Finally it was that time again. After two years of abstinence due to the pandemic, the Christmas Market in Bad Boll was celebrated again and Friends of Ruanda took part. A report by Michael Liebler.
For Friends of Ruanda the participation is always a challenge, because every helping hand is needed for the organization, the construction and dismantling of the booth, sales, dishwashing etc.. On November 26, the Saturday before the first Advent, the weather was friendly and not too cold, and the booth staff anxiously wondered whether, after the long break, enough people would find their way to this pre-Christmas event.
At first it seemed as if the skeptics would be right and fewer people than before sought the way to the booths of the Boller associations. But already in the early afternoon the situation changed and the population flocked to enjoy the Advent atmosphere with the smell of mulled wine, various food options and a varied sales offers. Friends of Ruanda again had two tables selling handicrafts from Rwanda, but also homemade items such as Advent wreaths, and serving mulled wine. Our offer was very well received and all Advent wreaths as well as many handmade products from Rwanda changed hands. As always, our mulled wine was a big hit, which differs from other similar offers in that it is freshly homemade from high-quality Spanish-Portuguese wines with the typical spices such as cloves, cinnamon and star anise. By now, word has got around and corresponding praise was often heard from good-humored customers.
There was also always time to talk about our projects in Rwanda at the stand and to answer questions from the public. However, the large number of visitors meant that the mulled wine was sold out down to the last drop a good half hour before the official end of the Christmas market.
The result, a nice boost to the association’s coffers, will be passed on to our projects in Rwanda without deductions. The support for Unity Circus for their Christmas project for children in Gisenyi and Musanze is already on its way – as well as an amount for Love and Care Jyambere Mwana, the cooperative of mothers with disabled children.
After the work was done, all members of the association finished the evening together in a restaurant and were happy about the successful event. Once again, many thanks to all who contributed!!!
