On the bus ride I had time to just think about Jesus’ birth. My mind went to the journey to Bethlehem. Since I have been traveling a lot lately I imagined Mary and Joseph traveling. Most of our travel days aren’t the most comfy, and in fact most of them are super long, crammed, and very uncomfortable. But they probably don’t even compare to sitting on a donkey traveling who knows how many miles being pregnant!
And once we get to our destination all we want is a comfy bed or a place to relax. This doesn’t always happen either. When we got to China our beds were box springs and our hotel was freezing. But you know it was an actual place to stay! Think about Mary and Joseph; they went from place to place not finding a single home to stay at. How discouraged Joseph must have felt not to have a place for his tired pregnant wife, and how overwhelmed Mary must have felt.
Man, if I was carrying the Son of God I would for sure expect Him to provide a pretty awesome place for me to stay. But that is not how God works.
After being in Lanzhou for 2 days waiting for the bus, we took a 45 min bus ride to another bus station. Seriously.
We had a 1 ½ mile hike to the station. Let me just tell you how intense this was marching through a crazy busy city with our ridiculously enormous packs and luggage.
Once we got on the second bus, we were told it was only a 45 minute ride to our next destination… at this point I wasn’t worried that I had to use the bathroom because I could hold it that long.
However, after 45 minutes dragged to 2 hours, my bladder was going to explode. Ryan asked the bus driver to stop at a bathroom. Even after that request another half hour went by! I was desperate. I have never had to pee so badly and I was in pain. I was thinking of all the different possible way I could relieve myself. I had my water bottle…nope. What about my CranRaisan bag…could I do it without the lady sitting right next to me noticing? If I positioned my backpack just right. Nope not working.
TMI, but it happens. Okay, God, I can’t hold it any longer I am just going to go. I don’t care anymore. In this instant I’m going to let it flow.
As I said that the bus driver pulled over. I was never more excited to see a creepy, stinky gas station squatty potty! Praise Jesus! An hour later we made it to our destination Lanxia.
Total travel time since leaving Johannesburg to Hong Kong to the mainland: 1 and a half weeks!
