Leaving the Peace Land Hotel

On our first day in the mission field, we left the Peace Land Hotel with a full load of ministry partners (who are far more than just translators), coaches, and North Americans. We all loaded up into vans; two teams per van. We rode in the vans with no seat belts packed in like sardines with our backpacks and supplies for the day, and we loved every minute of it! We prayed before we left and often sang praises to God as we rode. The beginning of the drive was paved, but quickly turned into dirt roads that you literally have to drive left to right on to pass over.

After we dropped the first team off, Pam, David, Fanny, Mary, Julius, and I continued on our journey. Our total ride to our mission point was approximately two hours. The roads were rocky, wet, and muddy. Sometimes we drove right on the edge of mountains where it looked like we might slide right off into oblivion.

After a two hour bumpy ride (I hit my head and arms a lot) up mountains full of mud and rocks, we arrived at our mission point. We made this drive each day the following week (without Mary & Julius). I always enjoyed the drive. I loved watching the people doing their daily chores and routines. The vast majority were on foot. Many were women and children. They were out getting water and working in the fields. It’s really a sight that is hard to explain. The lives of everyone I saw and met there were outside. Their means and resources were outside, so they were outside working and gathering to provide for themselves and their families to survive. That is how pretty much everyone lives there – just to survive.  

Rwanda is so green. I must admit that it reminded me a lot of Honduras, but it seemed even more extensive. They utilize the land and seem to have such rich soil. You see plants and crops as far as the eye can see; even up the mountainsides. The people would be out in the fields from dusk until dawn working the land each day. I honestly have no comprehension of how they do it. It makes my back hurt just to think about it.

I can vividly recall the first day we arrived at our mission point. We parked down the road from the church, which is unlike any church you’ve ever seen in the United States. I saw children standing around. I was already smiling at the site of their curious faces. I got out of the van and put my jacket on because it was early and cool. We had increased in elevation quite a bit from the hotel. I wasn’t sure how far we were from the church, but as we began to walk up the dirt path with the children all around us, I heard the sound of drums… Excitement stirred within my soul because I knew we were in the right place. I could have been anxious or scared about what was to come, but instead a great sense of joy and peace overwhelmed me because I knew I was exactly where God had called me to be.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” ~ John 14:27 NKJV

The Peace Land Hotel:

A closer look at the painting on the hotel:

A beautiful view from the top floor:

 Another pretty view from the hotel:

Flowers in the tree:

 Flowers in another tree:

Crested Cranes at the hotel:

My favorite van to ride in because it said "Trust God":

An early foggy, muddy morning:

Our muddy roads:

Children out working early:

Adults out working early too:

This child was just sitting alone alone:

 And these were standing alone:

We passed this mosque every day on the way to our mission point:

 Entering the Rubava District:

The Curious Faces we found when we arrived at our mission point: