Tearful Good Bye

Last night we said good bye to Innocent.

We met Innocent for dinner and had a wonderful talk with him, learning more about his family.  He has 5 children.  Son 24, Son 22, Daughter 20, Daughter 18, Son 10 all who have not seen him for 6 years.  As he would talk about each one he would smile as any proud father would do.  Most of all I am sure is very anxious to she is wife.  As we mentioned before she struggles with health issues, primarily diabetes and other related issues.

Innocent feels that after being gone for 6 years it will be safe for him to return.  In 1995 he and his family fled Congo to Rwanda.  He returned to Congo in 2010 to assist in the organization he was employed by and that was when he was captured.  He said living in Rwanda will be safe.  His wife has a job and makes a meager $250.00 per month which has been sustaining his family.  He feels it will take him about six months to find a job.

We gave him the locations of the 3 branches in Rwanda and counseled him that the church will need him and he will need the church.  He is planning on reaching out when he gets there.

After dinner we went back to his apartment and met Brother Weight the High Priest Group Leader of the Meadow Ward and gave Innocent a blessing.  That is when the tears began to come.  We have grown to love and admire Innocent for his courage and faith.  We will truly miss him.  I gave him my email address and hope we will be able to keep in touch.

He leaves Saturday on the bus for Las Vegas.  The reason he is leaving from Las Vegas is the flights are less expensive out of Las Vegas, plus he left his passport their with friends when he briefly stayed there before he came to Utah.  He leaves Las Vegas on Monday, flys to LA and then to Ethiopia and then on to Rwanda.  It will be Wednesday when he arrives.  He will have spent over 33 hours of traveling.  He could have got there sooner but that would have been double to price.

We wish him well and hope to hear from him soon.