It was Wednesday, August 17, 2016, and our 5th day in Palenque where we were doing ministry for the week. The only thing on my mind and on my teammates’ minds was going to take our daily “shower” in the river that ran through the little town. It was one of our favorite parts of the day and the only thing that left us feeling clean and refreshed for all of about 5 minutes. The average temperature of the week was 100, the roads 100% dirt, and within just 100 seconds after bathing we felt sweaty and dirty again.
We had packed up our shower bags and were headed out the door when Laudith, our host’s sister, stopped to ask where we were headed. We explained we were going to bathe and then were going stop by the other house to pick up some water. She said she did’t want us going alone and that she would join, but that we would be going to a different river, to the far river. I could feel my heart and my teammates’ hearts sink and we were becoming frustrated. One, we felt badly about interrupting her day, and two, we really just wanted some team time to relax. However, minutes later, with an ounce of faith, respect, a “yes” in our heart, we followed. We had no idea where we were going or what the river was going to be like, but we knew we had to put one foot in front of the other and follow.
About 15 minutes later, we made it to the entrance, but then we saw it. A steep path of mud down to the water. Well, thank God for healthy bodies and Chacos, and with no chance of turning back now, we shuffled our way down. But the journey wasn’t over yet. Laudith proceeded to lead us up the River for about 5 more minutes. We walked through knee deep water and stubbed our toes on rocks, but something was beginning to change in our spirits. Despite the long walk, the heat, and trekking through the water hoping not to fall, our joy began to resurface. Laughter returned to us, and our attempts to keep our balance while tripping over rocks provided some comical relief for us all.
We finally made it to the area of the river that Laudith had so kindly been willing to show us. It was beautiful, a quiet little stretch of the river, it was private and peaceful. Laudith’s face was glowing, her eyes full of joy. I could tell she was so excited to be sharing this little bit of her town with us. As we all set our bags down, Laudith simply said, “you can’t come visit Palenque and not have an adventure.” Those words could not have come at a better time, and I was reminded to just take it day by day and enjoy every second. God spoke to my heart, I was letting the difficult journey get to me when I should have been keeping an open mind and heart for what was waiting at the final destination.
This one memory of Palenque captures the whole week. It was a 2 hour bus ride there, it was hotter than I could have imagined, the homes were simple concrete structures, the bathroom was an outhouse, and the food was simple. But looking at that list, I see nothing of real importance in the grand scheme of life. There was so much more to Palenque. It was unexpectedly one of the greatest places I will ever have the honor of living in and it will hold a piece of my heart forever.
Palenque is the home to the descendants of men and women who were brought over from African countries, primarily Ghana, in the 17th century and sold into slavery. They were seen and treated as animals; it was believed they had no capacity to think and were only good for tough and routine labor. Despite the trials and struggles, God had big plans for this little town. In 1696, Palenque was the first slave town in the Americas to gain their freedom. They are true warriors and have established their roots, preserving there culture and identity.
Though it has taken time, it is evident that God has been stirring the hearts of the Palenquins. They are open and receptive to the word of the Lord and to our prayers for them. We had the honor of meeting one man named Raul; he used to be heavily involved in witchcraft, but a few years ago God led a young woman to do ministry in Palenque. She befriended Raul, and through conversation and being an example of God’s love, Raul’s heart began to change. He joined us for meals, something he had never done with a groupd of Christians before. We spent hours learning Palenquen phrases and traditional recipes. His heart is kind and his spirit joyful, and we praise God for his willingness to sit and fellowship with us. He has not fully committed his life to God, but it is clear to see that God is working.
Our ministry throughout the week consisted of door to door outreach, singing and sharing testimonies in the two local churches, children’s ministry, and teaching in one of the local schools. We were able to pray for so many people, for the families of the community, and for a revival of the church in Palenque. In the schools we presented a drama based on Luke 19:11-27, and encouraged the students to take the gifts and talents the Lord has given them and to pursue them. Many of them live in the mindset that they will never have the opportunity to achieve their dreams and move out of Palenque. We were able to share with them how God had given each of us dreams and how he has been faithful in helping us to achieve them. We had each student in the classes we taught write out their dreams along with three ways they can move forward to achieve them and then stand up and declare to their class the dreams they have for their lives. At the end of class, we collected the papers in order to pray for the dreams of these students throughout this year.
When reflecting on our week in Palenque, it is impossible to dismiss the hand of God in it all. It was definitely a difficult week if you focus on the material aspects, but it was an incredible week when looking at how God was working in the Palenquin’s lives as well as my own. God is reshaping my heart for difficult and uncomfortable situations, and drilling into my mind and heart that the final destination is full of beauty and worth the hard journey when we follow him.
Prayers for Palenque:
– That a revival would take place in the churches and that God would begin to build and strengthen the community of believers
– For leaders to rise up in the community and live bold lives for God
– That they would have a newfound freedom and newness of life
– For the dreams of the students and that they would see opportunity to invest and pursue their dreams
For Christ and his kingdom, including Palenque.
