A Bit of Heaven

Little do we know as we being our day, what delights God has prepared for us.  Such was the case yesterday as I set out to reach Montreal and celebrate the Solemnity of St. John the Baptist, a holiday in the Province of Quebec with some of my former Rwandan students.  First, I planned  stop in South Burlington, VT to visit a friend I hadn't seen in 4 years.  To my dismay, the GPS could not find his address...(I have an "old" GPS and his address is in a new development.)  I just drove north on I-89 and when close to Burlington, called...and eventually we had our delightful reunion.  On then in rain to Montreal, arriving at the apartment building of my host and finding that the rain stopped just as I parked. Up to the 14th floor for an awesome view of Montreal to a large bedroom, with a computer "for Bro. Rene's Daily Bread" as my host put it.  A drive across town to the Barbecue, which we had outside on damp chairs, but which brought together students I love but never thought I'd see again in this life.  As we prayed before eating, I asked if we had died and gone to heaven, the joy was so tangible and uplifting.  The evening ended in the Rwandan tradition with little speeches (Ijambo) during which they as students and I as former teacher expressed gratitude for our experience in Rwanda and the new life my presence among them had given them. We couldn't say thank you enough...and on top of it all were several gifts..a huge bottle of Canadian Maple Syrup, maple butter and another maple spread for toast.  Maple is my favorite flavor...and they hit upon it by "chance"?  There was also a beautiful card with expressions of gratitude written by each of them, and a little photo album of Compton, the town where my grandfather came from.  I had never seen it, and we are actually going to take a drive there on Thursday.  Finally, there was a commitment to make contributions to the Bro. Rene D. Roy Foundation to help other Rwandans complete their educations.
All of this along with seeing happy people, scores of little children...a teacher's reward that does not often happen in this life. 
We forget that our "awesome" God is also the God of detail and little treats that only we would appreciate.  Such was St. Jean Baptiste Day 2014, a day I shall never forget.  May all readers be so blessed by our loving, caring God who has known us from all eternity and is, as Psalm 139 stays, always standing by our side.
Bro. Rene