hostage: a person seized or held as security for the fulfillment of a condition.
Hostage sounds like a pretty dramatic term, but by definition that’s what ended up happening to us on our travel day from Peru to Ecuador.
It started out like any normal travel day. We lugged out massive packs to the bus station where we waited for hours until something happened. We loaded up on snacks (which later on was not sufficient for a 24 hour hold up), and we played stupid games. My friend Caitlin and I finally mastered our food-to-mouth toss game we made up in India, and I’m feeling pretty proud of that new skill. Do you think I can put in on a resume? Question for another time, maybe?
We finally got on the bus and settled in for the 17 hour bus ride ahead. (side note: this was part two of travel day. We had already taken a 7 hour bus ride before this!) It was all fun and games for the first 7 hours. We watched movies, listened to music and goofed off passing the time. Around midnight, two hours shy of the Ecuadorian border is when everything happened.
The bus pulled over which surprised me, because we weren’t at a station and I knew we still had a ways to go until we reached the border. We heard men talking outside of the bus and tapping on the sides of the bus. I thought it was some customs check, where maybe the cargo needed to be looked at, but soon after I realized what was going on.
The bus driver put the bus into reverse and tried backing up, which startled me and we bumped into something. Then the bus stopped and the shouting got louder. At this point my interest was really piqued and I started peering around people to look out the front of the bus.
All I saw were flames.
A group of people had surrounded the bus placing logs and trees behind us so we couldn’t back up, and lit debris on fire in front of us so we couldn’t move forward. Our bus attendant came upstairs and informed us that we were not able to leave and a group of men who were rioting had stopped us. She let us know it could become violent if we tried moving, stating they would become angry and start throwing rocks through our windows. She was worried because we were white Americans and suggested we shut the blinds, so that they wouldn’t see us and get ideas to rob us.
Now I’m awake.
We shut our blinds and just sat there listening to the rioters outside the bus. To be honest, I wasn’t really worried. I kind of like danger and just thought, man this is going to be such a cool story! I thought of funny ways that my dad could Liam Neeson me out of the situation and thought it was prophetic that the movie ‘Taken’ had been playing on every single bus since we arrived in South America.
After a while I realized there wasn’t anything I could do, and I was tired. So I started getting settled in for the night to go to bed. The bus driver then decided to turn off the bus to conserve gas, and to show the rioters that we weren’t planning on going anywhere, so maybe they would back off.
50+ people. One bus. No AC. Really close. Oh boy did that baby heat up.
We were told the police were going to be there to diffuse the situation by 6am and then we could be on our way. I sort of went into a mental trance thinking If I can just make it until 6am.
Well 6am rolls around, no police. 7am.. 8am.. 9am.. Okay now I’m getting frustrated. At this point we’ve been on that bus for 17 hours and haven’t moved. I’m a tall girl and not being able to walk around and stretch was killing me. Everyone was getting stir crazy, and we were sweating like no other! But they wouldn’t let us off in case it was too dangerous. At this point, we’re rationing out our Ritz crackers and wondering realistically if anybody was going to come.
By 11am the bus driver finally decided we could get off the bus and get fresh air. Thank you, Jesus! We went outside and sat along the bus in the shade. Unfortunately, the bus had been off, which meant the toilet wasn’t able to flush, so the overflow was pouring out of the bottom of the bus and we had to be really careful where we stepped or sat! (so gross!) But in sweet revenge, the waste ran right to where the rioters were camping, so that made me laugh a little! Suckers! (Sorry, pray for me.)
We finally started cooling off, and realized that AIM had contacted our parents letting them know about the “peaceful” situation we were in, and for them not to contact us. Heather and I took the opportunity to scare her mom, because that’s what a good daughter does, right?!
All jokes aside, the protest was for the most part peaceful. The blockade was put in place by the local fishermen who were protesting their rights to the coastline. They wanted to get the governments attention and were using us as leverage. There were a couple of situations where they tried flipping a tuk tuk and I watched one guy on a motorcycle get his things stolen, but aside from the loud chanting and occasional rowdiness, we were left alone.
They wanted the governments attention, and so did we! For the sake to at least get out of that situation. Unfortunately, nobody ever showed up. We ended up getting in touch with the US Embassy who said they were going to come and get us out. Nobody ever came. Then they promised to at least bring us food. No food ever came. Our squad leaders braved the protest around 6pm, to find a local store and buy out their oreos, bread and chip supply so that we could eat for the first time that day.
The bus driver did turn the bus back on that afternoon, so we lucked out with a little AC and were all able to take a nap mid-day! That was a blessing! Around 7pm, when the sun started to go down, the bus driver locked up the bus and we weren’t allowed to get off again. As the sun went down, the sky lit up with the fires once more. The protesters made a big bonfire in front of the buses and we settled in for what we imagined could be another night.
Around midnight, nearly 24 hours after sitting in the same spot, our bus began to move. We all sat, holding our breath that we would drive past the fire and be free from it! Inch by inch we moved forward and watched as the protesters moved the barricade in front of us.
What relief!
My teammate Stephanie wrote a really funny timeline blog about this experience and ended it so perfectly. God’s hand was all over this, even though it was really unexpected and slightly annoying and challenging, God was with us. I’m a big believer in timing, knowing that God is in everything. If I’m late for something because of traffic or an accident, I think that I’m suppose to be late for a reason. If I miss a flight, or anything weird like that, I really believe God is protecting me from something. Not saying that something bad could’ve happened if we wouldn’t have been stopped, but God was up to something is all I know.
It was probably the most interesting thing that’s ever happened to me. And I really am happy nothing too serious happened!! Although I’m still really curious about my dad crossing the border going straight Rambo on everyone haha! He’s the best!
I know God’s character and he works everything for my good. Even though I don’t understand or know the full context of what was at work that day, I know that God had my best interests at heart. And that’s a really safe, secure place to rest in. I love having Him and my protector. I’m really not worried about anything in life, and that ease makes it way easier to be brave and do what I’m called to do, love!
Even though I didn’t love those protesters too well haha oops. There’s always next time I’m taken hostage on the side of Peruvian highway, right!?
