Reflecting in the Forest of Hope
July 30, 2010
Written by Peter Clay, Senior Advisor to GACP
As is typical, the field team left Gishwati to spend the weekend in Gisenyi, recharging batteries, enjoying running water, spending some time with friends and family, and stocking up for next week. I remained at our field station in the village of Kinihira with the night guard Faida and Jean-Pierre, our cook, who speaks nothing but Kinyarwanda. My plan was to spend the weekend up in the forest, walking some of the trails on Saturday, taking a solo British traveler on the tourism trail on Sunday, and joining one of our ecoguard patrols on Monday. Rwamucyo, one of our field team who lives in Kinihira, kindly offered to accompany me on both Saturday and Sunday and I would join ecoguards Christian and Alexis for their patrol on Monday.
Although it felt a bit weird to see everyone driving away on Friday evening, I was pleased to have some dedicated time to enjoy both the forest and Kinihira village.
After dinner a dinner of rice and beans I wandered outside to gaze up at the stars, which are brilliant in this little village, still without any electricity except for the solar panels on our field station. Searching, I found the “Southern Cross”, a rather subtle constellation that reminds me of my first time working in Rwanda twenty-five years ago. Then I was surprised that even the stars looked different from this perspective just south of the equator. Now, as before, I felt a sort of excitement that eludes simple description. The mystery of the stars above me remains as engaging now as when I was a child. Around me I heard the murmur of village voices nearby, in quiet conversations from dark or dimly lit homes where kerosene lamps provide the only light. It is possible to become hypnotized by the bright stars in the African night sky and to lose oneself in wonder.
