I know. It’s been awhile.
To be honest, for most of the month, I didn’t really even know where to begin whenever I would sit down to write you. (Not to mention the usual problem of lack of decent net access, but enough with the excuses!) To be honest, for a while, I really had trouble processing the last few weeks. December marked a month of madness! It was by far, my smelliest, itchiest, most open-handed month, followed by the craziest travel schedule yet.
So here it is. The wrap up:
To start off with, team Pneuma ended up in Panama, when the original plan was to be in Costa Rica. Our mission was to head into the jungle and share life with a group of natives from the tribe of Ngobe Buglé. Due to dangers in the area caused by some of the worst flooding in the history of Panama, (go figure!), our team was unable to go. (As a fun side, the Panama Canal was closed due to flooding this last month for the first time in HISTORY. There is still a ton of devastation in Panama City and surrounding areas. Please keep this region of the world in your prayers.) Thus, we ended up staying with one of the most cheery men I have ever met- the one, the only, Mister Pastor Man, Jose Moran. (Here, in a Bible study with Bri.)
Only expecting to have one team staying with him, he readily, and *graciously* took on two more when circumstances did not go as planned. 21 missionary kiddos, his family, two dogs, numerous chickens, and a couple of turkeys, all cramped into one cozy little home; all of us together sharing one little bathroom and bucket shower. (Now *that’s* what I call a lesson in grace!) I would be lying if I told you I felt just fine living in a chicken coup. Even my tent couldn’t protect me from the all the little critters. Flea bitten and mosquito ridden, my body ached at times from all the itching. And here, let me pause for a brief moment to thank the makers of Benadryl.
Our team had prepared to be in isolation for the month, and even despite cramped quarters, I can’t even begin to describe what a blessing it was to be working with other teams again. Building relationships with people on your own small team of 7 can be challenging enough, let alone with others on the squad of 60+ people. Every opportunity to work with the others, and hear their stories is special gift. (A lot of you know that community living was one of my biggest fears going into this trip, and also one of the things I was most excited for. Equally, it has been one of the most challenging, and most rewarding aspects of this journey. More on this to come… )
One of my favorite nights of last month was a simple evening in the banana tree field-jungle. Thinking maybe campfires would be a possibility this month, our team made sure to pack a little something extra special… a pack of marshmallows!
The family we were staying with gathered around the flames with us, their faces glowing warm in the light of the fire. The children watched in anticipation and amazement at these strange foreigners they had come to know over the past few days, as they stuck marshmallows on sticks and thrust them into the flames.
I offered one to the youngest boy, and as he ate it, he broke out into the biggest of smiles. In my broken Spanish, I found out he has never had a marshmallow quite like this before. Putting another between two “chickys”- the chocolate cookies of choice in Central America- a new creation was born out of an old tradition!
It was such a little thing, to share one of our traditions. It was more than that though. We shared something we loved with them. Making connections, and building relationships. *That’s* what *this* is about. Loving on people however we can. That can mean anything from praying over people, to helping them paint their house. Sometimes it means gardening; sometimes it means… s’mores!
And here now, my favorite picture from that evening, and all of last month. (Captured at just the right moment!)
