sure that it is He who gives His consolation, who lifts them up, and who provides for each one.

The Little Sisters of Kabarondo