An African sitting in the next row up and on the other side of the bus turned around and looked at me with his hand over his brow almost like a salute. Then he said my name – “Eric?” HUH??? It took me back yet his face was vaguely familiar. He is a student at a theology school in Bujumbura that I took pictures of a couple years back. His name is Augustin. He came back and sat by me and we had a great conversation. Still – this was no coincidence of our meeting on the bus out all the millions of people that could have been there that I have never met.

So I arrived in Bujumbura on Christmas day around 2 p.m. A couple good friends were actually there to meet me. It was nice to see their smiling faces again. We took a cab to a place that I’ve “camped out” before here in Buja and there were people gathered there. They welcomed me and some of them I knew. They were all just sitting down for a Christmas dinner of African cuisine. I was just in time to join them. So that was my Christmas. I made it home to Burundi and had some great fellowship. How good can it get?!

December 23rd, I chose to book a bus ticket to Burundi. It felt like it was time to go from Kampala and my effectiveness definitely was in another place. Early the 24th, I boarded a bus going south to Kigali Rwanda. The trip was about 9 hours and the scenery was beautiful.

In most third-world countries they have these little bed and breakfasts called guests houses. They are normally about a third the cost of a hotel and not a lot difference in their services. It’s a great option if you can find one. Christmas Eve, I found one in Kigali. They served a wonderful dinner with some of the best soup I’ve ever tasted. I slept well and woke up early again on Christmas morning to catch a bus from Kigali, Rwanda south again to Bujumbura, Burundi. This was a smaller bus – about 20 passengers and the trip was only 7 hours.