What's a Nun Got to do With it? by Tashiya G.

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Tashiya Gunesekera
ED2 -- Rubavu District, Western Province


My first friend in myvillage was a nun. Her name was Eleonora, a primary school teacher.She came to visit me in my temporary housing and commented that Ineeded to clean my floors more often. I felt, knowing what I knew ofRwandan culture, that she was going to be a genuine friend.
I live in small town inthe Northwest of Rwanda. I am very connected to the Catholic church,which predominates my town. I eat all my meals with the priests, andtake myself up the hill to Sunday mass every Sunday I'm at site. Thenuns live in a quaint house connected to the health clinic in town,which they run. There are two nuns from Spain named Aurelia and MariaJesus who are there as mentors and teachers for the Rwandan Nuns whowere Eleonora, Matilde, Marcelline, and Vestine. We quickly becamefriends due to the shortbread-like cookies they gave me every time Icame to visit at 530pm any weekday. As they said recently, “Tashiya,sabemos que te gusta las dolces.” (Tashiya we know that youlike the sweets.)
Throughout my time atsite, I have spent time getting to know the nuns. They helped me thattime I had a bad day and could not find any Margarine to make Mac andCheese. They listened to me complaining about all the papers I had tomark. They invited me to watch Spain trounce Italy in the Euro Cupthis year. They gave me a thermometer when I thought I was sick. Andmost importantly they helped me with my book project to get moreEnglish reading books for my school library. These books were sent totheir mailbox in Gisenyi and they carted them up the steep mountainin their car. During this time, I've had multiple opportunities toanalyze their lives.
Not being Catholic,apart from the “Sister Act”, I personally did not know much aboutnuns before I moved to this small town in Rwanda. I thought nuns weresuper religious women that gave up a life of family and love toworship God and help poor people. And, yes in some ways this is true.They do give up having a traditional family and romantic love, andthey are religious and they do help poor people. But, there is a lotmore to these nuns than that.
The nuns at my site allhave serious jobs and careers in the making. Eleonora was a primaryschool teacher, Vestine was a nurse at the health clinic, Marcellinetrains girls that are not in school in trades like sewing, andcooking, and Matilde was responsible for teaching young mothers aboutnutrition. The two Spanish nuns oversaw much of the running of theclinic and also were responsible for the running of their home.
Within my community,these nuns are considered to be influential people. They are often atsector, cell and village events. They sit with the important peoplewho thank goodness, I have finally been cleared of sitting with. (I'mfinally one with the people!) They also live in a nice house and haveaccess to a car to go to the nearest big town, Gisenyi andoccasionally Kigali. These nuns, probably due to their congregation,have serious opportunities to travel. Eleonora broke my heart whenshe said in the beginning of the second year that she was leaving togo live in Equatorial Guinea for her next mission. Mathilde moved onto the Ivory Coast. Vestine went to University in Kigali. Thisbrought in two new Nuns, Immaculee and Larisse. Immaculee is also anurse with a degree from a University in Kigali. She speaks fluentFrench, English and Spanish. Larisse is from the Democratic Republicof the Congo. Larisse is awaiting her time before she also wants tomove on to the Ivory Coast. I know that Eleonora spent two months inSpain visiting more Nuns from her order.
Many of these womencome from very poor families. Their choice to become a Nun obviouslychanged their lives. But, they are very strong women who are greatlyrespected and honored within Rwanda. They gain high levels withintheir professional fields and are supposed and encouraged withintheir communities. Even though they are not the head of the communitychurch like a Priest, they are still leaders and contributing greatlyto the societies in where they live. Do I think that all girls shouldaim to become Nuns? Not unless you get that calling because it isafter all a life where you give up a lot of comforts. But, it'sworth noticing how in a quiet way, Nuns are contributing to bridgingthe gender divide in rural communities and encouraging women tosucceed.