First of all, we made it to Puerto Barrios in one piece 🙂
Secondly, you all have no idea how difficult it’s been to post this blog. I swear, Satan himself might be trying to keep me from being able to communicate with everyone back home. Every time I try, the internet randomly drops, or the page freezes and clears the blog, or the blog gets erased from Word. So, I’m trying again, for the second or third time today, and saving it in multiple places, and then will post it.
And it WILL work this time!!
Earlier, I was trying to write about all my experiences here in Puerto Barrios thus far, but I couldn’t do it. Normally when I write, it just…flows. But it hasn’t. So this is what I have for you today.
Puerto Barrios is a port city. It has all the smells, noises, and other things that seem to run through most cities – honking cars, the sound of diesel trucks flying past, people talking, walking, and riding in taxis. But Puerto Barrios also has crime, drug and alcohol abuse, prostitution, violence, and poverty. There is a lot of need. We are surrounded by it.
The “river” isn’t much of a river. Trash seems to have swallowed it up; the water only moves in a few places. The areas of stagnant water are brownish green, and the stench of human waste seem to originate from there. The water looks as though it carries disease and death instead of life, wherever it goes. The “river” is a dump and is disgusting.
Got a good picture yet?
While I walked by it, something hit me. When I think of the word ‘water’ what’s the picture that comes to mind? Well, it’s clear…and its flowing from the faucet in my kitchen back home. It’s cool and refreshing and clean. It’s perfect and sustains life.
In John, there’s a verse that talks about a voice calling out in the desert. Imagine being stranded in the Sahara. You’re out of water, food, and shelter is no were to be seen. The sun is beating down on your face and your feet are so tired; you aren’t sure you’ll make it back home. You’re alone, and you just wish you had someone with you – anyone. Your lips are dry and cracked, dust and sand is in your hair, eyes, and mouth and seems to be choking you.
Suddenly, you hear a voice. Calling YOUR name.
You stop, wait, and listen – you’re thinking you’ve gone insane. But you hear your name again, more clearly this time; a voice as strong as thunder and as peaceful as the wind. This voice is calling you home…to a place where there is water, food, and shelter. A place where the Sun doesn’t burn your skin; where your feet never tire. The voice is calling you to a place where there is Life and Joy. A place where there is running, flowing, clean, precious water that will sustain life; a stream that never runs dry.
Do you see where I’m going? The people in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala need Jesus just like they need water. The people in Monument, Colorado need Jesus like they need water to sustain their lives. Jesus is the clean, perfect, and life-giving water.
He flows freely. It’s just a matter of us choosing.
What kind of water are you drinking? The cleanest kind? Pure? Good for you? Cold and refreshing? Or are you drinking water with junk in it…trash, waste? Stagnant water that carries diseases and death?
It’s a choice.
We have to make it for ourselves.
I want pure, clean, refreshing Water for the people of Puerto barrrios. I want that same water for my friends back home. There is nothing better than the love that Jesus offers.
So…maybe this wasn’t the update you were expecting. Maybe you wanted to hear something about the poverty here, and that’s coming. Maybe you wanted to hear about the ministry I’m involved with here; be patient it’s coming! Maybe you didn’t want to read this at all and just hated it. But I’m trusting God that someone needed to read something I wrote here. I know I needed to hear it and be reminded.
