Bus Rules
Inside a typical metro bus of Quito, Ecuador
It was a normal day visiting a ministry site in the South side of Quito, El Panecillo (little bread bun). I was alone, and the bus was pretty empty. I had been communicating via text with one of the teens about some bad influences who had entered their group of friends. I was trying to sort things out, since it did affect our daughter directly, and trying to balance out grace and truth. The back door of the bus remained open even as the bus was moving. Everything seemed peaceful, and my guard was down. Since we’ve lived here, we've had a set of guidelines for how we carry ourselves to and from, especially when it comes to cash or our phones.
Here are the bus rules:
Don’t use your phone on the bus.
Make your phone (or cash) hard to get.
If you must use your phone, face away from people and use the “tri-hold” grip, with your pointer finger on top and gripping tightly—aka “the kung fu grip”.
Don’t place yourself so close to the back exit if you’re going to use your phone.
And in general, don’t use your phone on the bus. :)
So, the person, perhaps he was behind me, or he ran in and out of the bus—he just simply said, “I got your phone!” And he took off as if it were a game.
There I sat fuming all the way home. I dropped my guard; I didn’t follow the Rodriguez guidelines. I got distracted by the situation at hand. It didn’t make me scared, just mad at myself and also mad at the stealing culture that is so prevalent here in Ecuador. Thankfully, my phone was old but very well protected, and none of my apps were accessible. This person probably wiped it and sold it. Not that it was worth much after being used for five years.
Days like this, when something goes wrong or feels impossible in Ecuador, it’s tempting sometimes to just pack up and go “home.” But here’s the thing. Where is home? Since we sold our house in Georgia, I’ve been asking this question. And the answer is not surprising. God is our home.
Many might be asking, “What is Church?”And the answer is, the church is us in Christ. Of course, there are more details, but we must always start there. Each morning. “Lord, you are my home, my very strong tower. Jesus, you are building your Church on the Earth, start with me.”
Because of these very important facts, we have decided that, rather than leaving, we are committing to Ecuador, to Quito. Our time here isn’t done as far as we know. And thankfully, we are going to be able to purchase an affordable and useful house, which will alleviate our monthly expenses in the long run. When I say that making this decision has been excruciating for us, I am not saying it lightly. But just as Christ is building His Church, He is also building dreams. Thankfully, we found a house that will give us space to host people and prep for projects.
We do hope in the future to have a space to run a creative center to alleviate the traveling with supplies from the North to the South of Quito, but that dream remains in His time and in His way. Isn’t it interesting how God will use a building or a house? He will even use the shade of a tree in which to bring about His kingdom. The point is being His body, in person. It’s a very precious gift, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Truly with gratitude,
