Imbabazi

This Kinyarwanda word means, "place where you will receive all the love and care a mother would give," and is given to the orphanage founded by Rosamond Carr, an adventurous American who had lived in Rwanda since 1949. I recently read her memoir, Land of a Thousand Hills - My Life in Rwanda, and was moved by her spirit and compassion for the people she lived with.  On our weekend trip to Lake Kivu, we were able to visit the Imbabazi Orphanage and see her beautiful gardens, ivy-covered home, and final resting place.

 

 

Lake Kivu is located on the western front of the country, running along the Congolese border. It's a huge lake and very deep, known for containing high levels of methane gas, released underneath from the nearby volcanic chain. There is a tenuous relationship with the methane, which has recently started to be piped out as a source of fuel and energy...but any slight earthquake or landslide could cause the unstable mix of gas and water to erupt and kill inhabitants of the neighboring region!

Nevertheless, we stayed at a cute little hotel right on the lake and enjoyed beautiful meals while watching fisherman paddle by and listening to the sounds of children playing in the water.