Road to Rwanda---A friend is sick

 

 Over a year ago last October a young lady stopped me as I left school.  She wanted to apply for a position at the school, but the gate guard would not let her in.  She walked with me as I started to go home. Her English was good and she said she was a preschool teacher and she wanted to work at VVA.  After we talked a bit, the principal drove by and stopped and picked me up.  I told the principal that the lady wanted a job.  Almost a week went by and the principal came and asked me about the lady I had mentioned because the school really did need more aids.  I remembered her name and said she talked like she was capable. Her application was still sitting in the guard shack.  She was contacted and hired.  During the past year we have been friendly.  We felt like we had bonded through her application process.  Now, a year later, she invited us to come to her home.  So, this afternoon (Sunday) (this was written in August) we waited for her to send a moto taxi that she knew to come get us and take us to her house.  But then I got a text saying the man was sick and could we grab a mototaxi and come on our own. She sent the name that we should tell the mototaxis.  We did that and showed the word on our phone to the 2 mototaxis which we grabbed. They said they knew where it was and took off.  It was a 15 minute trip over VERY rough roads. Still in the city, but very much with a village feel.  I was getting nervous that we really were not going to her home and tried to call her, but was not successful.  Finally, the mototaxis stopped in front of a fairly nice gate leading to a home and said, "This is it."  No friend.  I called again, but no response.  We stood on a door step in the middle of a group of people with whom I could not communicate.  It was kind of scary because the mototaxis had left and how were we going to get home if she never came? Well, she did arrive and took us to her home.  She had pineapple, bread, bananas and tea ready for us.  She prayed thanking Jesus for our friendship as soon as we arrived.  A cleaner from our school had also been invited.  She cleans my room daily, but I have never been able to talk to her because of language difficulties.  It was good to see both of them.  As we ate a man came in and joined us.  Sarah then explained that one of the reasons she wanted us to come was to tell us that this was her fiance and she would soon be married.  She did not want us to hear about this just in the general announcement at school, but rather wanted us to be told personally.  How very thoughtful!!  I was flattered she thought that much of us.  We had a good time.  As we started home it was as I feared and we walked the half hour home because there simply were no mototaxis in this area.  (It was less scary to walk on these roads than ride a moto anyway.)  A funny revelation as well was that the aids think that when I hold Rick's hand or arm at school that he is the frail one and I am helping him. HA! Rick is the one who is supporting me and keeping me from falling.  As soon as she got to us, she had taken his arm and been supporting him.  I was confused and finally said that really I was the one who had trouble walking, not Rick.  She laughed and said that was not what was believed at school.  Strange.  We are so so very busy with two full time jobs that we have not always gone out of our way to be part of the community.  My ministry is the school and students rather than the community.  This was a very pleasant interlude.

P.S. I have delayed posting this since last fall, since Sarah wanted for us to wait for anything public until she had time to tell the Director about her wedding plans. So, even though I wrote it, I have simply let is set.  I am posting it now because Sarah is very, very ill.  There is not a clear diagnosis.  Please pray for this friend.  Many here do not have physical reserve to survive illness.