The Saga of the Taxi Drivers

I'm starting to hate taking taxis anymore here. The anxiety and stress makes an hour long trip on the bus (double the amount of a taxi) almost worth it. If you watch the news there are always stories of taxi trips gone wrong - robbery, kidnapping, etc. (Don't freak out Mom and Dad!!) I'm thankful I live in a safer area, so usually from my apartment I don't worry too much, but I still pray as I enter each taxi that I arrive safely and intact at my final destination. I have learned to check that taxi license plate number and ask the taxi driver for it so that I can text Javier the number. I then text him when I get where I need to be so that if something were to go wrong he has the information to contact the authorities.

I take a taxi to school each morning because with morning traffic and the travel time in bus, I'd rather sleep in a little bit and pay more than get up at 5a.m. to ensure arriving to school on time by bus. A few weeks after moving into my apartment, by chance I ended up asking the same taxi driving two mornings in a row to take me to school. The second day I asked him if he would be willing to take me each morning and he agreed. This worked for about a month and a half and then he quit coming on Mondays. A few weeks later he quit coming at all. And then came the stress each morning all over again...

• Would there be an empty taxi at the stop near my house?
• Would it be a safe taxi?
• How much will I have to pay today? (Each taxi here determines its own price since most are independent drivers rather than being employed by a company.)

Ironically or by God's plan, a little over a week ago I had left my house late. I arrived at the bus stop to hail a cab, and every one that passed was already occupied. I was slightly panicked, worried that I would be late for school when an empty cab finally passed. I was a bit nervous getting in as the numbers weren't on the side door like they normally are, and he was charging me 3 soles (about a dollar) more than normal, but at that point I felt I had no other option. I got in, said "Buenos dias" (good morning), locked the doors, ad prayed silently while asking for the plate number. 

The man kindly gave it to me, and then he asked me if I had worked at LISOFT (the school I worked at in 2009). Come to find out he used to be in charge of maintenance. We talked the whole way to school, and as we got near he asked if I'd like a ride every morning. To make it even better he offered to pick me up at the end of my street rather than me having to walk the 3+ blocks to the bus stop each morning. 

He picked me up each morning this week, and it has been a complete blessing. He's a trustworthy Christian man, trying to support his family. It costs a bit more than I was paying originally, but Javier and I both agreed that for the peace of mind that I will arrive at school safely without having to find a new cab each morning then $5 more a week is worth it. Plus, I'm helping out someone who I know will use the money he is making wisely to support his family.

Please continue to pray for safety throughout my time here in Peru. The plan is to start looking to buy a car when I return from vacations at the end of January, but even with owning a car there are risks one must consider. However, at this point those risks seem minor in comparison to the nerves and stress of hailing a cab.