The time is 10:45 pm Karen, my housemate in Musanze, just finished a late dinner and not wanting to go to sleep right after dinner (white rice, all Turkey SPAM, and corn) we decided we'll go out for a walk (my town turns into a ghost town after 7:00 pm) but with the moon lighting the sky we decided we would go never the less. As we walked down the dirt road under the moon-lit skies we came around a street corner we could hear some chanting, singing and clapping. Karen and I decided to follow the path to the source of the chanting which after passing a corn field and a barn with peeing cows, we reached a small house with covered windows and a small hidden door. At first I thought the door was locked from the outside which I thought was bazaar, but decided the push the door which opened into a small dark room (10x10) with wooden benches and pictures of the Virgin Mary on the wall. There were two ladies and a guy sitting on one of the bench next two another room behind a curtain. We sat down and could hear the chanting and clapping coming from the other room.
We were then led into the other room with one candle lighting the even smaller room. We first had to take our shoes off before going in there. The room had a few women sitting on the floor, two guys kneeling and another two guys standing. One of the two guys standing was leading the prayer and the others were yelling back screams and hallelujahs. One of the women stood up at some point and started tapping the floor with here bare feet and clapping her hands while shaking her head! We experienced this service (which Karen said is similar to Korean style Prayer) for about 30 minutes before the chanting stopped and everybody stood up and grabbed their flash light. Two of the guys in the group spoke English and after I introduced the two of us in my little Kinyarwanda, they welcomed us and invited us to join them as the continue praying except...
This time they were going to continue their praying in the forest! I looked at Karen and we both decided that it would be interesting to experience a Rwandan chant in the middle of the forest under the moon lit skies.
As we were preparing to head out, the women in the room starting flashing their flashlights on my feet and mumbling. I had my flip flops on and a pair of shorts. The discussion was around the flip flops and how they won't serve on the trek to the forest!! One of the guys looked under his bed and grabbed the nicest shoes he had and offered them to me. Then they grabbed two heavy jackets for Karen and I (it was a cold night out). As we realized that we were not well equipped for a night trek to the woods and participating in a prayer that was to end around 3 or 4 in the am. We decided that we would be better off if we go home with the promise to come back on Sunday. (stay tuned for the next round)!!
I was really touched by the whole experience and the spirituality in the chanting and dancing from the group of Rwandan's. I was also touched by their hospitality to two strangers walking into their house and offering us their shoes and clothes!! It was an amazing and peaceful ending to a rough day when just a few hours earlier I was accused of being racist to black people!! the same black people I chose to dedicate the next two years of my life professionaly working and growing with!!
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