15 minutes. two extremes. this is the land of ups and downs.
[Bri heading down the summit with Pastor Luis’ kids- our helpers]
15 hours pass. We provide Pastor Luis and his family with a love offering- enough quetzales (Guatemalan currency) for his 5 school-aged children to remain in school for one year. We gave Pastor Luis 500 more than the amount that was stolen from his family a week prior (we were unaware of the stolen money at the time). Tears of joy stream down Pastor Luis’ and his wife’s faces as they immediately thank our Lord and pray blessings upon our team.
We prepare for the journey ahead. Packs secure. Check. Stick. Check. Raingear. Check. Step by step. Moment by moment.
We climb up and down the mountain’s winding path. Mud sloshes at each step. I focus on my feet. I assess the ground beneath me. Steadily we descend the summit. Warmful goodbyes were exchanged with our Mayan brothers and sisters. An assortment of voices fill the air as stories of the heart are exchanged.
Pause. Worlds switch in a matter of minutes. We enter a mall for dinner. We now have running water. We now have a bathroom. My fingers tap the keyboard to record my stream of consciousness. Questions enter my mind. Only a few minutes . . . really?
Two extremes. My rustic experience collides with my current modern scene. The two scenes do not match. They juxapose one another. Within a 24 hour time span, I lived in two worlds. My mind critically evaluates the disconnect. Unfair. yes. Both world are laden-full of lessons. Be content in all circumstances [says Paul in Philippians 4:11-13].
Bittersweet describes the taste of this experience. Questions infiltrate my mind. One answer remains. The Gospel is alive in the ends of the earth. Our Saviour is alive. He lives in me. We carry Him to the mountains and to malls. The Gospel is our thread of choice. Stitch by stitch a story of redemption is woven. Weaving began 4,000 years ago, occurs today, and progresses tomorrow. Past, present, future combine a beautiful tapestry. Vibrant red embroidery accents the tapestry and invites us to examine the artisianship. The tapestry is marked by Christ’s redemptive blood. His sacrifice gives us hope in all circumstances. Salvation is not contigent upon possessions. It abounds in God’s grace. His name holds power all over the world.
[Pastor Luis’ precious daughters]
Prayer points for Pastor Luis, his wife, and 8 children:
- continued strength in the Lord
- financial provision (Their family faces physical hardships. Their neighbors have poisoned their chickens a few times.)
- spiritual strength (their family faces intense spiritual warfare)
- wisdom in how to reach out to their community
- more workers for the harvest field
- health for Pastor Luis’s wife- she has had a respiratory infection for 3 months
Prayer points for Team Pneuma
- unity in purpose for this year
- positive outlook in all circumstances
- continued growth as a team and as individuals
- wisdom in communication
