Group Journal Entries

Nellie

Karla

Jonty

Nellie

Dear friends and family,

Day 3 in Kibogora and wow, Rwanda 🇷🇼 and its people leave me with a grateful heart every day.

We started the morning a bit tired 😴 (work days are long😅), but we were quickly rejuvenated by some coffee and the best French toast with the sweetest (I mean sweetest) syrup 🍯. With our bodies fuelled, our souls were up next 🙏🏼.

We joined the daily chapel service for all the staff; we worshipped together and also had a devotional. Special doesn’t even begin to describe it!

We then jumped into work, with Nellie and Jonty heading to the internal ward and OPD for the morning, while I met up with the resident paediatrician in the Neonatology ward. We each had the opportunity to examine and see patients while making use of our trustworthy translators. I realised this morning that kindness and gentleness are truly a universal language, and although patients don’t always understand what we are trying to say to them, they do understand the language of caring and loving ❤️.

After the morning grind, we headed out for lunch. The hill was steep, but the beef stew was worth it😉.

After lunch and a proper nap, all three of us headed to the Paeds ward to scan some hearts with the paediatrician. He is an expert at his craft and super willing to teach. After that, we spent the rest of the afternoon in the EC seeing patients—some critically ill and others coming in with chronic diseases that are not managed optimally. We were also spoiled with our first Rwandan rainy season storm 🌧️—absolutely beautiful!

We headed back to our little home base for dinner and some rest. When reflecting on the day, we realised that each of us had different highs 📈 and lows 📉, but that the people, their welcoming of us, and our ability to help even in the small things transcended it all.

Good night from a vibrant and green Kibogora.

Liefdes🫶🏻

Karla

Jonty

Mwiriwe friends and family,

Today, Jonty and I spent some time after chapel practicing our Kinyarwandan flashcards. People passing by chuckled softly at first, but soon joined us to help with our pronunciation. We experienced firsthand how speaking their language can break down cultural barriers, creating a profound sense of comfort for the patients.

We had our internal medicine ward round, addressing cases like malaria, peripheral vascular disease, gastroenteritis, and kidney failure. When I tried to explain to my elderly diabetic patient the importance of taking his medication to prevent complications, he asked if he’d see me at church on Sunday. It seemed he wanted to discuss more meaningful matters than Metformin.

After the round, some nursing students approached me, curious about my background. No one seems to believe we’re from South Africa. We had a great conversation about the differences between our countries, realizing that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Karla spent her day in the Paediatrics ward, witnessing an influx of patients. It was heartbreaking to see children with preventable cognitive disabilities. However, the Rwandan government is effectively addressing healthcare challenges by recruiting specialists in obstetrics, gynecology, and paediatrics to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.

Karla assisted in a neonatal resuscitation today. A baby with meconium aspiration syndrome, which could have been prevented with surfactant (not available here), was intubated and survived another day. 🙏🏼

We noticed that Friday afternoons bring a sense of calm. We visited the pediatrics ward to greet our new inshuti (friends). One girl still cries and fearfully shouts “amazungu!” when I approach; I hope my pale complexion becomes less startling by the end of our elective.

In the evening, we strolled around our neighborhood. The trance-like stares were quickly interrupted by our enthusiastic, thickly accented greetings of “Mwiriwe!” We encountered young men playing basketball, a distant choir, children carrying babies on their hips, women harvesting mielie crops on steep slopes, and a stunning sunset over Lake Kivu—a Friday afternoon in a Rwandan village.

Sifa, from the mission guest house, treated us to spaghetti bolognese for dinner. With full stomachs, we’re signing off for the night. Stay tuned for some awesome adventures tomorrow 🤩

Ijoro ryiza inshuti!

Nellie

Good evening, friends and family,

Brace yourselves for an adventure-filled message as we visited Nyungwe Rainforest today! 🤩

We woke up bright and early, super keen to take on the day. We were once again spoiled with French toast and top-notch Rwandan coffee.

Afterward, we hopped in the car with Jean, our driver for the day, and a big bag filled with our packed picnic lunch!

We then started off on our one-hour drive through the countryside to get to Nyungwe. The countryside here is magical. We drove past rice paddies, banana trees (there are three different types of bananas here: one is used for cooking, one is used to make beer, and the other makes the sweetest little snacks) and other crops. As we exited the towns, with a choir of “Amazungu” shouts and stares behind us, we entered hills filled with beautiful forests and dotted tea plantations.

As the villages thinned and civilization started to dwindle away, our jaws dropped at the spectacle that lay before us: Nyungwe. Western Rwanda’s foremost rainforest, and awe-inspiring jewel of creation.

We were warmly welcomed at reception, and it was decided that we would do the Igishigishigi (meaning tree fern) trail as well as the Umbuvoye (African mahogany tree) trail. We were then introduced to our friendly and expert guide, Shakira.

We headed off, and wow, wow, wow! Beauty and life cover every inch of the forest, from floor to treetop. We saw crazy-looking massive slugs and wacky-looking mushrooms. We were spoiled when we spotted a Rwenzori sun squirrel, and soon after, we saw a flying squirrel in flight!! Jonty was in bird heaven—he and Shakira deciphered every call, every flapping wing, and every beak color to identify a vast and impressive number of birds.

Nellie also spotted a beautiful silverback monkey for us, as well as Jonty’s favorite bird sighting of the day—a great blue turaco! 🦜

While we were hiking the almost 5 km route, Shakira taught us the names of different trees, from the broccoli tree to the welcome tree and the yellow berry tree. We also got familiar with tree ferns, other ferns, and even some parasitic choking vines. Some funny moments included slipping and sliding on the trail and tiptoeingly running over a colony of army ants (they do bite! 😅) and then frantically trying to get them off our shoes and pants.

Shakira told us which plants and trees are used for medicinal purposes (for anything from snake bites to stomach cramps) as well as how the locals use millipedes as poison mushroom detectors (millipedes are placed on the mushrooms; if they eat the mushrooms, it is safe; if they run away, you should probably do the same 😉).

We also saw some chimpanzee nests and listened to the sounds of the forest on our journey to the suspension bridge, a 170m bridge hanging above the canopy. It was absolutely breathtaking walking across! Shakira’s only word of caution was to hold onto our phones; otherwise, “the chimpanzees will call you!” 😅

As the trails started curling around the hills (once again a reminder that Rwanda is the land of a thousand hills), we saw mountain monkeys, also known as “thief monkeys,” and met some of the rangers patrolling the trails and the park to protect its animals. Shakira shared with us that poaching isn’t a problem in the park anymore since the government provides various legitimate job opportunities for poachers; these poachers end up protecting the animals they once hunted.

On our return to reception, we jumped into our picnic and reminisced about the amazing experience we just had, thanking God for the beauty of creation and everything we got to experience and see today. We then grabbed refreshing drinks at the restaurant; Nella got to try authentic Rwandan beer while Jonty and I tried local soft drinks. 🍻

We then jumped in the car with Jean, and on our way out of the park, we were bid farewell by a troop of colobus monkeys. 🐒

Listening to primary school throwbacks and Rwandan worship songs, we started heading back to base for a much-needed shower and nap. On our way back, we stopped to grab a local delicacy called Shambasa—sun-dried whole small white fish, which is personally not my favorite. 😅

After our respective naps and chill times, we met around our table at base for dinner tacos and movie night😌

Today was sooooo good and it’s such a joy sharing it with each and every one of you🫶🏻

Goodnight from Kigobora🤍

Karla

Jonty

Each month, the hospital’s morning devotionals focus on a theme. Today, the hospital director introduced November’s theme: “Let us lift our eyes unto God,” reading from Psalm 123: “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.” 📖

Jonty and I spent the day primarily in the outpatient department, which was bustling with patients after the weekend. 🏥 We faced a challenge with no available rooms and our translator absent, but with some clinical reasoning and creativity, we set up a makeshift office in the triage area. 🛠️ We enlisted the help of some nursing student friends, and by 9:00, we were ready to see our first patient. 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

Karla was in the pediatrics OPD, where she encountered a patient with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She shared the difficulties the mother faced in understanding her child’s differences, especially since the only available support was from an occupational therapist. Unfortunately, there are no schools with services or psychologists for these children.

After lunch, all three of us went to the emergency department, where we performed a Butterfly ultrasound on a 9-year-old experiencing ukuruka (vomiting), imiriro (fever) and a tender, distended abdomen. 🤢🌡️ Appendicitis was high on our differential list. Despite our limited ultrasound skills, we identified a significant black collection with hypoechoic areas in the right lower quadrant. The sonographer later confirmed it was a ruptured appendicitis, and we felt quite proud of our findings! 🎉

After our daily snoepie visit, we headed home to do some reading (per Dr. Yimal’s orders). 📚 The three of us enjoyed an afternoon yoga session, during which David, one of the mission staff, walked in on three downward dogs. He must have had a good laugh! Jonty was particularly pleased with our dinner, which was the most protein-packed meal we’ve had yet. 🍽️💪 We are very grateful to the staff at Kibogora Mission for feeding us so well! 🙏

Ijoro ryiza! 🌙

Nellie

Karla

Jonty

Nellie

Karla

Jonty

Mwiriwe, Friends and Family!

Today definitely ranks among the top 5 best days of my life. For those who don’t know, we almost had to cancel our elective in Rwanda due to the recent Marburg outbreak. However, God provided for us in extraordinary ways, and we ended up at Kibogora Hospital, having profound experiences that I know will become invaluable equipping for the future. One of the greatest blessings has been meeting incredible new friends, especially David, a passionate young Rwandan who is wholeheartedly dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel. Even though his background is vastly different to ours, we are together brothers and sisters in Christ. His humble serving of the Lord has been an inspiration to all of us. 🙏🏼

Our marvelous day began with the four of us setting off for the Tyazo bus stop once again. We’ve now asked David nearly every Kinyarwanda word we could think of, and today, he said it was time for us to speak Afrikaans instead. (As jy hom sien vra hom wat sy naam is). After hopping on the bus, we sped down the winding roads along the Kivu Belt until we reached Kibuye, a picturesque tourist town—basically the Hermanus of Rwanda. 🚌💨

From the bus stop, we took moto taxis again, zipping down to the dock where we met our skipper, Jackson, and our Kivu expert, Eric (the man with the most “steez”). 😎 With our lifejackets secured, we embarked on a journey across the crystal-clear waters of the lake, with the music of Rwandan artist Bruce Melodie setting the atmosphere for some island hopping. 🎶🌊 Here are a few fun facts about Lake Kivu: it’s 475 meters deep, there are no dangerous animals like hippos or crocodiles 🦛🐊, and methane gas is mined from its depths. The lake borders both Rwanda and Congo. 🇷🇼🇨🇩

*Island 1: Napoleon Island*

This island, named after the shape of Napoleon’s hat, was our first stop. We docked and began the short hike up a 100-meter ascent to the top. The island is home to a colony of 40,000 straw-colored fruit bats—though they were all asleep when we passed by. 🦇 At the summit, we took in 360-degree views of Rwanda on one side and Congo on the other, and shared some bananas, a Rwandan staple. 🍌

*Island 2: Monkey Island*

As the name suggests, Monkey Island is home to vervet monkeys. 🐒 Eric, our guide, called one of his “best friends” over to the boat, and soon, Jonty found himself in a showdown with the monkey over his bag. 😂 We didn’t stay too long on Monkey Island, as it seemed the monkeys had their own ideas about who should be in charge!

*Island 3: Peace Island*

Wow. This island was the highlight of the trip. 🌅 We jumped off the boat into the cool, refreshing waters of Lake Kivu. 💦 Jonty climbed one of the nearby trees and made an impressive dive into the turquoise water, while Karla and I opted for splashing in the natural pools formed by the rocks. It was surreal swimming in the middle of such a vast freshwater lake, with water surrounding us on all sides. 🌊

On our return journey, we basked in the sun on the boat’s stern, the wind whipping through our hair and the gentle waves tossing the boat. As Jonty put it, it felt UNREAL! 😎

Once back on the mainland, we thanked our guides and once again hopped onto the motos—Rwanda’s public transport system has definitely won us over! 🛵 We drove up the hill to Mzinga Café, where we met David’s brother for lunch. Sitting on the stoep with a view of Lake Kivu, we reminisced about the day’s boat trip, shared Scripture that had been encouraging us, and Jonty shared his testimony about how he and Karla met and started dating.

We boarded our bus back to Kibogora, where Karla was missing the relief of her “naarpilletjies” —thankfully, she made it back safe and dry, with Jonty keeping her distracted with his stories and questions. 😅

As we walked up the hill to the mission guest house, a trail of kids followed us, and we couldn’t help but reflect on the awe of the day. The kind of stories we’re going to tell our own kids one day, Lord willing. ✨

Filled with gratitude for this day, and with Week 3 kicking off tomorrow, I’m excited for what lies ahead. Stay tuned for more hospital updates! 🏥

Ijoro ryiza!😴

Nellie

Good evening, friends and family! 🌅

Our last week in Kigobora has arrived, and I must say, time flies when you’re having fun, working hard, and learning a lot! 💪📚

We started the morning off with chapel (late as usual😅), where one of the senior pastors from the Free Methodist Church globally, as well as the head pastor of the church in Rwanda, came to visit the hospital. They, as partners in the mission of the hospital, came to encourage and give training to staff. We discussed Paul’s life, the calling he received from God, as well as the times of patience he had to endure to allow for God's perfect orchestration of the plan for Paul’s life and ministry. 🙏

We then headed out into the hospital to see patients and learn from the doctors, sisters, and even the patients. Nellie and Jonts were left a bit stranded without translators today, as the nursing students were writing exams; however, they did come over to the Paeds ward to see patients with me and Dr. Yimal in the afternoon.

Dr. Yimal and I saw some patients in neonatology in the morning. One of the critically ill babies took a sudden turn for the better after self-extubation (pulling out their own breathing tube) and starting to breathe on their own! 🙏🏼

Jonty, Nellie, Dr. Yimal, and I also saw a little girl who, unfortunately, was diagnosed with a massive abdominal tumor growing from her kidney. Her family was quite distressed, but she is an absolute bundle of joy, playing and running down the hospital hallways, begging me to play with her. She is being referred to a center that can treat her, seven hours away—please keep this little one in your prayers.

After a busy day at the hospital, we headed back, ready to do some reading and chill with a beautiful Rwandan thunderstorm as our backdrop. ⛈️

Today brought its challenging cases and stories, but once again, I am left in awe of the Lord’s hand over us, as well as Kogobora hospital and His people there. 🌍

Thank you to each and every one of you for partnering with us in prayer and encouragement today—please continue🙏🏼

Karla

Jonty

Nellie

Karla

Jonty

Mwiriwe friends and family, 🌍

This morning was a bit slower, a much-needed rest after yesterday’s travel day. 💤 Each of us had our own form of exercise – Jonty boxed with the king of the Kigali ring 🥊, Karla did pilates with the Kigali skyline as her backdrop 🏙️, and Nellie went for a run around the track by the golf course 👟.

Once we were all ready, we set out with Wilson to continue our exploration of Kigali. Today’s adventure took us to more urban spots. We stopped at Kigali Heights, the city’s main mall 🛍️, and wandered through the shops, curious about local demand. One corner led us to a bookstore 📚, where we bookworms quickly got lost in our own literary worlds.

While Jonty attended a corporate online meeting in a coffee shop ☕, we grabbed ice creams 🍦 and, at Wilson’s suggestion, crossed the street to continue the search for a traditional Rwandan dress 👗. Unfortunately, our hunt is still unfinished.

After the mall, we made our way to Boho’s Lounge, a beautiful restaurant with an even more stunning view of Kigali’s skyline 🌇. We shared a delicious meal 🍽️, and Wilson was especially pleased because his favorite dish – chicken 🍗 – was on the menu. Over lunch, we had a fascinating discussion about the differences between marriage customs and betrothal practices in our cultures 💍, and how social class influences these traditions.

On our way to the next stop, we visited a local furniture store 🛋️ to appreciate the quality of Rwandan design and popped into Repub Lounge’s souvenir shop 🏷️ to further our search for the dress.

Our next destination was Nyandungu Urban Wetland Park 🌿. The moment we arrived, we spotted four different bird species in the first two minutes 🦜, and Jonty even saw four new birds he had never encountered before. The park is a tranquil oasis right in the heart of the city – beautifully maintained with children zipping by on electric scooters 🛴, elderly couples reading on benches 📖, and tourists with binoculars scanning the treetops and sky 👀. We spent almost two hours wandering the trails, ponds, and forest 🌳, all while surrounded by the peaceful sounds of nature 🎶. It felt like being immersed in a “sleep sounds playlist.”

Back at home, we had a taste of home as Jonty prepared a braai for us with some new friends, Cassie, Dasha, and Amy 🍖, and we watched the Bokke put on an impressive show against the Roses 🏉.

We are truly grateful for the opportunity to explore this vibrant city and be inspired by the people here and the way they run this place. 🙏

Ijoro ryiza! 🌙

Nellie

Karla

Jonty

Nellie

Karla

Jonty

Mwiriwe family and friends!

As we approach our final day in Rwanda, it’s hard to believe how much we’ve experienced in such a short time. Today was filled with more medicine, incredible Rwandan hospitality, and a bit of adventure. 🇷🇼✨

We began our day with a drive to Muhanga, where we had the opportunity to visit Zipline, a pioneering company that is revolutionizing healthcare delivery. Engineers, get ready for some amazing content! 🛩️⚡ As we arrived, we witnessed our first Zipline aircraft “land” —an impressive sight. Zipline is tackling healthcare inequity head-on, delivering essential supplies to remote areas. Maurice, an electrical and industrial engineer, gave us a tour of the control room, where a dedicated operator monitors the flights serving the Western and Northern regions. Already mid-morning, Zipline has delivered over 239 shipments of blood, medicine, and veterinary supplies to healthcare centers, sometimes reaching as far as 150 km away. 📦💉

Next, we saw firsthand how the zips (small aircraft) are prepared for take-off. We were blown away by the engineering involved: insulated packages are loaded with a parachute attached, the battery is charged, and the wings and nose are clipped into place. After the safety checks, the aircraft is launched—flying efficiently and safely. 🚀✈️ Even more remarkable is the landing process, where the zips are caught by a hook on their tail, suspended across a horizontal rope. This was a true demonstration of how engineering and healthcare can intersect to make a real-world impact. At Kibogora, we had seen these zips deliver blood for a complex c-section and the first exchange transfusion on a neonate, all within 45 minutes to a rural hospital five hours away by car. 👶🏥

Zipline is now operating in Ghana, Nigeria, the USA, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Ukraine. We’re hopeful that South Africa will join the list soon. 🌍✊

After our visit, we drove through Rwanda’s semi-rural countryside one last time, listening to a mix of Rwandan gospel, Theuns Jordaan, and Kings of Leon. 🎶🚗 Our destination was the Rwanda Military Hospital in Kigali, where we met Dr. Ngoga, the Commandant and head of the hospital, who is also a friend of my father. As we talked, we were reminded of the initial plans to be placed at this tertiary teaching hospital for our elective—before we were redirected to Kibogora due to the Marburg virus.

Dr. Ngoga shared his experiences as a registrar at Tygerberg Hospital in South Africa in the early 2000’s learning Afrikaans in a foreign country, while we could relate to the challenge of learning Kinyarwanda in Kibogora now 2 decades later. We expressed our admiration for Rwanda’s healthcare system and its commitment to excellence, but Dr. Ngoga humbly reminded us that this is just one step in a much larger journey. 🌱💡 We discussed some of the challenges in healthcare here, particularly the shortage of specialists. The hospital is addressing this by inviting specialists from other countries to teach and train local doctors. Once again, we promised to return. 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

Our next stop was the Frontier Diagnostics Center, a private healthcare facility offering imaging, laboratory testing, and specialized services. We toured the center’s advanced imaging infrastructure, including ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI equipment, which contrasted with the setup at Kibogora Hospital. 🏥🩻

After a full day, we were treated by Rachel, who had made custom garments for us. We tried them on immediately— absolutely blown away by her talent! We then headed to Simba Center for some delicious Rwandan gelato as a sweet treat on our final afternoon in Kigali. 🍧💕

As we spent the evening reflecting on the lessons learned and how this elective has changed our perspective on healthcare, we are deeply grateful for the privilege of experiencing Rwanda’s healthcare system firsthand. This journey has opened our eyes to the systemic injustices facing Africa’s healthcare systems, and we feel a strong sense of responsibility to steward this experience well. We’ve been profoundly impacted by the Rwandan people, who have shown us what true stewardship and care for the vulnerable looks like. We will carry this lesson with us. ❤️🙏

A huge thank you to the Farr family and to everyone we met here in this beautiful country. Your example of love, compassion, and service has shown us the heart of Jesus for the broken and vulnerable, and we are truly thankful. 💖

Thank you to each member of our group for being part of this unforgettable elective adventure. May you also steward well the things you’ve witnessed and heard. You have a role to play in building God’s Kingdom in Africa. 🌍💫

Imana ibahe umugisa 🙏🏼

Ijoro ryiza 🌙

Nellie

Good evening friends and family🤗

We are all safely back on South African soil!🇿🇦

I want to extend a genuine thank you to everyone who has been reading the messages on this group, been praying for us and encouraging us🫶🏻

Rwanda as a country and as a community of people crept deeply into our hearts the past 4 weeks, please join us in continuing to pray for Rwanda, it’s health care system and it’s amazing beautiful people🫶🏻

I also want to encourage us to pray boldly for our continent and it’s people😌

Lots of love from South Africa🫶🏻

Karla, Jonty and Nellie

Jonty, Karla and Nellie