Dear Tsuiri,
I tried writing a blog about my time in your little jungle village, but I couldn’t put the words together. I wrote a sentence about how you were a place that reminded me why I came on the race, I wrote a little bit about how you treated us so well, how you served us, even when we came to serve you, and how you taught me what Godly boldness looks like. I kept writing a few phrases, sometimes forming a paragraph, but then deleting it and starting over, because Tsuiri, I truly can’t put the right words together to describe this weekend to my family and friends. You were too good, too wild, too new, too pure. So I decided to just write a letter to you.
So Tsuiri, as I begin, I just want to say, your name fits you perfectly. Tsuiri is pronounced sweetie, at least the way us Americans say it, and you truly are just the sweetest little community. Now I will admit, the journey to get to you was a bit demanding, from the hour long (and very bumpy) bus ride, to climbing onto a skinny little boat and figuring out how to balance it without tipping as we crossed the river, to finally piling into the bed of your pastor’s truck and riding up into the jungle. I definitely did get a little nauseous, but it was definitely worth it and quickly forgiven as you handed me the biggest plate of food I’d seen in a while, right as we arrived.
In fact, you not only handed me the biggest plate of food on our day of arrival, but you proved yourself to be the most generous community I have ever been invited into. You cooked mountains of rice for us, and served plate after plate of pinto every morning. You gave us plantains in every form I could imagine, and you even found a way to make horse meat actually somewhat appetizing. and not only that, but you fit two coffee breaks into the day (sometimes three!) and we both know coffee break is my favorite part of the day, so I want to thank you for that too 🙂
I remember when my team first heard we were getting to partner with the guys’ team, to spend a four day weekend in your village. I remember being so excited, looking forward to a change of scenery, and happy about a little change of pace too. I also remember being a little stressed about not having an off day. Yeah, looking back it seems a little bit like a silly concern to me too, but I was worried that time with you was going to be too tiring. Well Tsuiri, I can confidently say that you proved me wrong. Thanks for making the four days of ministry with you actually some of the most restful days of my race thus far. Honestly, I think the four days in your little village was more restful than some of my off days, and I’m not really sure how you did it. You are a community that operates out of rest, you work hard, but work has never been your idol, and productivity has never equaled success for you. Actually, from what I can tell, success to you is joy. It’s perseverance. It’s laughter. It’s living out Colossians 3:23. Because you live and work and play with your whole hearts, your whole hearts for each other, and your whole hearts for the Lord.
Thanks for teaching me that lesson through sanding church benches and building a wall for your bathroom. You showed me what it looks like to operate out of rest even in the serving. and not only that, but you allowed me to learn what it looks like to also receive that kind of service. I already mentioned the way you served us meals, the way you created time for coffee breaks in between every meal, and I’d like to add the laughter you shared with us, the grace you gave us, and the prayers you prayed for us. You are a generous community, Tsuiri, thank you for serving us, even when we came with hearts expecting to serve you the whole time.
Yeah your grace Tsuiri, it’s real. You patiently listened to me as I wrestled my way through another language to speak to you. You laughed with me when I mixed up my Spanish words and accidentally prayed that God would close His kindness, instead of praising Him for being kind. And you celebrated with me when I used my Spanish correctly. Yeah Tsuiri, I’m sure you could tell that your first language is not the same as mine, you probably noticed that I know about half as much Spanish as you do, and you still treated me as one of your own. You even trusted me to translate a part of church! That was new for me, so I want to say thank you for trusting me with your congregation, thank you for patiently smiling as I spoke to you, and thank you for showing me that my ‘yes’ to translating was a ‘yes’ to stepping out in faith. You knew that I’m not the best equipped to be a translator, but you trusted the Lord to still accomplish His purposes, and use me as a vessel for Him. I think that’s what Godly boldness looks like. It means choosing to say yes even when you’re not fully equipped, so that your step of faith can allow the Lord to shine forth as strong. And you taught me that, Tsuiri, thank you.
I could go on and on about you, about the children you allowed me to play with, about the women you gave me to laugh with, about the ice cream stand you placed so conveniently close. Tsuiri, you reminded me that ultimately, I’m not on the race just to serve. I’m on the race because missions is simply a response to the great love that the Father has for us. You encouraged me with the fact that language barriers can be broken through something as easy as a smile or a little wave. You assured me that I can pack up everything I own in less than five minutes, if that means running from a fire ant infested room. You made my eyes light up when I saw a coffee pot and cookies on the side of your river. You taught me how to actually believe that success doesn’t come from accomplishing a task, but that everything done for the Lord is done with purpose, and none of it is in vain. Tsuiri, you increased my capacity to love.
So to wrap up, Tsuiri, I think I left a part of my heart with you this weekend. Thanks for becoming a new place I get to call home. I’m gonna miss ya.
Love,
Rachel <33
