soul
(səʊl) -- n
1. the
spirit
or
immaterial
part
of
man,
the
seat
of
human
personality,
intellect,
will,
and
emotions,
regarded
as
an
entity
that
survives
the
body
after
death
2. Christianity
the
spiritual
part
of
a
person,
capable
of
redemption
from
the
power
of
sin
through
divine
grace
3.the
essential
part
or
fundamental
nature
of
anything
4.nobility
of
spirit
or
temperament:
a
man of great soul and courage
5. an
inspiring
spirit
or
leading
figure,
as
of
a
cause
or
movement
6. a
person;
individual:
an
honest soul
I
have been thinking a lot about all the stories, everything that happens in one
given day in Rwanda with this group of cyclists and staff. Once again I find myself in a quandary over which
stories to tell, how do I choose the best story to convey to the world. Every story is inspiring and heart wrenching,
hopeful and tragic. Every day feels like
a lifetime. Every night I collapse into
bed and think, “That was just one day?”
Every night I think of all the things there are to write about and then
before I know it I’m on to the next day.
As the days mount my nagging procrastinator voice keeps telling me, “You
need to tell these stories, you need to write.
Get in front of that computer, tell the world.”
The
other day on a long mountain bike ride through the hills of Rwanda I thought
about the Team, the stories and the soul of this team. When I got back to my computer I looked up
the various meanings of the word “soul”.
Every rider, every one of the people here trying to keep this team
moving forward, all our supporters around the world, all of us, all of our
stories make up the soul of this team.
1. the spirit
or
immaterial
part
of
man,
the
seat
of
human
personality,
intellect,
will,
and
emotions,
regarded
as
an
entity
that
survives
the
body
after
death
This Team will survive long after all of us
our gone. From the dream of a few, to
the tenacity to stay and make a life in Rwanda, to the vision that has been
cast and grasped by the Rwanda Cycling Federation, the clubs and the riders at
the lowest levels of competition, this team will live on and continue to change
the face of cycling in Rwanda and in Africa.
At the Federation’s Press Conference several weeks ago I sat in
amazement at all the clubs and riders who came out to show off their “new”
bikes, all ready to rub shoulders with the elite of the elite, the boys of Team
Rwanda. We just provided the access to
the donated parts, clothing and bikes.
Rwanda took ownership in the distribution and future growth of cycling.
2. Christianity
the
spiritual
part
of
a
person,
capable
of
redemption
from
the
power
of
sin
through
divine
grace
This team is redemption, the riders, the coach…Max,
myself. Adrien, a Tutsi, mentors Gasore,
a Hutu, they are friends at the deepest level.
Gasore looks up to Adrien, aspires to be like Adrien. Adrien is a hero to this country, a symbol of
all things good from a country where the adjective “good” is very seldom used. He inspires so many children in Rwanda and of
course, up and coming cyclists view him as the hope of Rwanda. They want to be Adrien.
3. the
essential
part
or
fundamental
nature
of
anything
More and more over the past couple of months the riders have
become stronger leaders. The veteran
riders, Kiki and Obed, who came to America this summer, are leading the
way. To watch them hold the Team
meetings every afternoon after lunch, to discuss what went right and what went
wrong on the morning’s training ride is impressive. Jock and I sit quietly by as these riders
discuss their performance, their good and bad days on the bike. The openness they have with one another, the
ability to voice their true feelings safely and to learn from each other is
unique to this country. This doesn’t happen
anywhere else. Rwandans are guarded,
they lie not out of deceitfulness or malice, but because they are fearful to
say something “wrong”. They will tell
you what you what to hear, not necessary the truth of where they are. This has changed within this microcosm of Team
Rwanda life. If someone has a bad day,
someone needs something, someone is not happy with their teammates performance
it is voiced, discussed and resolved.
This is the soul of Team Rwanda.
4.nobility
of
spirit
or
temperament:
a man
of
great
soul
and
courage
Innocent Uwamungu aka Rocky aka Rockstar…our young man who
recently lost his right eye in a freak accident. Rockstar who took 5th last month
in the Kigali to Butare race, who was 6th Thursday in the Nyanza to
Kigali race, the man with the most infectious laugh one that sucks you out of
the depths of a “bad” day and fills your soul with joy. There is no finer example of “nobility of
spirit of temperament: a man of great
soul and courage”. When the Team was
discussing the poor performance of several of the riders on a descent in the
rain, the riders in question were complaining.
Rocky spoke up and said, “Cover one eye and in the rain it comes in your
other eye and you can’t see at all, that is me.
Why do I beat you?” Complaining
ceased. Rocky takes every single excuse
away.
A few weeks ago Rocky spoke up at the end of a Team meeting
and said he needed help. Rocky never
asks for anything. He said he had about
$100 saved and that Felix Sempoma, the Club President he rides for at the Club
Level, had offered to kick in another $150-$200 towards getting Rocky a glass
eye. Rocky still needed about another
$500. I told him I would put his story
on Facebook to see what we could do.
Within 30 minutes the Jorgensen family and two others had donated more
than the needed $500. That night at
dinner we told Rocky….he was speechless.
All he kept saying was, “Thank you, thank you, thank you coach.”
5. an
inspiring
spirit
or
leading
figure,
as
of
a
cause
or
movement
Adrien….quiet, introspective, disciplined, devout, evoking a spirit that fills a room with hope and peace. Adrien is the center of the soul of the Team
6. a
person;
individual:
an honest
soul
There
are many “persons and individuals” all contributing to the soul of Team
Rwanda.
Jean
de Dieu “Rafkiki” Uwimana can animate a story and make the team laugh more boisterous
than any person I have ever witnessed.
He embodies the spirit of storytelling.
When Kiki holds an audience, even though it’s all in Kinyarwanda, I
laugh. His mannerisms, his expressions,
his animation is contagious. Kiki loves
this team and this Team is part of his soul.
His son bears the name, Jonathan, after coach.
Obed Ruvogera, Museho, the old man on the team. Obed is observant, quiet but when he speaks he carries the authority of a rider who has been there, experienced the pain. Obed is the even keel positive energy of the team.
Obed Ruvogera, Museho, the old man on the team. Obed is observant, quiet but when he speaks he carries the authority of a rider who has been there, experienced the pain. Obed is the even keel positive energy of the team.
Janvier
Hadi, a new rider, Gasore’s roommate, his story unknown. Smart, young, sweet and a fantastic rider
following in the footsteps of Gaso.
Gasore
Hategeka, orphan, quiet, polite, helpful and truly always always thankful for
everything he has experienced through this team. Team Rwanda is Gasore’s family.
Coach….he
came and stayed. He stayed for Adrien in
the beginning, he stays for the rest today.
Max…perfectionist,
troubled, searching always wanting to be the best mechanic, frustrated every
day in Africa always working to stay on track. He’s still here two and a half years later.
Volunteers
like Melanie Dries and Jessica Niles, teaching yoga and English, doing meal
planning and simply making my life a bit more sane. There will be a void when they leave after
the Tour.
…and
me, I’m just one person along for the ride, giving a little tough love and
keeping it all close to the vest where it’s locked away until I have a time and
place to release all the emotions of the past two and a half years.
All
of us are the Soul of Team Rwanda…..
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