“Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jer. 1:5). God himself gave this divine call directly to Jeremiah. This call drove his ministry. It supported and comforted him in times of discouragement.

The following story from my life illustrates why the words of this call to Jeremiah occupy a special place in my heart, particularly in light of our preparation to go overseas.

In Rwanda where I was born, there are four seasons—a long rainy season, a long dry season, a short rainy season and a short dry season. When we lived in Rwanda, most of the roads were still rough and unpaved. Thus when it began to rain after a dry spell, they would become very muddy and slippery. Also, since Rwanda is a mountainous area, there were often steep banks and cliffs along the road.

When my mother was about seven months pregnant, she had to make a check-up visit to Mugonero Hospital. Though not a long distance, the trip took some time because of the primitive road conditions. All went well, so, with some time to spare, my parents decided to stop and visit some friends. Suddenly they realized it was late and beginning to get dark. They said their goodbyes and left in a rush. As they began the trek home, they started to hear a plink, plink on the roof. Soon they saw puffs of dust flying up where huge raindrops hit the dry powder of the road. Within a few minutes, the road had become a mass of slippery mud. Dad, always a careful driver, was taking it slow and easy. However, despite his best efforts, the car suddenly slid sideways, and two wheels dangled over a precipice. Immediately my parents sent up prayers for help. The next thing they knew, they felt the side of the car being lifted up and gently set back on the road as if a giant pair of hands had placed them out of harm’s way.

God had a plan in mind for this little child of his, even before he was born!

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