OK... So, yesterday I returned to Curacavì and things were going great. A blister I had gotten the previous day was bothering me a little, but I didn´t think much of it.
I passed by to see Silvia and her bajillion animalitos. She doesn´t have a dime to her name, but she has all the love in her heart to save animals from the streets and try to feed them. It takes a special kind of person to do that.
After leaving her house, I went in search of chocolate artesenal. YUM! It is my favorite chocolate in the whole world, and practically the only one I can eat without getting sick (apart from brownies... fresh out of the oven... YUM!) Someday, if I ever get married and I decide to change my mind and make a deal out of it, I am going to order these chocolates... Anyhow, I got there, got my order and then found out the credit card line was bad... So I have to return today to pay for it... argh!
I also spent some time preparing to teach the lesson for the noche de hogar we were going to have with Luna, Maricela, Antonia y whoever else came. Although, we didn´t have it because visitas came. In turn it was good that they came and neat to watch Luna invite her friend to listen to the missionaries (even though she hasn´t been to church in a while). We were talking and I hope with all of my heart she will return to church and remember why she was baptized in the first place.
Anyhow, we were talking and all of a sudden 1.5 hrs had passed by and it was 9:55 p.m. The last bus leaves Curacavì at 10 p.m. I found out. I waited in hopes that one would perhaps come, and it didn´t. I asked a taxi how much he would charge me to go to Stgo. and he said 20 luca (about $40). Nope!
So I started to walk. I really didn´t know how far I intended to walk or why I was doing it, I just started to walk. At this point, my blister was hurting. (In my attempt to run to catch the last bus, it broke open and started to bleed.) I took my shoes off and continued to walk. Menos mal that it was a rather pleasant night. I got to the freeway entrance and continued walking.
I told myself that I was going to walk to the next bus stop and wait until the first bus in the morning. Little did I know how far the next stop was. When you are cruzing (sp?) along in a bus, it doesn´t seem like that far. I stuck my thumb out a few times, but not many people are will to stop for someone at 11 p.m. on the freeway.
As I continued walking I just laughed at myself and the strange adventure I was having. I am not sure how many miles I walked but I was getting tired and beginning to wonder where the next paradero was. That is when I saw a truck stopped on the side of the road ahead. I thought the driver was probably inside asleep.
I walked past and said hello to the person in the driver´s seat and continued walking. All of a sudden I hear "Adonde vai?" I stopped and turned around and told him I was going to Santiago. He asked if I intended to walk there. I told him I had missed the last bus and that I was going to wait for one in the morning at the next bus stop. He told me that if I wanted, he would take me. I said sure and hoped in. It was great!
His name is Josè and he has been separated from his wife about 10 yrs. They have three children (1 girl and 2 boys). He has been a truck driver for more than 12 years (the reason for the separation).
Josè asked about me, how I learned the lingo and all that jazz. I told him I was in Chile as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ and in turn asked him if he ever saw missionaries in Casa Blance. He said he had, that sometimes he talks to them and that there is a church close by. In the end, I invited him to stop by one Sunday and to talk more with the missionaries.
He had to leave me at Vespucio Sur (still far from my destination). I started walking again, crossed the freeway to get to San Pablo/Lo Prado and headed on. As I was walking I saw this man who stopped for a minute and looked at me. Our eyes met for a minute and I continued walking on. A few seconds later I heard shuffling and looked again. This man had turned around and started to walk the same direction as I, but on the other side of the street (keep in mind it is about 12:30 a.m.).
I got this strange feeling inside of me and I prayed that the Lord would send me a taxi. On my side, I started to walk faster and continued to pray. Suddenly, I heard the sound of tires on the concrete road and turned around. It was a taxi! I stuck my hand out and he stopped for me. It was sooner than I wanted to take a taxi, but something inside of me told me to get in. I am not sure what would have happend, but I didn´t want to find out.
The Lord is wonderful and is always watching over us. I only give thanks that he sends angels to us in distinct forms to help us along and give us the encouragement we need to progress.
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