Keep the Faith – Part II and III

(Posted by Mikkel from Nairobi)

Yes, still in Nairobi and still no significant news about my visa. I’m going crazy with this feeling of not knowing…believe they call it “in limbo”. However it does make me think of all the people facing these situations for months and sometimes years when they are trying to enter my own country. And I, off course, always have the option of going home to a safe haven.

(3 hours later)

Finally got the approval and travelling to Kigali this evening. “The country director can come to Rwanda to solve the problems”…now that sounds promising!!! Will be interesting weeks. And to top it all off: Our beloved most trustworthy Henk that many of you have heard about and donated things to is in…(I still cannot f…… believe it)…prison. He is involved in a scam involving 5 other people and our housemate’s bank account! Have to found out what actually happened, but it sounds all wrong. I was so sure that this was really a good guy worth our trust and investment. Will keep you posted once we find out more. Maybe this is the most characteristic thing about Africa. How things – ‘everythings’ – can just suddenly turn ugly.

Keep the faith!

(Posted by Mikkel)

Four weeks in Europe. It should be easy to pick up the thread in Rwanda without a lot of trouble. NOT!!! Africa just decided to show me its more ugly face and throw everything at me: First the KLM plane turned out to be a Kenya Airways with a bad aircondition system. In Nairobi airport I wanted to buy some duty free alcohol only to learn that their sealing machines or the visa system was not working (4 different shops were not able to sell me anything). Finally in Kigali I’m not allowed in to the country because the immigration has not processed my visa application form in the three weeks they have had to do it (it should take three days). Right now there is a big chance that I will be going to Nairobi to stay there until my visa is “in ordnung”. And forgot to mention that they also lost one of our bags.

I’m now at the departure waiting room in Kigali Airport. Very low on energy and Africa credit. And what happens next: they manage to put on a movie in the waiting lounge about some airplane crash. Sorry Africa, but sometimes its hard to keep faith…