The past and the present

Sometimes what was yesterday becomes tomorrows news... The Salvation Army used to have a Hall/church in Kigali. The government repossessed the land and the hall was taken apart, and put up in Rukoma. Since then the Rwandan salvationists from Kigali been celebrating Christ in a small hall at Command Headquarters. Last year we finally got all permits and approvals for building a new hall on a piece of land that the government supplied us with; Batsinda land in Kigali.
 
Thanks to our donors we have been building a new hall since September and here is a simple story about this moment in history of the Rwanda and Burundi Command.
 
Building blocks...
 
The walls are coming up...
 
The roofing is getting there...
 
Electrics...The electric wiring would probably not be approved in my home country, but here there is another standard...
 
We have two water toilets in the back of the hall by the offices and rinning water. Also there will be latrines outside for the public.
 
Projects Department on a check-up visit during the construction
 
Because of the great difference in the landscape, we are forced to build a retaining wall so that
the dirt during rains will not reach the road below. The cost was not in the budget, but there
was nothing to do, we have to build it. 
  
 
You can see how it develops during Sep-Feb...
 
It has been a crazy journey; an African adventure, but now a hall is there and the salvationists that were active in the previous Hall in Kigali - they have also been forced to move to this new area by the government.
Not a bad thing, because the government has helped them by building simple but good homes for them in this new area. It will be exciting to see if they still want to come back to the Salvation Army..
 
The floor will be made of concrete...
.
 
and there will be some tiles...
 
Inside work and outside work...
 
 
The hall was supposed to be beigeish pink with black roof... but here you don´t always get what you order, so the building today is warm sunyellow with lightbrown windows and a very blue roof.
 
Everything is done by hand, no maschines, not for the concrete, not for anything...
 
That means that nothing is "perfect" and sometimes even not good. It will take some time to get
everything in order, but no rush, we will get there.
 
The week before the Opening of the hall we were in the hall for many hours to prepare.
Lots to do from cleaning the floors to putting up the soundsystem, soundchecking with cadets,
 
to decorate the wall behind the platform. The women in Kigali Home League got to try an electric sewing maschine for the first time (The Project Administrator brought one from IKEA in Sweden)
and we made many flags so that we could decorate above the platform.
 
They are so proud and greet that they would love to have one! - Electric Sewing maschine, that is - so if you are passing by, please bring one :)
We put up the new mercy seats that the carpenter had finished in a good way by gidance from us.
I made marron "curtains" for them.  
 
And yes, a painter came and painted the crest on the wall and everyone seems very happy for it.
 
 
The painter also painted outside the Hall in marroon color... or not... navy blue it is. 
 
 Also all rocks and stones in front of the church had to go and the workers were still
building and carrying rocks for many hours. 
 
On Sunday 3 February the grand Opening of Batsinda Hall, Kigali took place.
The cadets were welcome to Training College by Officer Commanding, the Training College Proncipal received them and now they will be trained to be Officers in the Salvation Army.
 
Many special invited guests shared this special moment with us. The Swedish Embassy, the Sector, cell and village local government was represented.  We started at 10:00 sharp with the dedication of the hall and cut the blue-yellow-red ribbon before the invited guests were let in to the Hall.
 
People kept coming in and soon even Rwanda TV was there and made a short story that was showed on the Kinyarwanda news and the French news. Pastors from the local churces and other much welcomed guests blessed us with their presence.
 
Praise the Lord!
 
 Photographer: Anna-Maria Tuftstrom
Photos copyright by photographer
Photos may be used within the Salvation Army after permission by photographer

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