God's Got His Hands On Me

I may have already said this in a previous post, but I think I’ll say it again.  Pastor Henry was so right when he told me that I didn’t need to bring God with me to Rwanda because He was already here waiting for me.  Before I even stepped foot onto the plane for the day long ride to Rwanda, the Lord was already here and had already set out to protect me from all hurt, harm, and danger.  There have been a couple of times when I have been caught in the dark trying to make my way home due to busses that either came late or never came at all.  The PCVs have been told on numerous occasions not to travel at night, especially being female, but with the less than reliable transportation system here, it can be kind of tough to make it home before he sun goes down.  At any rate, on both occasions that I failed to get home before dark, the Lord seems to have sent down an angel to ensure that I made it to the comforts of my home without a hitch. 

On Saturday, I went to pick up a package from another volunteer who lives about two hours from me.  I had never been to her village before and I didn’t really know how to get there…so I did what every Rwandan does and just asked for directions along the way.  Peace Corps told us that the people here are always eager to help so I guess Saturday was the day that I decided to put that to the test...and Peace Corps couldn’t have been more right.  When I arrived to the taxi stop, I asked which bus was going to Kayonza and when someone pointed me in the direction of a small, overstuffed mini-van (this is what they use for busses here), I walked right over and did my best to squeeze into a seat which I’m certain I created.  No sooner than I sat down, someone else squeezed into the small space next to me and said, "Keza."  I looked to my right,

smiled and said in Kinyarwanda, "Hi, how are you?"  (I had no idea who this person was by the way).  He told me he was fine and then we proceeded to make small talk (yep, in Kinyarwanda...I'm getting good!).  After a few minutes of conversation I mustered up the courage to ask this man his name, "What's your name?  I forgot."  He told me his name and said, "I told you before when Isaiah brought you to meet me."  DING! I do know you! Isaiah is one of my coworkers and once he started naming some other people I work with, I slowly began to remember meeting him a couple of weeks prior.  I asked him if he knew which stop I should get off at for Kayonza and he told me yes and that he just happened to be going in that direction.  We talked along the way, exchanged numbers, and two hours later he told me that we had reached my stop and told me how to get to my destination; he also said that I could call him if I got lost.  In a nutshell, I made it to the volunteer's site safely and without a hitch...now all I had to worry about was getting back home.

I ended up leaving the volunteer's place later than I expected and it had begun to get dark outside.  I was a little apprehensive about heading home with the sun already going down, but I told my supervisor that I would return the same day so I really had to get back.  Despite the fact that the sun was slowly slipping away behind the distant mountains, I headed to the taxi park so that I could get a bus back to my village.  While I was waiting for my bus, my phone rang and it was none other than the angel who had helped me get to my destination earlier.  He asked where I was and said that he was heading back to our village.  I couldn't have been more happy to get that phone call...I didn't have to ride back alone in the dark! Yayy! We agreed to meet up at the next stop and then ride the rest of the way back together.

It took us a little over an hour and a half to get back to the major town next to my village and by this time it was pitch black outside.  The guy said to me, "It is dark...are you taking a moto home?"  I told him yes and that I knew a driver who would come to get me, however when I called my driver he said he was very far and could not come.  The angel I was with called one of his friends (who just so happened to be roommates with the accountant at my health center) and asked him if he would come to give me a ride to my house.  The driver agreed and the angel stayed with me until he came; and a short while later, I was home...safe and sound. (:

 I will say that I need to stop testing God by staying out so late, but I am grateful that he always comes through for me.  Sometimes I question if I'm doing the right thing by being here, but I always see the answer in situations such as these.  If I wasn't supposed to be here things wouldn't fall right into place the way they do.  I'm here for a reason and the Lord is definitely here too!

Love and Peace Corps,

Dametreea

P.S.  Please don't scold me...I know I need to get home before dark.  I'm going to start planning all of my trips with two hours of wiggle room...that way I'll always be home before dark and I'll have some extra time to get home in case a bus decides to not come