I realize I've been throwing a lot of names around and we've been new people left and right so both for you and for me I thought I'd write a little primer of the people I'll be talking about a lot.
The AGLI workcampers:
Vanessa (Red) is 23 and a college student in Monteray, California. She'll be graduation this December. Red comes from a family of 28 (!) kids. Her parents (mother white, father black) had five of their own and then adopted 23 more, including Red. She's majoring in Business but is hoping to join the Peace Corps next year and come back to Africa.
John McKendy is a Sociology professor from Canada. Though he denies it, he has been known to say both 'eh' and 'aboat' (for about). John came to this same workcamp last year and everywhere we go, people are so excited to have him back. He claims to be naturally shy but you'd never know from the way he goes out of his way to greet everyone with a handshake or a wave. He's also one of the co-facilitators of our AVP workshops having led them for 15 years in prisons around Canada.
At the office:
Andrew is sort of an honorary workcamper. He's a mzungu like us but is here for a much longer time. I think he arrived in March and will be here for a year or two helping HROC and FWA write and secure grants. He's sharing his room with John while we're here and the four of us eat most of our meals together and have already had several adventures as you've heard. Eventually once we start actually building Andrew will stay at the office to do his real work. He's been doing a pretty amazing job of teaching himself both French and Kirundi, having earlier in his life learned Spanish and Chinese. In fact I think his comprehension of what people tell us is usually better than mine. I prefer to think that this makes him a sort of language prodigy rather than making me, after 3 years of French, a language dunce.
Adrien works for HROC coordinating everything under the sun, facilitation both AVP and HROC workshops. He is married with four children and is in the process of building a new house in Kamenge. He met his wife during the two years he was displaced from his home by the war and was staying with her family. He has a great sense of humor and if ever he decides to give up on this whole saving his country thing, he has a future as an actor. In his spare time he's putting himself through school.
Dr. Alexia is the doctor for the clinic and also part of AGLI. She is also the clerk of the Kamenge Friends church so she pretty much knows everyone and everything that goes on there. She and her husband Charles are currently taking care of 10 children on behalf of family, friends and the community.
Desire I've already spoken of a bit. It's usually his desk in the office I camp myself at once he's gone home for the night. He is not married and is much teased by all and sundry about it.
Jocelyne sort of bounces back and forth between the office here and the clinic at Kamenge. She's married with 2 children. I've almost never seen her without a smile on her face. Among her many responsibilities she helps to get the lunches together for everyone working at the clinic.
Marcelline is Pastor Elie's wife, they have 5 children. She goes to school in the evenings and is very excited about her studies. I think both she and Jocelyne work for FWA which is just across the courtyard from the AGLI/HROC office.
Pastor Elie is the only Burundian I have ever met who has turned down a Fanta. He's trying to be careful of his sugar intake. He's the pastor of the Rohero Friend's Church in the courtyard. He's been an incredible host to us, arranging the Independence Day celebrations and generally checking in to make sure we have everything we need.
In Kamenge:
Marie Claire and Maxime are nurses at the clinic. Marie Claire speaks not only the usual Kirundi, Swahili & French but also Kinyarwanda & English. She has the perfect countenace for a nurse, totally calm and patient and kind. Maxime used to be a soldier in the national army and is proud of that though now he's turned his life in different directions. He's maybe the most expressive speaker I've ever met in my life. He too may have a future on the stage.
Joyce works for FWA and has the best English of all the people we've met. She lived in England for a year studying Quakerism. She attends the church here at Rohero and hopefully will be able to do some translating of the services for us.
Samuel is the head carpenter for the building and also lives in a sectioned of corner of the meeting room at night to keep a watch on the building. They've have some troubles with theft of building materials and kids throwing rocks.
There are actually more but I must go to sleep. A demain.
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