The First Few Days

Ok hello everyone,

Yes so I am here on Worcester alright although I think I will forever dislike the Johannesburg ('Jo-burg') airport. The way it is set up you have to go get your checked bags when you get off your plane and you go to the exit and then check back in again for your connecting flight. I got to the check-in counter finally at almost midnight and they were closing up and told me I couldn't check in until the morning. The guy there was telling me that I would have to stay at a hotel so he showed me where to go because the airport one was full. At first I thought he meant that I would have to find a hotel in Joburg somewhere which is not that safe. But he just pointed to the Intercontinental Hotel that was across the road and told me to go there. So I left the airport in Joburg in the middle of the night and went across the street (don't freak out Mother or Laura obviously I am fine) to the hotel but as I was walking up to it I noticed that it looked really nice which was not good for me. Yeah, they wanted over 3,000 Rand for the night which is over $400. At that point I only needed the room for 4 hours anyway. I just said no thank you and walked back across to the airport. I went back to the check-in counter at sat down on some stairs across from it. I was the only person around other than the cleaning guys. One of them had seen me leaving and he came back over to me and asked if I found what I was looking for and I told him I couldn't afford it. I sat there for a few minutes and then he came back and told me that there was a 24-hour coffee shop downstairs where I could go. He showed me the right lifts to use and what floor to push and as I was getting on he said "Because you looked very nice sitting there you know and the others they would harass you" and then he walked away. I did find the coffee shop which is where the other passengers were waiting. I was just reminded of how much God protects me when I am traveling by sending me people like that young kind cleaning guy to help me. Then when I got to Cape Town the guy who was suppose to come pick me up didn't come; these two other guys came but they were 30 minutes late. I tried to subtly ask them questions before I would go with them and they passed so I went:)

When I got here to Worcester yesterday I was really struggling with being homesick for Rwanda and my family. I haven't spent very much time with my family in the past 2 years and the month I just had with them was not nearly enough. I also really didn't want to leave Rwanda because it feels natural and good when I'm there. I miss my friends in Kigali of course but it is more than that. I don't know if God will use in Rwanda long-term but I am sure that I will continually visit at least.

One of the staff for my school here is a young woman from Ghana and I was talking with her when we found out that she was at the YWAM base in Tema, Ghana at the same time that I visited it with Mercy Ships in 2006. She remembers our team coming. We live in a small world. My room here is very tiny and cold but there is hot running water for showers. So far the other students I know are Bernard from Ghana, Ginny from Texas, and Lissia from France. The last two are my roommates. There are some others coming in the next few days. I saved the best part for last...we are going to Zimbabwe for outreach!!! I have been praying that we would and today Lissia told me she has been praying that as well! Please keep praying that it doesn't fall through because I believe that is where we need to go.

We have registration at 4 so I will talk with you later. Bye!

Isimbi Johanna