Upon Arrival

Let me share with you the condition of my heart this past week, while preparing to move to Rwanda.  The beginning of the week, I was at peace knowing this is where God was leading me.  Later on in the week, as packing and moving started to actually happen, I felt more anxious, nervous, and sad.  Anxious because of all I had to do before moving, nervous because of the huge change ahead of me, and sad because of all the people I was leaving behind.  It’s crazy all that I have taken for granted, whether it be having my family close by me, or  how talking on the phone so easily had connected me with so many friends who live in another state, or being a part of an amazingly close knit community built around ministry. 

The day before I left, I had a going away party in Bloomington, in which I am so glad I did!  So many people showed up, which meant so much to me.  This gave a lighthearted way to say goodbye and give my last hugs, for a while at least.  The next day (the day I left) was a lot more difficult.  Driving to the airport, I started realizing that I was actually leaving.  I mean, I’d been preparing for this, but it had never really settled in.  I had a nervous stomach, as if I was about to give a speech to hundreds of people, or step foot out on that cheerleading competition floor I had done years before.  When we arrived at the Indianapolis airport, my parents and I lugged my 4 pieces of luggage over to the checkout and then spent the next few minutes shuffling stuff in the bags to try to make each bag under 70lbs.  We did it!  It was quite the victory.  Saying goodbye to my parents was the toughest part.  After I departed from their hugs, I cried through the security checks, cried while sitting waiting for my plane, and cried all through the 1st and 2nd flights.  Let’s just say, I was emotional :)  I’d say majority of the time traveling (about 30 hrs) I was reflecting on what I was leaving behind.  But as soon as I stepped foot on Rwandan ground, I had peace.  Flash backs from when I was here the last time came rushing back and I felt joy in being back!  It was quite the transformation from what I was feeling hours before.  I was greeted by people that are affiliated with the school.  I am now staying with a missionary family who have 4 beautiful kids, 2 of which are adopted from Rwanda.  I will be moving to my own place shared by 2 other teachers in about a week. 

Sometimes I feel like I’ve walked into this experience blindly.  Even though I was given plenty of information and have even been in Rwanda once before, I still have no idea what I’ve really gotten myself into!  All I know is that God is good and He is with me.  Everything else is just details.