St. Mary Parish

Name:  St. John XXIII
Location:  Karangazi, Rwanda
Size of parish:  700-1000 families
Size of the village:  70 diverse villages make up the area called Karangazi.  They are scattered throughout   the area. 
Population of Karangazi:  An estimated 8,000 people live in the area served by our sister parish, 2,000 of whom are below the age of 14.  The median age in Rwanda is 26.
Languages spoken: Mostly Kinyarwandan, some French, some English.
A typical home:  Homes have three rooms and one sitting room, usually 7x8 meters.  They do not have electricity or running water (or the internet) inside.  A shower is outside in the shade of a tree.  The use of a hand-dug pit serves as a latrine.  Roofs are thatched with metallic iron sheets.  The heat under the tropical sun can be intense, so during the heat of the day, most of the villagers spend time outside under the shade of the trees where there is a nice breeze.
Mass Schedule:  Masses are offered on Wednesdays @ 3:00 PM and on Sundays @ 7 & 10 AM.