A shorter version was originally published in the Summer 2018 issue of GO! Christian Magazine.
Rhonda Blume’s spiritual gift is using her wheels. Her literal GO – is her taxi van. If Rhonda had a motto, I think it would be this compelling statement. “Anybody can help touch one person a day if they’re willing to let God intervene. And that’s all I ask God when I get in my van every morning. God, let me be your vessel.”
Rhonda’s taxi career began just a few short years ago. Her original career was in Human Resources and she was very good at what she did. Then she experienced a major stroke that left her life irrevocably changed.
After recovering – for the most part – from her stroke, she needed to find another job to keep her busy and bring in a little more money to supplement her disability income.
Rhonda is a people person, with a ready smile, infectious laugh, and a true gift of gab, coupled with a heart full of compassion for others. Just spend an hour with her and you’ll understand what I mean. Her every day stories will put you in stitches or bring tears to your eyes.
Rhonda’s taxi driving career started because of her neighbor telling her about a cab company in Dothan that was hiring, and on a lark she applied. After handing over her resume, she was told for taxi driving no resume was needed. The next thing she knew she was behind the wheel and driving all over the city, getting to know some real characters.
Even though Rhonda experienced some trepidation in her new job, such as learning to get the cab fare up front, she remembered something she’d heard before. “The disciples,” Rhonda said, “weren’t the most qualified, but they were the most willing. I don’t consider myself the most qualified.”
Many of Rhonda’s customers love to talk. They tell her their reasons for calling a cab, and then they invariable end up telling her more. Rhonda has perfected the art of listening to what’s not being said and observing body language. She can detect by the tone of her customer’s voice when something more is going on, so with a little prompting, they end up telling her everything and then God intervenes.
One of her very first customers was a guy who needed to go downtown to pay a fine. Because she wasn’t yet familiar with the streets, Rhonda ended up taking him a longer way than necessary which made him upset. He accused her of doing it on purpose, which made her feel pretty bad. A couple of months later Rhonda had to go back to that same house, afraid it was going to be the same guy. But, lo and behold, out walked a beautiful elderly woman dressed to the nines with almost a halo over her head. “How are you today?” Rhonda asked. “I’m not doing well – I need to go to the women’s medical center.” This dear lady went on to share about her mammogram results. She was scared, so Rhonda gave her one of the Gideon Bibles she always carried with her. After accepting the Bible, Rhonda asked if she could pray with her. That was the first taxi customer Rhonda prayed with and it really affected her. “I just felt like God’s presence was so there – and that was my first encounter with God in my taxi.”
“It just felt so good I wanted to do it again and again.”
Some weeks later when Rhonda was called to the women’s medical center for a pickup, she spotted the same sweet lady there – and ran over and gave her a hug. When Rhonda asked how she was, she said “It was just an inflamed lymph node.” So they praised the Lord all the way back to her home.
Rhonda once had a passenger heading to the local party store to buy a case of beer. He shared with her about his son dying of an overdose and his wife leaving him. He was ready to kill himself. His wife had found their dead son in the house, and their marriage just fell apart after that. He purchased the case of beer, and when he got out of her taxi Rhonda asked him, “would you like me to pray for you?”
“Honey,” he said, “you can’t pray for me, I’m standing here with a case of beer and that’s so disrespectful to God .”
“God doesn’t care that we’ll be praying over a case of beer, he just wants a relationship with you.” Rhonda took his hand, and prayed for him. The guy started crying and then left and went into his house.
After driving taxi for a year or so, Rhonda made the decision to become a phlebotomist and get a position at a hospital so she would have health benefits. She attended all the classes, then discovered it wasn’t for her, so she went back to driving taxi, the one thing that made her truly joyful.
One of her very recent stories involved a young girl who had been abandoned by her friends. The five girls were renting a condo together in Destin during Spring Break, and had made their way to Panama City Beach to party. This young girl was the only one in her group who hadn’t been drinking. She got hungry, walked over to Wendy’s to get something to eat, and when she returned, her friends were gone. She found herself stranded without her phone and clothed in nothing but her bikini. She was terrified.
She walked to a local restaurant and the bartender called a taxi for her, specifically requesting a female driver. This young lady didn’t even know exactly where she was staying in Destin, so she and Rhonda had to figure it out. She called her mom from Rhonda’s phone for payment, and finally located the right condo complex. Rhonda called the girl’s mom back to reassure her. “Your daughter is on my watch and she’ll be safe. I’ll not leave her until I know she’s safely in her condo with the door locked.”
And then there’s the story of the young man, so drunk he thought Rhonda was his mother. As she dropped him off at his hotel, he kissed her hand and said, “goodnight, momma!”
And lastly, there was drunk Tyler, with only one dollar in his pocket for a taxi ride costing $18. Rhonda ended up putting him in her taxi van, where he slept until she picked up some other passengers going in the same direction so she wouldn’t be out the money.
Rhonda loves the variety of people she meets, and loves even more the opportunities afforded her to share God’s love to hurting men and women who are desperate for a friendly voice, words of encouragement, and a prayer. Those are the kind of life changing moments Rhonda looks forward to every day.
What is your GO?
