Coming to America

Guess who's coming to the Aaayyee (Arizona, I mean) in less days than my little heart can stand!! Yeah, me...but that's not the point of this post.  If you've been following me during this journey, you've known for two years that I would be coming back.  This someone, though, is someone special to me and very dear to my heart...and it is none other than my
HOST MOM!!  Yep, you read that right!  My host mother is coming to America with me just after my close of service.  The process was looong and tedious, not to mention expensive, but we did it and just last Thursday, we took a trip to the US Embassy where she had her Visa interview and I patiently waited outside to hear the result.

So how did we do it?? I couldn't tell you, honestly.  I think it was all the prayers that went up that made such a blessing come down.  Apparently there have been quite a few people from Rwanda (on official programs might I add) skipping out on their flights at the expiration of their Visas.  This has a negative effect on ALL Rwandans trying to get to the US, but with that being said, no problem, cause, nor effect is bigger than what God can do!

All I can think about as I type up this good news is the look on my host mothers face when she told me her Visa was approved.  I sat outside the embassy, watching the door closely, waiting for it to open and out come the one person who was able to make Rwanda feel like my home even though I have been away from home.  Finally, after the longest 15 minutes of my life, my host mother opened the door and slowly walked toward me with her usual neutral facial expression.  I just stared at her as she approach...I couldn't get up nor speak, I just watched.  Then suddenly she paused, flashed the brightest smile in all the world and said, "Ni byiza!" (It's good!)  At that I screamed as I jumped up from the bench and ran right into my Rwandese mother's arms.  We hugged and I cried and she laughed...and then we both laughed and thanked God for being so good.

With such good news to brighten our day, we opted to celebrate before going our separate ways back to our respective corners of Rwanda; we went out for a buffet-style lunch and of course Fanta...for no Rwandese celebration can be complete without a nice cold pop!  During lunch, my host mother just couldn't stop smiling; nor could she stay off the phone.  I'm almost certain she called everyone in her contacts to share with them the good news.  She also thanked her son, who was there with us serving as translator, almost a thousand times.  It really was the cutest thing.  She would say in her best English (which I didn't know she could say by the way), "Thank you Vedaste! But...byeeeee!!"  And then she would wave frantically at him and giggle her little heart out.

I don't think anything in this country has brought me more joy than seeing the joy in my host mothers heart from her biggest and lifelong dream of visiting America finally coming true.  God blesses those who bless Him.  If you've never believed before, now is as good a time as ever...because the proof and receipts are coming to America...and only God made that happen.

Love and Peace Corps,
Dametreea