Last Day of the Brussels Delay; Waiting Anxiously to Leave

September 17, 2007 (Monday)

Sleep did not come easy to us last night.  There is no air conditioning, so we slept with the window open.   Now that we are better rested, the noise from the airport and traffic in the parking lot kept us awake until the wee hours. 

We started out this new day with our breakfast choice of bread and bread, but the coffee sure is good here!  We decided to take the train into the city for some more touring.  We had an interesting morning train ride with an Indian textile yarn salesman who didn’t know where he was going, a couple from Mexico on their honeymoon, and the four of us.  By the time we reach the central city of Brussels, we all felt like friends.

We were dismayed when we got to the city at how it clouded up and became so cool.  Because we did not bring clothing appropriate for this much cooler climate, we find ourselves wearing the same clothes over and over.  Donna is on her fourth day in the same jeans, and is now wearing her pajama top disguised as a shirt for the second day.  Betty, has changed her clothes once and then reverted back to her warmer clothes also.  Boyd is the only one with several long sleeve choices and pants, but he was caught off guard today as well.

We had only finished touring the Our Lady of the Sablon Church, which took from 1400-1549 to build, as we exited, the rain began in earnest.   We jumped on a tour bus to get out of the rain, and rode that for about an hour until it returned us back to the train station.  By then the rain had let up, so we walked to the same café where we had lunched yesterday, but this time chose to eat inside instead of alfresco.   The day felt long and we were tired as we boarded the train back to the airport.  We feel like we’re treading water waiting for tomorrow morning to come. 

We have not heard from the Rwanda partners.  We check email twice a day, but know that they must be very busy re-working and repairing the schedule.  We also know Eugene’s computer is broken and he is back to using internet cafés.  We worry that preparation for our trip has cost much money and he does not have money left for internet.  We’ll see.

The high point of the day was our dinner hour.  We have one choice of where to have dinner, so we’ve eaten in the same place for the last three evenings.  Our server, named Touria, has been kind and patient with our bumbling language inadequacies.  We have grown attached to her.  It’s like coming home when we enter the dining room because she greets us so pleasantly and warmly. 

We’re re-packing and re-working our luggage this evening.  Boyd must get one suitcase down to acceptable weight so he’s not fined, and we need to be prepared to pull out of here first thing in the morning.  We all discussed the idea that perhaps when the next group goes to Rwanda, it would be better, safer and smarter, to fly to Brussels the night before and take one of the two flights to Rwanda that goes each week on the following morning.  This should be considered in planning for the future.

When we arrive tomorrow evening, if we pick up our schedule where it is on Wednesday morning, we will visit the Mpushi district and the churches of Cross Roads Community, Marienville, Miola/Shiloh, Mt. Tabor and Marienville, Indiana/Calvary and St. Marys/Shiloh.  Somehow we must find a way to make up Brookville and the NICLP church partners.  We have gifts to deliver and pictures to take!

We sign off the posting with uncertainty.  We don’t know what the next few days will bring or when we might be able to post again, but stay-tuned Kiski-ites.  We will trust in God and sally forth!