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Rwandese Flowers
Chapter II
Around Ten Years before – Kigali
Isabelle lived in New York with her mother and her father served in the Senate,
spending most of his time in Washington, being home only on weekends. Until the mid-eighties of
the twentieth century, her routine was active, as she trained target-shooting sports at first light,
studied at the medical school in the afternoon, and in the evening, practiced either judo or wrestling.
Although it was difficult to conciliate them all, she always tried to do her best. She joined the
American Fighting Team in the Olympics and won a silver medal, and she felt sorry for failing to
become the champion.
She competed in the Judo, average weight class, during the XXIV Seoul Olympic
Games in South Korea, in 1988. She made a stunning qualifying round. In the semifinal against a
German girl, however, she got seriously hurt when she dropped the opponent, going for an ippon, yet
only reaching a waza-ari. Judges grant this score when the fighter tries an ippon, but he does not apply
it perfectly, causing the rival to fall without his back aligned parallel to the ground. She won the fight,
even so, injured her arm, as the German fell on it with all the weight. The accident left everybody
apprehensive, and Isabelle was at an impasse because she should not play for the gold medal in that
way. Many tried to persuade her not to return to the dojo. She ignored them, though. When the crowd
saw her enter the room holding one arm to prevent it from coming out of her body, they became
silent. She looked at her adversary and saw the happiness stamped on the face of malice. The Russian
sniggered when she greeted the American girl with the tiniest hint of a smile because the gold was
hers. Then, on starting the contest, the adversary took the American woman by the judo suit and
threw her on the mat, scoring an ippon, the perfect blow. Once Isabelle landed on the floor, the pain
shot through her body like a wave. Everyone greeted her, and TV networks from around the world
wanted to interview the American contender. Although the news reported that Isabelle was an
example of the Olympic spirit, she did not care about whether she had that spirit in her heart or not,
since she was sorry for having managed merely to gain a silver medal. She behaved in Seoul this way,
she acts along these lines today, and so, she will be the same person she has always been.
* * * * *
When I finished my degree in medicine at the age of 25, I had the opportunity to do
some voluntary work for the Red Cross as a doctor, and I hoped it was in India, yet unfortunately,
they sent me to Rwanda. A college professor chose me, and I accepted the task; nonetheless, I ask
him just out of curiosity:
"Why did you choose me to take this forward, Professor?"
"It's just because you are a pampered, rich girl, Isabelle."
The middle-aged man was a good American citizen and a typical Democratic Party
voter, and Father was a republican that opposed to the US President Bill Clinton, who was on the
side of my master. After the Red Cross staff contacted him, he evaluated the curriculum of all
medical practitioners graduating that year. He pondered I was fortunate to be born into a family with
good financial resources, and thanks to this, I had a moral duty to help the needy across the world,
without taking into account they also existed in New York.
"It does not give you a reason to punish me."