On Wednesday, December 7th, we began our journey to Mozambique from Cape Town, South Africa. Our whole squad boarded a bus at 730am. We were all prepared for an overnight bus ride consisting of 30ish hours. It was a rather pleasant ride. We had a bathroom on the bus, the seats reclined, and we had TVs to watch movies on! All in all the favor of the Lord was upon us and we were so blessed to be riding in such luxury. We ended up getting into Mozambique earlier than expected.
Our team and Team Ignition still had another 24-hour bus ride upon arrival. Team Siloam had a 3-hour bus ride. It had been decided that we would spend the night in Maputo and then travel on to Beira the following day. We ended up staying with some missionaries that some teammates knew from back home. It was amazing. They were incredible hosts. They made us amazing food and catered to all our needs. We were blessed with being able to sleep in beds and have amazing showers as well. The favor of the Lord was upon us once again!
The next morning we awoke at 6am to board a bus at 730. We were yet again blessed with an amazing breakfast and sent off with warm wishes. We were told the day before that we would have 2 separate buses – one for the team going 3 hours and the other for the 24-hour bus ride. Well, when the buses arrived, there was only 1. So 21 of us plus three Africans boarded a small 16-passenger bus. We all praised the Lord when the first team got off, simply because things we’re a bit more roomy then! As soon as they got off, the bus drivers were hurrying us to get back on the bus because they had to get to a bridge before 5 because it closed. We had no reason not to believe them, so we all hurried back onto the bus. (At this stop, I experienced using the bathroom the “African way” – aka, popping a squat).
The travels continued as we pressed forward towards the bridge. We stopped a few times along the way to pick up random passengers, which wasn’t supposed to happen and we took two “potty” breaks. At one of them, the toilet looked like a sink, and an African woman stood outside demanding money. Well, we had none to give her, however, she was very upset with us, so we gave her 7 rand (South African currency) that someone had on them.
Hours later, we arrived at the bridge. The bus driver pulled the bus over right in front of a really sketchy place that resembled a bar and said, “we sleep here”. We were all shocked at first, realizing that we’d all be sleeping on the bus for the night. We also realized that we all had to go to the bathroom and there were none. So yet again we had to experience the wilderness.
As night began to settle in, we all began to try and settle into the seats on the bus. It was SO hot, the music was blaring out of this bar and all of us were paranoid we were going to be robbed throughout the night. In all of this misery, a few of the guys on my team had the great idea of sleeping on top of the bus. I thought I’d tough it out in the seat, but after 2 hours of roughing it there, I decided the top of the bus sounded like a better idea.
So, I turned to one of the girls on the other team, asked if her sleeping pad was close, and hoisted myself on top of the bus. Everyone else was already snoozing away. I blew up the sleeping pad and snuggled up with my Ipod to drown out the party that was happening next to us. Because it had been so hot in the bus, I assumed that it would be just as hot outside. Wrong perception. I froze all night long. At one point I whispered down to see if anyone was awake, and was given a north face rain jacket to cover up from my feet to the knees or my knees to my thighs. Needless to say, sleeping on top of a bus in Africa has been the craziest thing I’ve experienced so far on the race. As I laid on top of the bus, overwhelmed by traveling for so many days, I began to pray for the Lord to slow down my mind and allow me to simply think for a few minutes. I turned to my right and the word “salvation” floated through my mind as bodies swayed back and forth to the music and alcohol occupied idol hands. I began to pray for those people. That Jesus would invade their lives and fill up the things they were looking for in this place. And as I turned to the left, a little African boy was standing outside the window of our bus reciting the bible in Portuguese as one of our team members read to him.
It was then that the Lord struck my heart – in this life that we’re living, the gospel is so close to us. It’s literally outside of our door step, but because of our sinful human nature, we choose the things we desire, like alcohol and bars, rather than what the Lord has for, like a relationship with Him. In thinking through all of this, Romans 12:2a came to mind – “Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Well, how do people allow their minds to be renewed when they aren’t even in a relationship with the Lord? This made me think about Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me”. So simply put, open the door. Step out onto your doorstep and invite the Father of this universe into your heart. Allow Him to fulfill in the ways that you’ve sought worldly things to fulfill you.
Oh Africa. How you’re teaching me so many things already. Even from the top of a bus, outside a bar, I am blessed. I am thankful that the God I love already loves you as well. Open up the door.
This is our team..on top of the bus at 5am in the morning.
