A Lot Can Happen in 36 Hours (Part I)

September 27, 2014.  The morning was beautiful. Day just breaking, backlighting the eastern mountains, with a steaming cup of coffee and a prayer to the Maker of all good things for the success of the mission, that the gift of love, the hope of the gospel would be sown in the hearts of His lost children.   200 gifts, 200 Bibles, and 200 lesson books that tell the story of the God of wonders and His love for us.

 

Time to load up and meet the mules at the trailhead. Had a lot of rain and the road up and through the river bed is some washed out.  The little Toyota pickup all rusted and hard used still does what I ask of her, taking me to the beginning of the trail that only a mule can climb.

 

 

 

 

Only three mules at the rendezvous but while we wait for the others we begin to pack all the gifts and books and Bibles into the big plastic sacks to tie on the mules.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whew!  When we are finally all loaded we move out with hopes to reach Lalo before dark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kind of glad we don’t know what the future holds.  (A man came to visit me the other day on Ile A Vache. He wanted me to saw some boards for his boat. I was sorry to tell him I didn’t have time because he had a sense of urgency for the fishing was good. He had no idea he would die in the night.)

We can’t change the past, it doesn’t do any good to worry about the future, but there is treasure to be found today!   I didn’t know how much rain, mud, and slippery rocks the way ahead would hold.

Living in the moment and drinking it all in is a gift we receive from the hand of the Maker. The beauty of creation in all it’s vast array of colors, of valleys and peaks wreathed in mists and clouds, of gardens and fields, of neighbors as we journey through all the life around us can only be experienced in the moment!

Wet and sore with mud up to my knees and elbows, we arrive at the end of the trail with a little light to spare.

One last word about this day.  As I look for a place for my bed roll, a lady comes to me with a bowl of water and some soap and washes all the mud from my feet and legs and hands and arms!  So welcome and refreshing.  And Jesus said, “The greatest among you shall be your servant.”  I was both humbled and blessed.  A bowl of rice and beans and gratefully to bed!

For King and Kingdom!
Bill

(to be continued)