Travel to Kigali: Friday July 16

July 16--

For several weeks anxiety has had a hold on me about this day. Today was the day I had hoped I’d be on my way to Kigali from Kampala. I can’t begin to explain how much I went back and forth between “I’m going to fly” and “I’m going to take the bus”. What should I do? One the one hand it felt like the safe thing was to take a flight. I wouldn’t lose a whole day in travel. However, it would cost almost 7 times as much as the bus ride. I could use the money for it but would this be a good use of resources? And I’ve cone on this trip to be with my friends in Uganda and Rwanda. How can I be “with” them and spend so much money on transportation? Yet there has been fear and rightly so about solo land travel in Africa. Yes, I’ve done solo journeys before but never here. I’ve taken long bus journeys in Tanzania but I was always with other westerners and always journeying with other locals. So many scenarios of what might happen were going through my mind. Deep down I didn’t care if I was giving a whole day to travel on the bus. I didn’t want to ignore the fears consuming a part of my mind. However, something else in me wanted to experience the bus. I knew the bus would help me connect to the place in a way that flying would not. And the fact is, even if I would have flown it would have been an all day affair because the airport in Uganda was quite a drive from where I was staying. It was much easier for my friends to drop me off at the bus station rather than the airport because it was close to their office. All of my African friends told me “you will be fine”. And while they don’t know what it is to be female and Muzungo I knew they had traveled this journey and I wanted to trust their recommendation. And they wanted to make sure that I got the executive bus not anything else.

So yester day I set off for the station. Caleb and his wife Rita have been so kind and helpful. Caleb took me to the station and made sure I knew what to do. When we arrived I met another solo woman traveler. After Caleb left we began to talk. She was to sit in the front row and I was to sit towards the back of the bus. At least I knew there was a potential friend on the bus. Just as we set off on our journey one of bus attendants came to me and asked if I’d like to sit next to “my friend“. Of course! I would love that! It would give me someone to talk to and it would allow me to have a better sight for where we were going. (And we had leg room). So here I was on this really nice bus, comfortable and sitting with a new friend, Saddie. Saddie and I laughed about the assumptions but we were just fine! I wasn’t traveling alone after all. We both commented how appreciative we were for each other on this long journey. We did a great job of taking care of each other too.

When we stopped for gas and a bathroom break my new friend and I we took turns using the pit latrines. WOW. We both had never experienced such a horrible smell in our lives. It was so nice to know my stuff was being watched and it was so nice to laugh with my travel companion about what we had just experienced. The bus ride went so fast because we talked our way through it. The border crossing was easy. There I met a pastor/evangelist. The three of us stuck together throughout the border crossing. Pastor was from Nigeria and has been traveling around Eastern Africa working with churches. So here I was on this journey “alone” and yet I wasn’t alone at all. I had a travel companion and a fellow minister with me.

We thankfully arrived into Kigali before dark. The journey took 10 hours. We encountered road contruction so the journey was 2 hours longer than what it could be. My travel companion and I exchanged phone numbers just in case we would need each other while in Kigali. Awesome! She got some help with a taxi and I needed to call my friend to tell him I had arrived. Caleb and Rita in Uganda had helped me set up a cell phone but I was not able to use it in Rwanda. I’ve now figured out the correct codes and it works! So I had to find someone and ask to borrow a phone. A nice man at a little restaurant allowed me to use his cell phone. I was speaking to him in English not even thinking that he wouldn’t understand me. How easy it is to forget I’m in a non-English speaking country. He was so patient and really wanted to understand me. Looking back I’m so grateful that he had such patience with me and just didn’t wave me off. I called Philbert and was directed to find a taxi driver. A tinge of fear went through me as I realized I was going to get into a taxi and go somewhere I wasn’t sure. However, Philbert suggested that I have the taxi driver call him to get instructions and this felt really good. I reconnected with my American travel companion and there found our pastor friend as well. He was also looking for a taxi. Our pastor friend and I together found a taxi driver. We were headed in the same general direction. So together we loaded all our stuff into his car and set out. Again I found relief in knowing I wasn’t alone! And Philbert kept calling the taxi driver to help him know where to go. It was amazing how it all worked out. I felt so taken care of. Here I was in a place I did not know and I was doing something I had never done before yet I was surrounded by so much kindness and help.

Philbert Kalisa is the director of Reach Rwanda and his organization works to bring unity, peace and reconciliation between people in Rwanda. I’ve been waiting several years now for an opportunity to spend time with him and to learn more about his work. The taxi driver arrived at the Reach Rwanda compound. There was Philbert with a huge smile. He greeted me with a hug and said, “Let me see you. You look the same.” I laughed inside. I had made it. Not only had I made the journey safe but after several years of waiting for this opportunity I had now “made it”. Thanks be to God.

Philbert had such excitement. I’m sure a part of it was because I had arrived but it was much more than that. This week is very significant week for Reach. Philbert showed me the bar and restaurant that is having it’s official opening this week. The venture is hopefully going to create revenue which we’ll support the wok of Reach. We sat down for a soda and dinner. I was a bit weary but extremely content. It felt so good to be here.

I watched as Philbert greeted friends with thankfulness. Tonight the restaurant was opened for friends. Philbert knew most everyone. How exciting for Philbert and for his friends to see this part of their dream coming to life. Next Friday they will have a grand opening and I’m hoping to be there for that!

Later we went to Philbert’s home. There is another young lady, Sophie, that is staying with Philbert for a few weeks. She is a University student. We chatted for a couple hours. I’m feeling grateful for how God provided for me today and humbled by the welcome I’m continuing to receive from friends. It is good to be “home”.