In A Rush

The road to Rumonge

The word “Muzungu” used all over east and southern Africa for a white person means someone who rushes around, often to no discernible purpose. I guess all of us carry in our minds the stereotypical African person who takes his or her time, is never in a rush, always relaxed: “hakuna matata” as they say in Swahili. Like all stereotypes it’s not really true. African life can be a real gallop from one thing to another and involve some long, busy and demanding days. That’s the way it’s been for me this last week or so.

I got one day free after arriving in Bujumbura then I was off with Pascal, the vice-chancellor of Bujumbura Christian University where I am teaching, and Felibien, another friend, to a place called Rumonge for an ordination. Some of my former students were among the thirty-six deacons being ordained for the diocese of Rumonge that day.

The road to Rumonge is stunningly beautiful, running along the edge of Lake Tanganyika from Bujumbura towards the border with Tanzania. On the one side the mountains that make up most of Burundi and on the other the lake. The road passes through large palm-oil plantations and, nearer to Rumonge, there are a few upmarket lodges and resorts. It’s a reminder of what Burundi could be in different circumstances, but the road itself is appalling – a hard clay and gravel surface with potholes literally large enough for the vehicle to go down into and climb up out of. It took about 3 hours to drive the 80 odd kilometres between Bujumbura to Rumonge bracketing a five-hour service of ordination.

Deacons at Bujumbura Christian University

Rumonge Diocese is a new diocese and is in desperate need of clergy. Our seven former students were the only ones out of the thirty-six new deacons with a theology degree and we were justifiably proud of our contribution towards clergy who were well prepared for the mission of the Church. The contrast between the stunning scenery, the upmarket lodges and the state of the road, the evident poverty in what should be a wealthy tourist and market town are reminders of the contrast between what is and what might be in Burundi, and the challenges which face our students. Burundi is incredibly poor and has struggled with internal instability and wars threateningly close to its borders for years. It has few resources and the main exports are all agricultural, mostly coffee and tea, the palm oil is for local consumption. There are no mines and little by the way of industry. It all makes Burundi very vulnerable to the instabilities of global markets. It is a real struggle to make a living and often circumstances force people to cross the border into Tanzania to find work leaving families back home vulnerable to exploitation. The Church here is trying to meet these challenges through facilitating and running projects for people who are less vulnerable and more able to sustain themselves. This is also part of the mission of the local Anglican Church. As Bishop Aimé-Joseph of Gitega is fond of saying “you can’t preach the Good News to hungry people”. Clergy are all under pressure, rushed, often doing two or three jobs or struggling to support themselves by farming as well as covering half a dozen small parishes and planting and building new churches. Preparing young men and women to lead these communities into “life in all its fullness” to feed them both materially and spiritually still seems to me, even in the midst of these last few days of hurry up and wait, a valid and even vital ministry.

Rev Keith Scott, Pascal (5th from left), former students and some from the diocese of Rumonge