Love Diaries (“Encore”)-The Pastor

Ngo Murashaka Inyongezo? (I hear the people want an “encore”). One of my most respected male friends is my childhood friend, G.I. One of the few Rwandans to match (even surpass), my hype level.We met in Kigali, some 15 years ago, at the height of our teenage years. This was around the time he first got saved. He’d enter those decked up Nyamirambo buses that used to be blasting Ja Rule and he’d stand and preach. People were intruiged because, usually street preachers were, forgive me, adults in hobo-chic (without the chic). So when this well dressed young kid with intricate haircut and a guitar stood to speak of Jesus, people listened.

I ended up moving to US for college and we kept in touch in the early years since I travelled back often. But eventually, we lost touch. We recently reconnected at an event I had; by the end of the night, he had hijacked the mic from the singing crew. We could not stop cracking up at our lives. We both ended up marrying AND separating from our respective partners. He long advocated for the “modernization” of church as do I. But he claims I take it too far. (**Rolling my eyes**). I once asked him ese ko utajya untereta? (Why do you never toast me?) He chuckled at the idea and we both concluded we were from two different worlds and our life missions could never align because we disagree on some very important fundamentals. Additionally, we agreed our friendship was too pure to toy with the uncertainties of romance. Lastly, he has Pastoral aspirations so imagine me, being someone’s Mama Pastor. Big fat LOL.

Overall, I write this praise to express my eternal respect to my friend, because when I was a vulnerable young girl that he could have easily taken advantage of, he did not. Even peck, this man did not try to collect…Compatibility: Failed. Friendship: Lifelong.

NB: I share things just as they happen to me without attempting to clean them up. It is sometimes confusing, contradictory, unsensical, too sensical… This highlights how life is not linear and it musn’t be.

A Toast to Living! XOXO

(NB: Now the series, really must end, ran out of suitors.)