I have been in Guatemala for 86 days. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but let me put it into perspective for you. I moved from Arizona on June 30th, 2017. Since that day I have been on the move, on and off the race. I went to Alaska, Minnesota, Oregon, and of course Georgia before departing for my race. Obviously, on my race I went to 11 countries. The longest I stayed within a country being 31 days in Haiti. When the race ended, the longest that I stayed in one place was Oregon for the first two weeks. The rest of the time at home was spent in Georgia, Arizona, Washington, and a Caribbean island called Bonaire.
So I arrive in this little town called Parramos and get a different feeling. Every time I step foot into this town I get a feeling of comfort. Not because I am so comfortable with everything around, but because I feel like I was able to plant some roots here. I can walk around town running into friends I know. I have become a regular at a specific restaurant, having become friends with all of the staff.
I walk around town and am able to say hello to friends that I have met. I have been welcomed into homes and eaten meals with them. I have played soccer with the kids, eaten meals at their restaurants, and all around supported the people of Parramos.
Yesterday I had to say goodbye. I had to leave that town that I had felt so comfortable in. I had to say the hard goodbyes to the families and friends that I had built relationships with.
On my 11 month race I never cried leaving a country. I was sad to go, but never sad enough to really feel an ache in my heart to be leaving those places and leaving those people.
Guatemala has brought out many tears.
It has sucked leaving the ministries we are apart of. It has sucked leaving our home for the last three months. It has sucked saying goodbye to the base staff that has loved us so well.
But the Lord is faithful
I am able to go into Thailand with a different passion and different zeal than I had before Guatemala. It has reignited passions in me and introduced me to new ones. And for that I am able to love and lead better than I ever was before.
In Him,
Caleb Callaway
Update: My squad and I are in Antigua for the next few days before we leave for Thailand. We are having a mini-debrief where we will be doing teachings to prepare them for this next continent! Then on Monday morning we are heading to the airport to go to ASIA!!!
