Kwihangana

Kwihangana

“Kwihangana”, what a useful word! 

Been in labor for over 48 hours, and running out of steam? 

Kwihangana.

All out of money, and your child is hungry?

Kwihangana.

Been living in the hospital for six months with your child who has a severely infected bone in his leg, and really, really want to go home to see your husband and other children?  Are you getting tired of worrying about all of them? 

Kwihangana.

Need a school uniform and shoes to go to school, and don’t know where you’ll find them?

Kwihangana.

Kwihangana means, “be patient”, or “patiently wait”.  Rwandans know what it means to be patient.  They wait for an employer to have enough money to give them an overdue paycheck. 

They wait hours and hours to see a doctor, whom they spent 6 hours walking to see.  When the waiting starts to get someone down, an acquaintance, friend or even stranger will encourage that person with this word – “Kwihangana”. 

No promises, no empty platitudes, no pie in the sky – just, “be patient, patiently wait”. 

I am trying to remind myself “Kwihangana” the last few days.  Somehow, when I was visiting Stephen in Kenya two weeks ago, I picked up a bug of some kind.  It hit midway through our flights home, which called for some travelling creativity.  Thankfully, we got the seat right next to the lavatory.  Meanwhile, it’s been 15 days, and I am still not right.  Kwihangana. 

The Bible promises, in Isaiah 40:31, “They that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Just after chapel this morning at the hospital, I slowly walked past the large cluster of about 100 people waiting to be seen by a doctor.  Some had very sick children in their arms, some came with broken limbs, some were just slumped against the brick pillars, as if to say they were ready for this to be a long wait.  I thought of my stomach situation in a new light.  Yes, I am tired of my stomach betraying me, and I am ready to feel like myself again.  But, I have access to a doctor 24/7.  I didn’t have to wait to be seen.  I have medicine. I have chicken bouillon cubes, rice, bananas and all the cokes I could want to drink in my pantry while I wait for the bug to pass.  Compared to these people, I don’t even know what “be patient” means.  I’ve never had to be patient in the same ways they have.  “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.”  Maybe this is how so many hard working Rwandans get up again every day.  Maybe this is the source of their patience and strength. 

Kwihangana.  Kwihangana.  Patiently Wait. Oh, to have the patience of the Rwandans.