Rwanda
In 2004, God began opening the Koonces hearts to the idea of staying on the mission-field. Along with the men of their future team, Marty made a survey trip in 2005 to the East Central African country of Rwanda. While there, the men were unanimously moved in their hearts to make plans to move there.
The first phase of this group’s transition came in December 2008, when the Crowson and Koonce families moved to Kigali, Rwanda.
Some basic facts about the country of Rwanda:
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Area – 26,338 sq km (10,169 sq miles).
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Population – 8.6 million (UN estimate 2005).
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Population Density – 326.52 per sq km.
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Languages – Kinyarwanda, English, French
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Capital – Kigali
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Borders – Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Uganda
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Seasons – Wet (mid-March to mid-May, mid-October to mid-December); dry (mid-May to mid-October, mid-December to mid-March)
Rwanda is called the Land of a Thousand Hills. It is a lush country of endless mountains and stunning scenery, and nowhere are the mountains more majestic than the peaks of the Virunga volcanoes in Northwestern Rwanda. Hidden among the bamboo and dense jungle of these volcanoes are some of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas and the endangered golden monkeys.
Rwanda is all too often associated with the horrific events that unfolded in 1994. It has been etched into the world’s consciousness as one of the most savage genocides in history. In a mere 100 days, almost one million Rwandans were killed by Rwandans. What happened is beyond belief, but the country has taken giant strides towards recovery.
Travel Facts
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Time – GMT/UTC +2
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Telephone – Country code 250; international access code 00
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Money – Rwanda franc (RFr); US$1 = RFr545
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Visa – US$60 for three months from embassy; US$60 for two-week extendible visas at major land border crossings and Kigali airport
Unfolding Life 