Every once in awhile we meet people who are unlike any other. Some would say, a diamond in the rough. Throughout this year we have met some of the most incredible people, and this month was no different. I met a family that we worked with and they were truly a gift from God. During this month we helped with various construction projects around the church for the first two weeks. This where I fell off a ladder.
I was painting 25ft high, working on the trim. We had been sanding and the floor was covered in dust, so unfortunately as I was in the air the ladder slipped out from underneath me and I crashed to the ground. What made it even worse was that my teammate Luke was painting the trim on the ground, right under the ladder. In the crash the ladder fell and hit him in the head which led to getting 13 stitches. I hurt my back and ankle, but after a visit to the hospital to check everything out, by the grace of God nothing was broken. We were both sore for a few days but are totally fine.
After this we went to the jungle for a week and we were in charge of building the foundation of a house – something that I’ve wanted to do since the race started. Our first day, we unloaded all the materials for the house from the truck. That evening the chief of the village asked if we needed any more material, which we still needed posts to build the house upon. He told us that the community would help us find some in the jungle. We found an old fence that was made from railroad ties and used those for the foundation of the home. The owner of the house we were building was excited to build his house on the foundation of the community. His name is Pablo and his wife Susanna are leaving everything behind and moving to this remote village to be missionaries. In the mornings, Pablo and I would drive about 1.5 hours into town to pick up supplies. During this time, we talked about his dreams and their desires for the community, and he couldn’t stop talking about his wife. This was a great example for me during the time I was away from Madison.
Throughout the week we continued to build and were able to finish the floor framing, but I have been thinking a lot about Paul and Timothy’s relationship. Paul is often time seen as Timothy’s mentor. Often on this trip we have felt like Paul, where we come and encourage churches and try to build up the younger generation. However, for this month I have felt a lot like Timothy. We were able to watch this family and be encouraged and built up by their passions for the gospel and desire to make Jesus known.
On our last day, we stood on the floor we just built and prayed over the community, Pablo, and his wife. This moment brought me to tears, realizing how very beautiful the message of Jesus is. This family will walk out of their doors everyday to provide medical care, language training, and help people turn away from alcohol and witchcraft.
Madison and I have talked about running a base for many years, and while we have just talked about it, Pablo and his wife are doing it. I was incredibly encouraged by their obedience and recognition that a life lived for others is worth more than a life lived for yourself. Because that is what the message of Jesus is about. Like I said before, there are some people that are unlike any other and this family has taught me more about obedience and joy than I could’ve ever expected.
My team of all guys for the month of “manistry”
The process of building the floor of the house.
The family we worked with. Pablo is the one in superman shirt (another reason I loved working with him!)
