DAY 1 (Thursday)
One of the most frustrating things about jet lag is the way my brain tends to turn fuzzy, working in slower and slower motion. After our 3-day air travel, I've been CRAVING a real bed where I can stretch out. I'm actually sitting on that bed now, so close to real sleep, but I wanted to write about the wonderful blessings we've already experienced on this trip. First, although Chrissie got REALLY sick and hugged the toilet for much of our 14-hour Ethiopian Airlines flight (not fun in the best of circumstances, downright miserable in an airplane bathroom), she's all better now! Second, our entire team got all of our luggage, which is a good thing since at the last minute we were forced to check even what we had planned to be our carry-on luggage. And as I sit here typing and I look around at my current surroundings, I'm struck by another blessing - this guest house. The guest house this year is just like the one we stayed in last year - clean and safe. We feel blessed to be in this house. The hostess who runs it, named Queen, is so sweet, and we can tell she has a love of ministering to those of us who come to stay. Like most other guest houses in Kigali, there is a high wall surrounding the entire property. Broken glass bottles and barbed wire saturate the tops of the walls, and an armed guard stands watch inside the perimeter at all times. True blessings! Today has been a rush of getting settled in, exchanging money, etc. Tomorrow we meet with Pastor Deo and travel to Reconciliation Village to meet with some of the men who murdered during the genocide, as well as some genocide victims who now live in the same village with the genocide perpetrators. We will also spend the afternoon with the Street Kids ministry and feed and play with the homeless children who come to get one of the three meals they will receive all week. Please pray for us, that God will continue to do His will through all of us on this trip. It means so much to know so many are joining us in prayer on this trip. For now, Kris has finished arranging the mosquito netting over our bed, so I'm finally giving in and going to sleep. Can't wait for tomorrow!!!
Yes...rest now! Sounds like you'll need all of your energy in the days ahead! Thx for the update on Chrissie...been praying esp for her. It is bad enuf to be "that Kind of Sick" at home...but much worse to be away from home. Made me remember coming home from a mission trip to Matamorus, Mexico years ago on an old Brookwood (school) bus...almost every passenger had "Montezuma's revenge". Dona Bailey's Daddy, Dr. Don Bailey, worked the aisles virtually all the way to Shreveport. I was one of the few lucky ones - and so grateful to be.
ReplyDeletePraying for ALL of the lives you all will touch in the days ahead in our Lord's name - take care, take great care.