Arlene;s Flight Travels..........

Ministry Partners,

Sorry I have not been able to keep you updated since my last post as I would have liked. Not sure quite where to begin but I will try to do my best on this computer borrowed from Alfred, the story about my computer to follow later.

May 30^th. ---I thought that after spending 10 hours in the Amsterdam airport terminal and having my boarding pass in hand I would be good to go. With only getting 1to 1½ hrs sleep in 2 days I was looking forward to the long flight to Kigali so I could get some sleep.

But as I arrived at the gate I was told that I had not been given the correct boarding pass and needed to wait until I could obtain another one. In addition they told me they could not issue me a boarding pass for the Nairobi to Kigali flight and that I would have wait to obtain one from the Transfer Station in that airport.

On earlier flights I have had to use that Transfer Station and I must admit I was not looking forward to that very real possibility. In the past some people would be waiting patiently in line for their turn while others seemingly oblivious to the designated line, would be pushing and shoving in the front of the line so they could be first and not have to wait. Yet, for sure, there was no use worrying about it and borrowing trouble from tomorrow, today was having enough challenges of its own.

 To say I was grateful and excited to finally get seated on the plane is an understatement. Again, God was caring for and providing for me before I even asked as there was an empty seat beside me where I could actually lay down, get the pressure off of my hip and get some much needed sleep.

The person in a neighboring seat was a pastor from Kenya. We had a nice visit, ending with him asking me “When are you coming to Kenya for a crusade?” I told him if God ever called me to Kenya I would certainly contact the number he had given me and let him know.

May 31^st. ---When I arrived in Nairobi God’s faithfulness was evident as the young man providing my wheelchair assistance did a marvelous job when he took me to the airport Transfer Station. He took my passport and other papers to the Transfer desk after placing me (in my wheelchair) a few feet away.

In that “sea of people” he disappeared for about 15 minutes emerging with my passport and much needed boarding pass in hand. He then pushed my chair/me to the departure gate and assisted me and my carry-ons through security. I was ever so pleased to give him a Gospel tract and $5. His broad smile told me he appreciated the fact that I recognized his job very well done!

I waited about 1½ hours until boarding time and I was ever so pleased to once again find an empty seat beside me so I could elevate my feet. I was actually looking at my watch and counting the 1 hour and 15 minutes until the plane would touch down in Kigali and I would see Alfred’s and Pastor Peter’s smiling faces greeting me when………we were not allowed to depart and 4 airport staff boarded the plane.

Everyone’s boarding passes were checked again…….then again…….then again a 3^rd time. After sitting on the tarmac for an hour and 20 min. we were informed of the issue. There were more passengers on the plane than there were suppose to be, more than were on the manifest. They were trying to determine who the extra people were and why they were on the plane. Having finally made that determination they gave the approval for us to leave.

I can never explain just how happy I was to finally feel/hear the plane wheels touch down on Rwandan soil. But my “days of days” was not yet over. I had filled out my country entrance card on the plane and went through the airport checkpoint quickly and found a young attendant, with a cart, to lift my luggage. As I waited for my luggage to appear I stepped briefly to an area where I could see past the guards and there was Alfred waving his arms and Pastor Peter…….goodness it was good to see familiar faces !!!!!!!

Then I turned back to watch for my luggage and finally, there it came. Did you notice I said “it”? Yep, only one made it but I must admit after the past few days I was surprised that one made it. Hummm, perhaps God is still working on that “patience” lesson with me. Nevertheless, I saw God’s gracious hand in even this as the suitcase that made it was the one with my cloths.

After spending over 30 minutes with a nice young woman in an office, just off the luggage area, giving her more information than a high school exam, she said they would began a trace to find out which leg of the trip that the luggage got lost. I gave her Alfred’s phone number as well as the guest house where I am staying. She advised me to call tonight at around 8 and see if they had been able to trace the location of the suitcases. It was about 11am by the time we left the airport and headed for Moucecore guest house.

I took a few minutes to freshen up before I met with Pastor Wilson. I could see the disappointment in his face when I told him that I did not have the crusade posters and handouts I had brought for him as they were in the lost luggage. Alfred told him that he was going to call the airport at 8pm to see if the suitcases had arrived and we would then call him and let him know the status.

After changing into my “professional business” outfit (advised by Rwandan culture and Alfred), Alfred, Pastor Peter and I headed off for the meeting with Paul, the Commissioner General of Rwanda Correction Services. I was so thankful that Alfred was able to get the scheduled morning appointment changed to 3pm.

It did not take long for the three of us to see that God had gone before us as I was finding great favor with the Major General Paul Rwarakabije and with the Director General of Planning Rwanda Correction Services, Mr. Emmanuel Rukundo, who is actually the 3^rd in command. I could see that the General would be someone you would NOT want to get on the wrong side of.

Alfred asked me to share about how God first called me to do ministry in the prisons, the work we have been doing and my heart for prison ministry in general. When I first started to talk the General took out a notebook and began taking notes on the things I was sharing. After my first few sentences his face softened and he began to smile. I was so thankful for the words and courage the Holy Spirit gave me as at one point I shared the Gospel with them. It was such a huge opportunity to use what I share with the prisoners as an avenue to also share with them.

Everyone had been praying about this meeting and that I would find favor with the General as it is import for him to look favorably on the work IRM is doing in the prisons.

At one point, when I shared about the impact IRM is having with the Spiritual Leaders using Pastor Jerome and Pastor Cornelius as examples, Emmanuel asked if we would consider having the released leaders form an association so they would return to the prisons for ministry, sharing their testimony of how IRM had ministered to them and where their lives are today. It would be an association were these leaders could help and encourage each other in their daily lives and in ministry. All of us “saw” God open another door for IRM!!!!!!!!!!!!

We were asking God for favor of 100% and we find that God has exceeded our request as we all felt I had received 1000%. Once again I can give God praise for His leading and this God given opportunity.

I do not run my life on feelings but on the truth of God’s word but Alfred, Pastor Peter and I all commented on how the presence of God during the meeting was so evident and felt by all three of us. So much so that after we left the General’s office we found it hard to put into words what we saw God do in the meeting, a meeting which the General seemed to not want to end. It was a very long meeting and as we left the General’s office he made it very clear that he wanted me to come again as he extended another invitation.

Pastor Peter is to call the Generals office tomorrow and see if the signed approval papers are ready.

Alfred was contacted by the airport saying that both pieces of my lost luggage had arrived and was ready to be picked up. Thank you God, for answering our prayer with a “yes” and so very quickly.

One the way to the airport we picked up Alexis who is a Bishop in the local ministry that partners with the United Christian Church in America.  Because we are not yet registered with the government he partnered with us for the current application to do prison ministry.  At one time he was also a prisoner, falsely accused and at trial found innocent. He had dinner with us and he shared his story making it clear that he has a heart to serve in the prisons, partnered with IRM.

 Alexis left after dinner and Alfred, Pastor Peter and I had a meeting to outline the agenda for the crusade so that we can share it with Pastor Wilson, our host pastor for the village crusade, tomorrow. We decided to call it a day at 10pm.

Goodness, today, my first day in Rwanda, has been a very busy, exciting and fruitful day, a day to give God much praise for. It has been a day designed by God own hand for sure. After unpacking the suitcases, doing a bit of long hand journaling, for some reason my computer was not working, its 11:30 pm and time for bed and I was so ready.