So as we are driving along on our supposed 3 hour drive to get to our next training destination, the driver realizes he has taken the wrong road, so he stops to ask for directions (thank God this man asks for directions or we would be in Uganda by now) So we turn around and within 5 minutes we have a flat tire. The driver realizes he doesn’t have the tools to change it, he doesn’t know where we are, he has no one to call and we are in a very rural area. We all start praying silently amongst ourselves because that is all we can do at this point. The driver hops into a passing car and off he goes leaving us 4 women on the side of the road by ourselves. We start to draw a crowd from the people who are making their hours long daily trek down this long winding road for work or for water. It’s fun to see the stares and awestruck faces of people looking at Muzungu’s
(white people) standing on the side of their usually quiet road. People came out of houses built on the side of the hill we never even would have noticed had we not been standing on the road.
The driver finally comes back with a few men and a tire iron. I am amazed as more men passing by join in as they all struggle to lift the van, by hand, up onto rocks taken from the side of the road. I am grateful to have heard the song they sang and their laughs as they worked hard to lift this van without a care in the world. I am also amazed at how quick the driver was able to go to a nearby town
to find total strangers to help change a tire. So even though our trip took over 5 hours I felt so blessed to have the opportunity to witness such compassion and togetherness that we never get to see in America. We always seem too busy to help or only help when it is convenient for us. Jesus’ example teaches us that we need to help one another, any time of any day. He always stopped to help others, even when he had other things to do. I want to take this story back to
the U.S. with me and always remember that people and our relationships on earth are most important, so we need to take time out of our lives to help people who are in need. I want to stop long enough to look around. I want to look for a need, not just wait until I am asked. I want to be used by God every day in everything I do!
(white people) standing on the side of their usually quiet road. People came out of houses built on the side of the hill we never even would have noticed had we not been standing on the road.
The driver finally comes back with a few men and a tire iron. I am amazed as more men passing by join in as they all struggle to lift the van, by hand, up onto rocks taken from the side of the road. I am grateful to have heard the song they sang and their laughs as they worked hard to lift this van without a care in the world. I am also amazed at how quick the driver was able to go to a nearby town
to find total strangers to help change a tire. So even though our trip took over 5 hours I felt so blessed to have the opportunity to witness such compassion and togetherness that we never get to see in America. We always seem too busy to help or only help when it is convenient for us. Jesus’ example teaches us that we need to help one another, any time of any day. He always stopped to help others, even when he had other things to do. I want to take this story back to
the U.S. with me and always remember that people and our relationships on earth are most important, so we need to take time out of our lives to help people who are in need. I want to stop long enough to look around. I want to look for a need, not just wait until I am asked. I want to be used by God every day in everything I do!