So we heard about an amazing waterfall close by that would serve as a good retreat spot for our off day. We were prepared, this was to be an interesting travel experience, since we would be rocking the nice chicken bus system of Nicaragua to get there and since not one of us was really sure where exactly this place was.
Like troopers, we set off bright and early about 6:30am or so and began our 3 hr trip, or so we thought. We started with a nice walk through our little village of Candaleria until we were able to get a couple taxi’s, enough for eighteen Americans, that would take us down to a pickup point for our first bus. At about this point in the morning, it was beginning to be clear it was going to be yet another really hot day. I mean by now, you would think I would be certain of our daily blessing of hot and humid, but hey, a brother can dream right?
Anyway, without leaving hitchhiking on the flatbed of one of those nice long trailers off the table, we waited for our bus. With no luck on hitching a ride, our bus finally showed up. About six or so hours and another two buses later, we made it to the town where this natural beauty could be found. As you can imagine, the long bus rides had taken a toll on most of us. Within the six hours of travel, there was talk of just changing course and going to a beach close by. There was frustration in our words and discouragement building. We were tired, hungry and after all, this was just supposed to be a 3hr trip. Is this waterfall really worth it, we thought.
On getting off the last bus, it was like “now what?” Where is this amazing waterfall, there was none in sight, which of course meant even more travel. By this time it was already about 2pm. We had not gotten to the waterfall, and we still had to plan/think about getting back home and not end up stuck in this town. With arrangements made to get us back home, we had a little more than three hrs to get to the waterfall and at least get some water on ourself and say YES!! I went to a waterfall in Nicaragua. Unfortunately when you roll 18 Americans deep, a few people are bound to get hungry and rightfully so I guess, as we didn’t get to have breakfast. So we made a quick lunch stop, which thank God, just put us at the right location to hitch a local semi truck chugging down the road in our direction.
With our amazing guide and a part of our local contact group in Candaleria, Diego(a young fulltime missionary here in Nicaragua) on the job, he was able to get these new friends of our in the semi-truck to give us a ride up to the waterfall, hang with us there and bring us back down in time for our ride back home, for a small price of course, but still a complete blessing. Amazingly they knew about the waterfall and where it was…and yes, another half hour ride. But now, there was a new excitement building once more, it had been a long day, but we were almost there, and even better, we got to ride on the flatbed of this HUGE amazing slow and old diesel semi. Hands down best mode of transportation when you have 18 crazy worldrace loving Jesus youth. Lets just say there was a ton of fun had on that flatbed all the way up to the waterfall.
So we get to the waterfall, and with a little hike down the muddy side of a cliff, there it was, and yes, our excitement climaxed and it was beautiful. It was in no way the largest of waterfalls out there, but it was a sight. I don’t know if it was just the built up anticipation, but it was a refreshing site and in no time, we were all in it, climbing the rocks behind, some in the little passage behind the fall, while others trying to feel the pressure of all that falling water on your body and just experience something new.
We got to just spend sometime and sit and listen and enjoy another amazing creation the Lord made just for me and my team for this specific time. It was made just for us, ’cause He knew we would push through all the discouragement and be here.
In the moments after our time at the waterfall, riding on this 15 passenger van late at night back home, with some of us sitting on the floor of the van, we had a nice time of sharing and devotion(something we try to do every night). As we shared, we were all able to see how our time at the waterfall had affected each of us for the better. Infact through this whole day, we saw a reflection of our walk with God. God is saying I am more than enough and I am worth it, we set off saying we are going to reach to God and be intimate with him and run to him. But things just don’t seem to go as we thought or think it should, a lot of detours happen, trials come our way and struggles awaken before us. We often want to just go the easier route, this way is easier we say, lets do what we know(the known, even the known that is not bad) and abandon the unknown that God is trying to lead us into.
Are we willing to persevere and stay the course, are we willing to put COMPLETE trust in Him and say Father you are worth it. You see the one thing we spoke out loudly from the moment we got to that waterfall and on to that small 15 passenger bus back home was “It was worth it”. And I tell you, it was sooo worth it. Our little 15 passenger van even had a flat tire late into the night that kept us on the side of the road for close to an hr due to a broken wrench, but it was still worth it. At this point, nothing could steal our joy, ’cause Jesus is worth it.
It really was a great day, a lot of reflections were seen in the waterfall by each one of us. Another amazing piece of Gods character was revealed in his creation. There was soo much life around the fall. All the solid rocks around had all kinds of green plants growing right on them, God’s water, His spirit brings life, and can bring life even on hard rocks, hard hearts, His spirit and love is able to penetrate and bring life. His spirit is gentle like flowing water, but also just like trying to stand under the fall, His Spirit is also just as powerful and mighty, able to heal, rescue and comfort amongst others. These are just some of the amazing revelations and truth we all communally and individually received. Now you see why it was even more worth it that we ever imagined, and likewise, Jesus is more worth it than our comprehension allows for, so keep pressing in.
