Visiting the village of Amer is a priority for this trip. Our last meeting there ended with an unexpected and abrupt departure, and I was excited that Amer was one of the first villages on our itinerary.

Amer is very remote and the long drive offers plenty of time to think.

As our 4×4 wove through the bush, I began to worry. What if the conflicts I’d been reading about in security reports had reached Amer? What if nobody was left? What if something happened to Mehou, the village elder?

We rode in silence, everyone reflecting on the security issues that plague these villages. In this region of the world, you can never be certain what you will find from one moment to the next.

We didn’t know what (or who) we would find in Amer.

As we pulled into the village people rushed to greet us and in the front of the pack was Mehou! Everyone was thrilled to see us and proud to show off the community’s flourishing gardens. It was so gratifying to see the village thriving and ensure that Mehou was doing well.

Leaving the village, we were warned not to expect such good news in other communities, because many have not been as fortunate as Amer. Tomorrow we may be surrounded by suffering, heartache, and sorrow. But today…today was a good day.