The Road

The sun was shining and I stepped out the door with excitement.  I was excited to have the opportunity to walk the road on this beautiful day.  I was looking forward to the solitude and the time enjoying God’s beautiful creation.   Maybe I would have a chance to see some old friends along the way or maybe not.  Either way, I was going to enjoy my time on the road.  You never know what surprises will lay around the next corner.  You never know what people you will meet while walking along.

 The quietness on the road is only interrupted by the beautiful sounds of nature or the one or two vehicles that happen to pass by.  I feel at home.  The bus from the market passes me and drops people off.  I see villagers carrying all their produce walking along together to their little village.  All the women are dressed in their traditional colorful Mayan dresses.  I pass a girl making wapiles to the backdrop of enormous green mountains.  I see men working their land on the steep slopes.  I pass the occasional cow, horse, or sheep.  Every once in a while I will pass walkers heading the other direction carrying bundles of wood to fuel their stoves.  We greet one another, and continue our journeys down the road.  I pass through tiny villages.  People are always curious, asking where I am going.  I stop and talk with a family who wonder about me, why I am walking the road.  I give them a destination but then explain that I walk because I love the road.  I feel alive and the ways of my life begin to make sense in my mind.  I feel peace, clarity, and wisdom.  The ebbs and flows of my life are put in their proper perspective.  Things in my life that once felt like strong winds and huge waves begin to feel like a light breeze and tiny ripples.  God speaks with me on the road and reminds me of His creation.

I get lost in time, only enjoying the moment.  I sit down at a spot overlooking a cliff.  I see miles down the road, and a village way off in the distance.  I open a book and read.  The quiet is deafening.

I arrive to a familiar village, one I had developed a relationship with at another time in my life.  Things feel the same, yet different.  A woman catches up with me and talks with me, she leads to me to an old friend and we greet one another.  He is working with other men, building a new school for the village.  I go to his house and visit with his family for just brief minutes before they leave to work their land.  I head back to the road, back home.  A girl waves me over.  I talk with her and her mom.  Then I continue on.   I wave to the family working their land as I walk up the hill.  My legs are tired but my soul feels well.  I stop and rest when a pick-up truck comes barreling up the road.  I wave it down and hop in the back.  The road goes faster and I miss the slower pace.  The truck stops and two men and two boys with shovels pile in the back, coming off a hard day’s work.  I arrive back to my town.  My time on the road has ended and my energy is renewed.

Leaving, Returning, and Everything in Between

When I found out that my dad needed open heart surgery, I had to make a decision.  The decision that seemed to make the most sense was to wait until after his surgery to leave for Guatemala.  I had already been waiting for nine months, what was one more?  But I felt a strong urge to go, so I did something that made less sense.  I left for three weeks, came back for two weeks, and then left again.  I was not sure on the wisdom of this decision, only following my heart.  The plane ticket was an extra expense and my fundraising total was low.  Being with the people of Cotzal for those three weeks and teaching at the school, I knew that I had made the right decision.  I was feeling settled and at peace with my work in Cotzal, but it was time to travel back for my dad's surgery.  Honestly, it was hard to leave.  Besides praying, I didn't know what I could really do to help as my dad went through that.  But I found that the way God used me the most was not necessarily in the United States but in the process of traveling home.  He had divine appointments lined up in front of me and through them He taught me and changed me.

The first one I have already written about.  Being able to pray with the person that stole my phone was something I will probably never forget.  I could feel God speaking to him in that moment.  When I arrived back to Antigua two weeks later, I asked about him to people that know him.  Nobody had seen him.  He had disappeared after that incident.  I hope he has begun to put his stealing ways behind him and has let God have His way with him. 

The second one happened on the plane from Guatemala City to Dallas.  I sat next to a woman who was traveling to Kansas to visit with a guy she had known from Panama, and with whom she had been chatting long distance with for a year.  She was stepping out into unknown territory and was unsure of what she wanted.  She believed in God and prayed often, but this guy did not.  She wanted to be closer to God.  As I spoke with her, I felt the Holy Spirit leading me, giving me words.  I shared with her the verse I was studying at the time from Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  When I connected with her upon my return, I learned that she felt it was God and not me speaking to her, and she felt that verse was for her.   We talked for three hours on the plane and upon arriving in Dallas, we agreed to do lunch together at the airport.  But after going through customs in our separate lines, we lost each other.  I waited for her upstairs while she waited for me downstairs.  I wondered if that was a sign that God wanted our meeting to be at an end.  I looked for her gate on the departure screen so maybe I could say goodbye before she left, since she was leaving over an hour earlier than me.  It said A21.  I looked for my gate.  It said A21.  I laughed out loud that God had put us not only right next to each other on the plane but also at the exact same gate in the enormous Dallas airport as well.  We talked a little bit more before she had to board her plane.  Two weeks later she picked me up from the airport in Guatemala City and drove me to Antigua.  We continued to talk and share our lives with each for many hours over those next two days.

At the Dallas airport I had another divine appointment over text message.  After that woman and I had lost each other, I received several texts to my USA phone from an old friend from my childhood.  He knew I was a missionary and asked me many questions about salvation.  I had been out of the country for three weeks, and my phone had been turned off during that time, but he had sent the texts only the night before.  We sent several texts back and forth in the Dallas airport. 

Through those three instances over those two days on my travel home, I felt God use me as never before.   I felt the Holy Spirit giving me words and I opened my mouth without worry or fear.  Once home, I spent many hours at the hospital with my family.  Watching my dad go through the aftermath of his surgery was very difficult for me, I felt useless.  But God watched over the surgery and it went “beautifully.”  So many people in the United States and here in Guatemala were praying for him.  My dad is a much loved man and I think he had more visitors than anybody else on his floor.  I watched as he, through the pain and discomfort, was able to still visit with his friends and crack jokes.  He wanted to learn everybody’s name that came in to work on him (and there were many).  He went through the procedure with so much courage and so much grace.   He is ahead of schedule on his road to recovery.

It was nice spending time with family and friends in Seattle but I also felt restless.  I was ready to go back and continue my journey here in Guatemala.  I have been back in the country now for almost a week.  I took several busses to arrive here in Cotzal from Antigua, which was an adventure considering I was lugging my guitar around everywhere.   Seeing all the children at HOREB this last Friday reminded me why I am here.  It has been great reconnecting again with the loving, hospitable people here in Cotzal.  We will see what else God has in store for me. I just hope I am able to get out of my own way and let God use me the way He used me in my journey home.  Thank you all for your continued prayers.

This is Guatemala: 2

Yes, it is another microbus story.  This one took place in my first week upon arriving to Guatemala in 2013.  It was a cold rainy day, I was crammed into the microbus, sitting on the wheel hub as there was nowhere else to sit.  As we were approaching a corner, the bus came to a fast stop and the ayudante jumped out and ran.  Everybody began clearing out of the microbus to get a look.  Another microbus had flipped over going the other direction and was lying on its side in the middle of the road.  It appeared that it had gone around a corner a little too fast.  Our bus was the first to the scene.  A traffic jam piled up in both directions.  A few ayudantes climbed to the top of the vehicle, which was now the drivers side door, and a few scaled a nearby tree.  They helped the passengers one by one to climb out of the van.  I only saw five come out and all appeared to be shaken but in good condition.  A bunch of men then got to the side of the van and pushed, rolling the microbus back upright.  They started the car and lo and behold, despite appearances to the contrary, it was in good enough condition to drive.  We all piled back into our microbus, as I reclaimed by wheel seat, and we were back off.  Just a minor delay on our way to Cotzal. 

A Super God at Work in Antigua

We left at 3 AM Sunday morning from Nebaj on our way to Antigua.  Paul Townsend, the long-time missionary accompanying me, had a meeting that morning in Antigua and he was kind enough to give me a ride as well.  We arrived at 9 AM.  My flight was not until Tuesday morning.  So now it was just a boring time of hanging out and waiting, or so I thought.  But God makes things interesting.

I rested at my hotel for a while and walked around Antigua.  The Superbowl started at 5:30 but I was very tired and wasn't sure I wanted to watch it.  A church/café called El Camino was showing the game and so I decided to go on over and check it out.  The place was full and I sat on a couch near the back.  The place was filled mostly with Gringos like me.  A little Guatemalan guy who had been sitting nearby came over and introduced himself.  It was in this moment I met Juan.*

Juan did not understand our strange version of football and so I explained a little bit of what was going on.  But mostly we conversed about our respective stories.  Juan was an orphan and was homeless.  Juan had been attending the church for 5 years and the church body around us all recognized him and greeted him..  We talked a little about the Bible and God.  It was one of those deep conversations that felt good.  We came from completely different backgrounds and yet we could relate and praise the same God.  I felt for him that he had to sleep on the streets and I asked him about the street life.  I wondered how a church of God could have a person attending the church for 5 years and still that person slept on the streets.  I was ready to talk to the Pastor and ask him, "how could this be?"  I bought Juan dinner.  Before he left in the 3rd quarter of the game, I put my arm around him and prayed for him.  By this point I was so tired but I was determined to have a word with the Pastor about this guy.  Shortly after he left, I got up to leave.  The game was a blow out at the time.  The Baltimore Ravens were beating the 49ers 28-6.  I checked my pockets.  My phone was gone.  I knew what happened.  To tell you the truth, I had a feeling even before this moment.  I was extremely tired and there was a moment when I put my head back and mentioned "Tengo sueños."  At that time, I felt a movement in my right pocket.  But at the time I trusted the guy and did not check my pockets until after he left to be sure.  I checked the cushions.  Nothing.  But I still was not 100% sure he stole my phone.  Maybe I just forgot to bring it with me.

I went to my hotel room.  There was no phone.  That confirmed it.  The man with whom I had bought dinner, with whom I had a rich conversation with, and a man whom I prayed for, had stolen my phone.  I went back to the church during the 3rd quarter and let a couple church leaders know what happened.  It turns out this was not the first time.  Members of the church had been helping this guy for years, but he continued to steal, even from the people who helped him.  Suffice it to say, I did not speak with the Pastor that day.  The Church had been in fact doing an admirable job in helping this man, walking with him, and growing his faith.  But still he stole from people and took advantage of people who helped him.

Two ladies knew of places where Juan hung out.  We drove around Antigua with the Ravens still up 28 to 6 after a long power outage delay.  We looked for him at spots where he might be but we never did find him.  When we came back the Ravens were only up 28 to 23 at the end of the third quarter.  After the 49ers strong comeback, I had to watch the end.  The Ravens scored a field goal and the 49ers scored another touchdown.  The score was 31 to 29 with 8 minutes left.  I realized at that time that I had told Juan the name of my hotel and my first and last name.  I also knew that the guy currently working at my hotel did not know what I looked like.   I also didn't know how loosey goosey they were about security.  I briskly walked back to the hotel to tell that guy about what had happened and basically, told them I was me.  He had not seen anybody come by and I chatted briefly with another missionary that was there.  I came back at the 2 minute warning.  The Ravens had scored a field goal but the 49ers were in scoring position.  But the Ravens held them off and won the game 34 to 31.  After the game, the ladies told me to tell the people at the Refugio the next morning because Juan frequented that coffee shop.  That place happened to be literally right next door to my hotel.  A coincidence?

I got up early and waited for the guy that opens the coffee shop in the morning.  He had been at the El Camino during the game as well and recognized me.  I told him of the theft and he confirmed that Juan was a known thief and had stolen things at the coffee shop.  He said Juan was a good person, but he just steals things, like an addict.  The man that runs the Refugio, Jim, had tried to help him, and even gave him a job.  But he was not interested in working and stole his phone.  I washed up and came back to the Refugio to do my Bible study for the day and hoped to get lucky in finding my thief.

Jim came over and talked to me and I recounted to him the whole story.  Jim is a strong Christian and it was clear that the matter of Juan pressed strongly on his heart.  He could not understand why he continued to steal despite having help all around him.  So I finished my Bible study and we went out on a mission.  We walked to a store at which he sometimes hung out, but with no luck.  We then went to the park where he frequently sleeps at.  Juan is afraid of getting robbed himself and so spends his nights walking around and sleeps during the day.  We prayed as we walked, asking the Lord for direction and leading in this situation.  It was not about the phone anymore but about the man.  Upon arriving at the park, we noticed a few men sleeping in the corner.  We walked over, and sure enough, one of them was Juan.

We woke him up and immediately he felt his pockets and said ¨no lo tengo¨ or ¨I don't have it.¨  We asked him, "you don't have what?"  He replied "the phone."  Jim's phone rang and while he was talking I sat next to Juan and gently asked him why he stole my phone.  He didn't answer.  I asked him again and he stuck his hand in his pocket and handed me my phone back.  I told him "gracias" but still I repeated my question.  He had no answers for me, only teary eyes as he stared straight ahead, barely acknowledging me.  In his response I could see the tension between the person he wanted to be and the person he was in this moment.  I felt the Spirit strong with me and with Jim.  We told him that he could not hide things from God, He can see everything.  We asked him what he was not sharing with God and to repent.  We asked him if we could pray for him.  He said no.  But we prayed anyway.  We acknowledged the great plans God had for Juan, and asked God to show him the path.  He still said nothing, tears in his eyes, staring straight ahead.  We prayed for the other homeless sleeping there and then we walked back to the Refugio.

Who knows how God will use that situation.  But all I know is that God has paths for me to follow day by day regardless of my personal plans.  Even on the days that are supposed to be boring days of rest, God is always working and will use any situation, even theft, for His ultimate good, to share His love with the world.

*Juan is not the man`s real name.  It occurred to me after originally publishing that using the man's real name in this article was insensitive, so I apoligize to those of you that saw it.

Kauai Part 3: End and Reflections

I have yet to get a chance to finish my blogging about Kauai as life got busy around the Christmas season.  It seems so long ago already...

My last full day was a social day.  I got an invite from two friendly women I met on the trail, Adrienne and Leslie, for brunch.  I loved hanging out with them in the morning and it felt like I was hanging out with good friends.  Then we all took a bus to Lihue where they rented a car and I checked into my hotel for my last night.  Later that day I went for a walk to the beach and a kind gentleman picked me up.  I got into a conversation with him and ended up going to a shopping center instead, talking a couple hours over Starbucks coffee.  That conversation felt like a divine appointment as I felt like I was talking with him at a pivotal time in his life.  The next morning I walked to the airport and flew back.

I honestly still don't know why I went to Kauai this December.  It was an awakening experience for my soul.  I had forgotten what it felt like to live each day with little expectation.  I did not know what the next day would bring.  Who would I meet?  What would I do?  Where would I go?  I lived moment by moment rather than living steps ahead in my head.  I had so many unique moments, like talking and playing frisbee late at night with a stranger from Kodiak, or sitting on the beach at night watching a storm roll in in the distance, or walking with a couple from Brazil through the beautiful Kalalau valley.  I wish I could live more like that in day to day life: no schedules, just following the path ahead of me, and stopping to meet some people along the way.

I also felt God teaching me that no matter how tired or weary I get (like I did along the trail), God will give me the strength I need.  I have enough for each day and each moment.  I should not try to conquer tomorrow with today's strength.  I also discovered a bit of God's creation: the fruit trees, the waterfalls, and the epic landscape of the Na Pali Coast.  It was a random trip that reminded me of my place in God's creation.  I thank the Lord for the opportunity to travel and have a little vacation away from home before beginning my mission work in Guatemala.  My next post will detail where I am in preparation for the work to be done.

Kauai Part 2: The Kalalau Trail

 I woke up early, excitedly packed up camp, and began walking.  It was about a mile from the Haena Campground to the trailhead for the Kalalau trail.  It breezed by, I had a long day ahead.  I hiked the trail four years ago and I knew what was to come.  One of the scariest moments I ever had hiking happened on this trail.  Seven miles in, the trail skirts a cliff high over the ocean waves.  On that day, it had rained very hard and the cliff became one giant mudslide.  My boots had been caked in mud and every step I took, I felt like I was sliding off the cliff.  I had no traction and nothing to hold on to.  I have forgotten a lot of my adventures hiking, but I remember the moments clearly when I felt in very real danger, this one was like a snapshot in time, and a moment that was very much in my memory bank as I began the trail.

The Kalalau trail is an 11 mile trail that meanders along the Napali Coast, and begins and ends at sea level.  That sounds easy enough but there is a reason the road ends where the trail begins.  The trail travels up, down, and around a series of seemingly unending ridges.  The workout your legs get during the 11 mile one way hike feels equivalent to doing a 11 mile round trip mountain hike that climbs 4000 to 5000 feet.  The difference is, instead of cold mountain air that cools you off, you are walking through almost 100% humidity in 80 degree weather.  It is not possible to take a step without sweating.  That all still would not be that bad, but then I also had a 35 pound pack to deal with.  The pack for me was by far the hardest part of the hike and I was upset with myself for packing in needless things that I knew I wouldn't use.  For anybody that is reading this that may do the hike in the future, do not bother packing in a fleece jacket, a sleeping bag (a liner is sufficient), or more than two changes of clothes.


All that being said, I have been blessed to see so much of God's creation through all the Americas, and there might not be a more beautiful place than this.  The lush green forests and jagged green ridges, the ocean stretching out as far as the eye can see, the waterfalls cascading down cliffs, the fruit trees.  The Na Pali Coast is an absolute paradise.

I attacked the first part of the trail. I was full of energy and was eager to finish the hike quickly so I could take my pack off and relax on the beach. The weather was nice and I was hoping to get past the more dangerous parts of the hike while it was dry. I passed several people along the way but never stopped to talk for too long because I was eager to get that pack off! Around mile 7 or 8 I was ready to be done or throw my pack off a cliff. It is amazing how no matter how exhausted you are, if you just keep putting one foot in front of the other, eventually you go a long ways. I was extremely happy to get to Kalalau beach where other backpackers welcomed me with open arms. I set up camp and just spent the rest of the daylight hours relaxing. The beach is breathtaking. There is a waterfall on the beach that spurts out drinkable water. The combination of the green mountains and ocean surrounding you just engulfs your senses. The beach is not filled with your typical tourists, people have to earn their way here through a strenuous hike with exposure. My kind of people. I read a little bit and watched a killer sunset on the beach before settling in for the night, finishing my fourth day on Kauai.

The fifth day was all about exploring. I got up in the morning without a plan, went to the beach, and did a Bible study. I was sore from the hike in and I figured I would probably be a beach bum for the day. I couldn't help myself though, I had to explore and see what else Kalalau had to offer. It was another beautiful day and I felt extremely blessed. I walked back up the trail and explored a green outcropping that rose over the giant ocean waves. I walked along the cliff and eventually hiked into a hidden beach. After spending much time reading and praying in this area, I walked back and explored the valley.

 The valley trail was filled with ancient rock terraces not unlike what I've seen traveling through the land of the Incas. The forest has reclaimed it's territory but at one point there was a civilization living there, understandably, since it's a paradise. I passed some places where people were living illegally. There is a small group of people here that have spent years living in this wilderness. They survive by fishing and eating fruit that grows naturally. As I walked up the trail I was greeting by a man walking naked with two women I had met along the trail. People walking around naked is not something I am used to and it was always shocking for me to see, but it happened frequently! It is part of the culture of the valley. They warned me of the big pool coming up. I was not disappointed. There was a river stream which pooled up into natural pools of water. I got in and swam a little before a couple from Seattle came upon me (I would later see them on the airplane home, with the women sporting a brand new engagement ring!). I walked with them a little past the big pool where we came across a big orange tree. Another guy from Seattle was serving as their guide for the moment and he climbed the tree and shook a bunch off to carry back. There is nothing like eating fresh oranges straight from the tree! I explored further up the trail before heading back to beat the darkness approaching. On the way back I got to talking with a couple from Brazil that was spending 1000 days road tripping across the entirety of America. We swapped some stories as we walked back, my kind of people. That night, I was sitting on the beach as the stars came out and felt God leading me to talk to the guy sitting behind me. So that night, I spent an hour sitting under the stars getting to know a man from Kodiak, Alaska.

On the morning of my sixth day, after relaxing on the beach and spending time in the Word, I decided to pack up and hit the the trail. I got a late start and was planning to spend the night at a campground 6 miles in.  On the way out, I stopped at the green outcropping, breathing in the beauty, and waiting on the Lord. It was one of those indescribable moments with God that you can't put into words but it was incredibly refreshing for my soul. After about 20 minutes, I began hiking up and out of the Kalalau valley. Amazingly, it still had not rained and I passed the harrowing parts once again while it was dry. I was happy not to repeat the experience I had 4 years earlier. I felt good and my legs felt strong so I passed the campground at 6 mile and continued my walk to the 2 mile campground at Hanakeipei. I found the perfect campsite, set up camp, and had just started relaxing when Adrienne and Leslie arrived at the campground behind me. I knew they were coming because I passed them along the trail earlier.


I had met them around that same spot on the hike in and ran into them several times over the course of those couple days. One thing I loved about traveling through South America was running into the same people over and over again. Even on a scale that big, people tended to travel in the same tourist path and we would run into the same people again in different cities or even different countries. Eventually we would end up traveling with a group of people for periods of time. One of my best traveling buddies, Fabrice, I traveled with off and on for 6 months from the tip of South America to Lima, Peru.

The Kalalau trail is obviously a much smaller scale, but it is nice to know you are really never traveling through life alone. There are always people walking in the same direction as you. We all ate dinner together and I stayed up and sat under the stars for a while. There was a thunderstorm rolling in and I prayed it wouldn't come near our campground. As I watched it travel over the ocean expanse, it veered north. It would be another night without rain, thank the Lord.

On day 7, I hiked to a waterfall in the morning. I was the first one on the trail and I enjoyed my morning walk immensely. I washed in massive olympic-sized pool of water the waterfall created, hiked back to the campground, packed up, and hiked out. Along the trail I passed somebody I recognized from Kalalau and asked if I could get a ride to Hanalei when we were done. Thankfully, he obliged. I was back in civilization. In Hanalei of course I ran into Adrienne and Leslie again briefly, before settling in to a well earned Iced Coco mocha at the local coffee shop. That tasted so wonderful. I took a bus to Anahola, and walked a mile to my camp spot. It was so windy on the beach that I put a giant log in my tent to keep it from blowing away! My time on Kauai was nearing an end.

Kauai Part 1: Somewhere over the Pacific...

I was somewhere over the Pacific, sitting in the very back row of the airplane, stretched out over three seats, i pod in, and wondering what the heck I was doing.  My Guatemala mission trip I had been planning for many months was coming up right around the corner, but still my soul felt restless.  I knew I needed to get away for a little bit.  Being in one place for too long does that to me.  I had blocked out a week in my calendar for this very purpose.  There were many ideas rolling around in my head as to where I could go, but I knew I needed to save as much money as possible.  Road tripping was a possibility but after calculating how much gas would cost, that option was ruled out.  I thought of taking a train to Nashville and checking out the country music scene there.  I could even write a country song about it!  I found out taking a train to Nashville would cost more than twice as much as flying there, but flying to Nashville didn't sound as fun, so I discarded the idea.  I decided I wanted to get out in the wilderness instead but spending a week in the cold didn't sound appealing either.  I checked out flights to Hawaii and was surprised at how cheap they were.  I had been to Kauai four years ago and remembered how cheap it was to camp on that island and the stunningly beautiful Kalalau trail was calling me.  I booked the flight and a few days later I was off.

But now sitting on that airplane, it all felt like foolishness.  Was I being selfish in taking this week long trip by myself only one month before I was planning on leaving home for 6 months?  Was it selfish to ask people to support me on my mission trip while I was off camping and hiking in Hawaii?

I wrote in my journal:

Lord, a part of me doesn't want to leave.  As I get older, Your love has filled my life ever more and it's harder to do these sort of trips alone, it feels selfish.  But Lord, I pray that you'd bless this trip and teach me some things.  Lord, show me direction, prepare my heart.

After the plane arrived and I picked up my pack from baggage claim, I walked out into the humid Kauai weather.  Wanting to save money, I didn't bother renting a car but walked to the bus stop instead.  I paid my ridiculously cheap 50 cents and was off.  I took that bus to the end of the line, which was at a shopping center.  I was a little stressed out, being in a new place, needing to spend the night at a hotel somewhere with no car and with a full pack that was hurting my shoulders, and with darkness approaching.  Once again, I had the thoughts of "Why did I want to come here?"  Eventually, I decided to walk into Lihue on the main highway, and got the last room at a hotel there.  I walked to a Pizza Hut a mile away, walked back in the pouring rain, ate pizza, and crashed.  A powerful thunderstorm rolled in and I prayed that God would stop the rain while I was out camping.  That was my first day.

Day two was another stressful day of figuring out how to get my State park permits, my camping permits, and buying all the groceries I would need for the trail.  I also needed to buy camp fuel which if you don't know where to look is no easy task.  I bought the wrong fuel first at Wal Mart before figuring out the only fuel that would work with my stove was at Ace-Hardware, over a mile away.  I walked all over Lihue and it wasn't until 3:00 when I finally had everything I needed and arrived at a bus stop. Everybody I talked to was worried about me going on the trail after the storm the night before, the rivers would be high and there was potential for more flash floods. I set up camp in the remaining daylight at a beach called Anahola.  Stray dogs were trying to get inside my tent to get my food.  That was my second day.

It wasn't until my third day that I began to actually enjoy myself.  I had all the food I needed for at least 4 days, the sun came out a bit and I was optimistic that by the time I got on the trail, the rivers would be low and the conditions would be good.  I took a bus to Hanalei and enjoyed a coffee.  Hanalei is as far as the bus goes on the North Shore of Kauai, so I started walking on the road for six miles to the next campground.  My pack weighed me down a lot and I was eager to begin eating my way to a lighter load.  I only half heartedly tried to hitch hike because it was such a beautiful walk!  Finally after three miles or so, a women felt bad for me and picked me up.  I set up camp and explored a little bit before night fall.

There are many locals that live on the campgrounds in Kauai.  It is possible to live off the land here without money.  I believe the indigenous can even use the campgrounds for free.  So there is a camp culture that goes on.  Many are involved with drugs and I was asked several times if I had weed or wanted weed.  A boy was scamming me at one campground and I later talked to another guy who lived there who said that that boys brother committed suicide.  It's sad to see this kind of culture springing out in a land with such natural abundance.

The island of Kauai, and the Napali coast in particular, is so stunningly beautiful.  God really overdid it when He made this place.

 On day 4, I traveled into the wilderness.  On my next post, I will write about my time on the Kalalau trail!  

   

God's Beauty in Ixil Country

Made with photos from my 3 months in Guatemala from January to April 2012.  The song is You're Beautiful by Proto Evangelion. 

A Night to Remember

I was in Cotzal to visit the Church of God, the church where most of the teachers and several students attend. I meet with fellow teacher and friend Mathias in the park before we head over to the church together. As we walk in and sit down, I recognize so many faces. Many students come up to me to say hello. I see many aquaintances that I have met on the streets. In a strange way, even though it is my first time at the church, it feels like home. Worship in evangelical Guatemalan churches are so much different than what I am used to in the United States, but I have grown more accustomed to it. People cry out to God. They are not afraid to be broken, to scream, you can hear their moans for the Lord. During prayers, everybody prays at once. Hundreds of voices lift up to the Lord, it is a humbling experience to be a part of. I pray silently to myself because this is the way I have prayed all my life.

A visiting preacher from Mexico gives the main message. He screams into the microphone, clearly passionate, but not sure if he understands he is hurting all or our eardrums. At the end of the service, they call a familiar name up to the front. It is one of the teachers and one of my good friends. People pray for her and this timid teacher accepts Christ in front of her huge congregation. While she has been going to the church for awhile and been walking in His ways, she has never "officially" accepted Christ in front of her church body until this moment. She is the only one from her Catholic family to do so. I am stunned and feel so much joy for her.

Afterward, Mathias and I walk to Josue's house as a huge thunderstorm rolled in. The storm feels like so many I have experienced in the midwest. The night air is warm and it makes me feel like a kid again. At Josue's house, I eat dinner with his family and we sing songs as the storm comes through, the rain pounding loudly on the tin roof.

At 9:00, I return to the church with Mathias and stay there until 12:30 at night. We fight sleep, barely able to keep ourselves awake as we join the congregation in worshiping and praying to the Lord. We walk back mostly in silence and I slip into the house at 1 AM, walking quietly, lest I wake up that wonderful family of nine sleeping in the same bed.

I walk upstairs and curl up in my private bed. The night air has turned cold and there is only one blanket so I sleep in my sweatshirt. But I am greatful for the wonderful hospitality of this family. They have adopted me as one of their own, always sharing their food with me throughout my time here, providing a bed when I need it. They never ask for anything in return. I close my eyes feeling at peace and fall asleep instantaneously.

Around the Corner to Chajul

 The microbus dropped me off in Cotzal.  Here I was.  I have been using my Saturdays as exploration days.  I did not know where I was going to go today.  I decided to walk down a road near Cotzal to see where it went.  It ended on a main road that went toward Santa Avelina.  I had already been down that way so I found another road that veered off the other direction and I walked down that road instead.  I came to an intersection and I had no idea where I was.  I asked a guy that happened to be there and discovered I was at the main road that would take me to Cotzal in one direction or Chajul in the other direction.  I was right next to Cotzal and I had basically walked in a circle.  I asked if there were any villages on the way to Chajul, and he told me there was one about 15 minutes away.  That peeked my curiosity and I began walking toward Chajul.

Chajul in distance

It was all uphill at the start and I had probably been walking for 30 minutes at a brisk pace before spotting the village he was talking about: Batzmul.  Before walking down to explore the tiny village, I climbed up a boulder that happened to be at the top of the hill.  From there, the view was astounding.  I could see miles down the road Chajul way out in the distance.  I also spotted another little village before reaching Chajul.  I sat there for almost an hour.  I did not want to leave that spot.  Sometimes, when life is good, it’s hard to keep moving, but we have to continue down the road God has laid out for us.  So curiosity got the better of me and I continued down the road.  At this point I had decided to walk all the way to Chajul several miles more through the mountains, it was such a beautiful day!  I noticed a trail leading off the road before descending toward Batzmul.  I hiked up and up and up, only to discover somebody was raising Bees.  They swarmed everywhere and decided not to explore that trail any further.

Batzul

I walked into Batzmul.  It is always very awkward walking into these tiny villages as a Gringo.  It seems one appearance of a Gringo is the talk of these towns for a week.  Some hide in their houses.  Kids will yell “gringo, gringo!”  I explored a tiny bit and talked a little with a few of the people and then I was on my way.

As I walked farther down the road away from Batzmul, I noticed many locals walking the other direction.  I then came across a park where a church service had ended.  They were packing up and heading home.  I talked with one of the young men there and got the story.  The Church of God from Batzmul and the Church of God from Vitzuchuj, the other tiny village a mile or two further along the road, meet for some services as one church body in the park.  I thought that was absolutely beautiful.

Vitzuchuj

I then walked up and up and up, to that tiny village with an incredible view, Vitzuchuj.  What an amazing place to live!  The people in this village were so nice and welcoming.  At the tienda, when I told them I was from the United States, one girl screamed and ran out of the store.  Apparently she is afraid of the U.S. because it’s so far away.  There are 35 families in this village.  At the main part of town is a school, a tienda, and a church.

In Chajul

After my half hour visit, I continued on my way, the last leg of my journey to Chajul.  It was only about another thirty minutes of walking before I came to the outskirts of Chajul.  I continued up and up (it seems all walking here is up for some reason) until I was in the main part of Chajul.  I had done it.  A sense of accomplishment radiated through me.  I had only wanted to see what was a little further down a road in Cotzal and I ended up walking clear to Chajul! 

“It’s a dangerous business, Jordo, going out your door, you step out onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you’ll get swept off to.” – Bilbo Baggins  

:)

Adventure Saturday

Mark came knocking on my door at 7:40.  Our plan was to take the 8:00 micro bus to Cotzal and then after that, who knows?  We opened up the Word, had a quick study and prayer time, and we were off.  The micro bus was crowded with 4 people hanging off the back.  After we stopped and let some people out, I saw one guy climb down from the roof.  At this point, when stuff like this happens, I just smile and shake my head.  This is Guatemala.  I love it.  

In Cotzal, Mark wanted to walk through the Saturday morning market.  People come from all over the surrounding villages to buy and sell at this market.  The chicken busses bring them early in the morning and then stay parked throughout the day, waiting until the early afternoon, when the people return to their villages.  I am personally not a fan of the markets because of the crowds of people and having to duck through so many tarps.  Mark likes it because you can buy almost any sort of produce that is growable around the region.

After the market, I decided it would be nice to pay a visit to the Jorai Bible Institute to see what was happening.  So much of what I do here in my spare time is just showing up to places and seeing what God has for me.  This day, Diego Perez, the President of the Bible Institute, and someone I had not talked with before, was there.  So I sat in his office, gave him a brief interview, and we talked.  I talked with him about the land and the possibility of the school we support, Colegio Horeb, using that land and building a school there.  It was a good conversation and am looking forward to talking with him again.

We then decided to walk to Ojo de Agua, an hour walk from Cotzal, to see what was there.  I had heard there was a Compassion program in Ojo de Agua only a few days ago when I was visiting with the Compassion program in Cotzal.  That program was not running on Saturday, unfortunately, but on the way, I called my Dad, to see if any knew of any contacts in Ojo de Agua.  He told me to talk with BaltizarChijoy, who he did not have time to talk with much on his last visit here.  Baltizar is a graduate from Jorai and is a Pastor of 100 people in his tiny village.  When we arrived, after asking a villager, we found the house of Baltizar.  However, he was not there, but in Cotzal.  He was going to arrive on the bus from the market.  So we explored.  Mark is interested in the agricultural practices of the region and we walked out of the main part of the village a ways and into the fields of peas and corn.  

The chicken bus that goes back and from Ojo de Agua Cotzal makes three trips.  It is a miracle this bus runs as it looks like it was on its last legs 30 years ago.  It is the only form of public transportation and it only makes trips on Saturdays to go the Cotzal market.  Baltizar was not on the first two trips on the bus from Cotzal.  However, his wife was, and went back with us on the bus to meet with him in Cotzal.  We talked at literally the same tienda where we started our walk.  We learned that he was adding on to his church and construction would begin in April.  I told him I was talking to him on behalf of my dad who was unable to talk much with him on his last visit.  He was thankful and asked for support in constructing a temple.

Afterward we had lunch at Comedor and then walked to a park that is on the way out of Cotzal.  It is in the country set up above a river in the mountains.  At the park is a place where people come to pray and a big green field.  We came to relax and relax we did.  We layed in silence for an hour or more.  A few thoughts floated in and out of my brain but mostly I was just still.  It was a beautiful sunny day and I listened to the whistling of the birds, the sounds of nature, the far off sounds of people.  I felt so at peace.  

Then we walked back to the center of town to wait on a microbus to take us back to Nebaj.  We arrived at 4:30 but no bus came until 6:00.  While that may seem like a huge inconvenience, I love this part of the culture.  It forces you to wait, reflect, and go deeper with people.   Waiting is a way of life here.  We had some great conversation.  Finally a bus came with loudspeakers on the top.  There was a man in the bus reading the Bible in Spanish and then translating in Ixil as the message was proclaimed through the loud speakers.  To our astonishment, this bus was going to Nebaj.  This was our first time on a Bible bus!  Mark and I just laughed.  This is Guatemala.  I love it.

Public school in Ojo de Agua

A Visit with Romualdo

Romualdo Perfecto Santiago Ramirez has dedicated his life to God in Christian education.  He looks at the children under his care and he sees himself in them and wants to help them.  The school is a successful program, but as he tells me a bit of his story, what he seems to remember most are the kids that choose the wrong path.  He worries about his students.  Some turn to alcohol.  Some of the girls become pregnant.  He tells them to be careful, he wants so badly for them to learn the way of God.  His words sometimes go in one ear and out the other.  He talks of the situations some of the children are in.  Some of their parents are divorced.  Some of them have a parent that go to the United States to work illegaly.  Some do not have money to buy the supplies they need and choose not to continue because of money.  As he spills out all his concerns for the youth of this town, I can not help but admire his devotion.

   

Romualdo is the Director of Colegio Methodista Filadelfia.  He has 225 children under his care in the town of Chajul.  There are many girls that come to his school to avoid the sexual advances that are sometimes made by male teachers in the public schools.  Many Catholics pay for their children to come to this Evangelical school because the quality of education far exceeds that of the public schools.  The Bible is taught here and Christian counseling is given.  They spend much time with the students in developing career goals.  He dreams about the future of his students as they infiltrate into society.  Some will become policeman, maybe a few will be mayors, and some will be teachers.  He focuses on what God can shape them to be and what his town can become through these students.  His vision is inspiring and it left me feeling goosebumps.

In our American way of thinking, we try to change things as quickly as possible.  We throw a lot of money at something and expect returns.  But this is not the way of God.  The Bible talks much of sowing the land, and reaping its fruits.  Sowing the land takes time.  It is laborious.  If you dump a bunch of seed on the ground and then leave, do not expect to reap a lot of good fruit later.  We must take extra care of all our little plants that are beginning to sprout.  We need to treat them gently and carefully over a long period of time.  The real heroes in society are the ones not in the limelight.  We tend to see the fruit but not the ones doing the watering.  They work behind the scenes, investing hours upon hours into the life of another.  Teachers are the true heroes of a society.

Heavenly Father, use us to do your work.  Lord, sometimes we are impatient.  Forgive us and lead us to simply be still and invest deeply into the lives of others.  Lord, on your timeframe.  Always.     

Walking to Cajixay

It was a rainy Saturday morning as I took the microbus to Cotzal.  The plan was to arrive in town, buy some food, and walk to Cajixay along a dirt road that climbs up into the mountains.  I went to Cajixay two weeks before, but did not have much time in the village.  It is about a 10 kilometer walk from Cotzal to Cajixay.  Along the way I met many people who were walking the other direction.  I do not think the locals were to used to seeing Gringos walking the road.  It was a very neat to walk because locals have to do it frequently.  There is not much transportation along this road, only an occasional truck, and a bus that goes to and from the market on Saturdays.  That is why I chose to go on this particular day, I was going to take the bus back that comes from the market.

men playfully line up to take bags from truck

I walked through two little villages on the way.  I met one guy from Nama walking who was the director of a small school in that village.  He said a team from the United States was coming down next week to help with construction.  I may go back to Nama to visit this school and perhaps meet this short term team.  As I was almost to Cajixay, I ran into a very large group of people from Cajixay at their agricultural land called Tu Chok.  A truck came with hundreds of 100 pound bags of dirt and the men were beginning to unload when I came across them.

Cajixay

Tu Chok: planting lots of peas

Benjamin's family was with that group.  That is the family I visited for a very short time when I went to Cajixay two weeks before.  After getting the bags from the truck, they were separated out by family.  I helped a bit with this.  The land up there is all together but different families own different parts of the land.  Then they carried their bags to their land.  I thought I would help and so I carried a 100 pound bag of dirt a couple hundred yards the way I saw the men carrying them.  Either I carried it wrong, or they have very strong necks or upper back muscles, because after carrying one bag, I thought I had done permanent damage to my neck.  It probably didnt help that I slipped in the mud and fell on my butt with a 100 pound bag balanced on my neck.  I did not help anymore after that.  I walked into Cajixay while the people stayed there and spread out their dirt.  I snapped a few photos and walked back.  All the people were at their corresponding land working.  They are planting peas and this place is a site to behold with the amount of peas that are being planted!  I walked around and talked with a few of them and then caught the bus as it headed back to Cotzal.

Sebastian works his land on slope of mountain

Adventure Monday

Santa Avelina

This Monday, I began by taking a microbus to Xolcuay, to watch the beginning of the classes this month.  I walked from Xolcuay to the main fork and caught a microbus to Cotzal.  I then took another microbus to Santa Avelina, my first time in this wonderul town.  I was there to visit a Christian school called HELPS.  I came away highly impressed with the school and it gave me a vision for what the Horeb school could be with more support.  Afterward, I explored.  I walked up the hill to get a better view of town and to my astonishment I saw a beautiful waterfall way out in the distance.  Of course, I walked to it.  On that hot, sunny day the mist of the waterfall felt just right.  Here are a few photos from Santa Avelina!

 

Inside the Home of Skinny Joshua

Right after meeting Josue Rodriguez, he opened up his life to me.  He insisted I come over for lunch.  Then his wife fed me until I could not eat anymore.  He insisted I come over for dinner and kept probing me to eat more.  He insisted I spend the night.  I have never felt more genuine hospitality in my life.  At first, I have to admit, I was a little suspicous.  Nobody can be this be friendly without an ulterior motive right?  This is a horrible thought to have of people but after spending time in a country where it seems everybody sees dollar signs when they see the color of your skin, you can begin to be a little bit skeptical.

Josue walks his faith.  He is the only local here who paid for a tuc-tuc for me to make sure I got to my next destination.  Today, after hearing I had yet to get a phone, he offered to loan me his phone.  Of course I said no, but this may be the first time in history that an Ixil man offered to give his phone to a Gringo.  My dad affectionally called him "skinny Joshua" and the nickname stuck.  His family has taken to calling me "Lankin Jordan" meaning "tall Jordan."

Skinny Joshua is an evangelical leader in the region.  He is the son of a pastor and teaches the Bible to upcoming Evangelists and Pastors for the Prince of Peace Extension Program.  He also plays a significant role in a radio ministry called Radio Ixil.  He teaches the Bible over the radio.

I spent the night with his family last week.  He has 7 children: 17, 15, and 13 year old girls and 11, 9, 7, and 4 year old boys.  As you can expect his home is pretty crazy with those little boys running about and beating up on each other.  It is a very humble home.  It is hard to explain what homes are like here to people in the United States.  Meals happen around the fire in the kitchen where it is warm and where the food is cooked.  Ana Toma makes corn tortillas for every meal.  Rice and beans are the most common meals, sometimes there is chicken, and sometimes there are chuchitos (corn meal rapped around a tomato like sauce).  While I was there, they all slept on two beds in the "living room" while they gave me my own bed upstairs.  There are not too many houses in the region with two levels like Josue's family has.  They are still very much culturized though and it was a little shocking in my USA brain to watch them throw their trash in the river that is beside their house.  Throwing trash in the rivers is a way of life here.  Here are some pictures I took inside his home.  You can get a taste for the living conditions by looking at these photos.  They would not let me post the picture I took of them in their bed.  Such a cute and loving family (with some crazy little boys!).

Ana Toma and Dinah

Ana Toma, Elmer, and Edgar

Edwin

Ermelinda and Elmer

   

Exploring Chajul

The town of Chajul is one of the three towns that make up the Ixil triangle of Guatemala.  Nebaj and
Cotzal are the others.  I have become very familiar with the towns of Cotzal and Nebaj but had not yet spent any time in Chajul.  This past Monday, I kidnapped Mark the Canadian, and we explored Chajul.  Mark arrived on a short term team shortly after I arrived.  He is staying on for 2 months to help Domingo and Kara with agricultural work as he recently completed his Masters in Environmental Science.

On the microbus we met an architect on the bus who also ran a ferreteria (a tiny hardware store) in Chajul.  We visited his store and then we went to a Christian School called Metodista Filadelfia.  I will write more about this school in a later blog entry, but I came away from that visit very encouraged.  We then went up into the mountains surrounding Chajul.  Everywhere around this area are thousands of paths.  Most of the people in these surrounding villages walk everywhere they go and there are thousands of pathways through the wilderness here.  We went up one path and we met a man on our quick sojourn who could not understand why anybody would just pass through for seemingly no reason at all.  The tiny path we took off the dirt road was a trail where people could access their agricultural land.

After that, we went and visited Paul Townsend's office where he spends countless hours translating the bible into Ixil.  It is pretty easy to find because it seems everybody in this region knows of "hermano Pablo."  After eating lunch in the square, we went to the chapel service for the older students at Metodista Filadelphia.  After students led in worship in prayer, Paul delivered a message.

Mark and I then rode back into Nebaj with Paul.  We went to Cafe Mingo where the sowing class for the woman were finishing up (also for a later blog entry).  We played soccer with some of the children that were playing there and then we went with Domingo and Kara for dinner at their home.  We played Rummy until 10:30 at night and I walked back to Cafe Mingo for some much needed rest before starting my third week of classes teaching English at Horeb!

So that was my Monday..  My Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of each week tend to be my more unpredictable days as I do not teach English in Cotzal on those days.    

30 minutes in Cajixay

From the small town of Cotzal, down a windy dirt road through the mountains, is the little village of Cajixay.  When my family first started coming down to Guatemala, it was to visit the people from this village.  My parents church, Westminster Chapel, partnered with Agros to help sponsor the village.  We sent teams about twice per year to spend a week building relationships with the village while helping them in labor.  It was a period in my life that I will always remember because of the love that bound us to them.  We were so different but yet when it came to the human spirit, we had so much in common.  I know all the people that went on those short term trips came back home completely changed.  WIND of God was founded because of these trips.  Cajixay graduated from the Agros program recently and no more Westminster Chapel teams will likely come, but this does not permanently end relations.  Last month, my parents visited Cajixay to see a family we have become close to.  I left Saturday with the same goal, but it is significantly harder without a car.

There is a Saturday morning market in Cotzal and a bus brings many villagers to the area to sell their produce.  I heard from Jacinto, the director of the Bible Institute, that the bus left at 11 from Cotzal to go back to Cajixay and a truck came back at 3.  In my mind, I was thinking I would have 3 hours in Cajixay.  But things in Guatemala don´t always go that smoothly.  I mircobused it to Nebaj in the morning and visited the Bible Institute.  I then arrived to the bus for Cajixay at 11.  Several villagers were already on the bus and they stared at me and talked about me in Ixil.  I don´t think it´s too often gringos ride a chicken bus to Cajixay, I´m not sure if any recognized me since it had been 6 years since I had been there with Agros.  It then became obvious the bus wasn´t supposed to leave at 11.  At 12 the bus was completely full.  To all of you who have never ridden a chicken bus, you can´t possibly understand the meaning of a full bus.  All sitting room, all standing room, all breathing room, was completely filled.  I was scrunched at the window, not being able to put my legs down because the seat was too small.  Getting out was an impossibility because I would not only have to climb over two old ladies, but the whole aisle would have to clear out (and there were probably around 30 people standing in the aisle of the bus alone).  This was at 12:00.  But the bus didn´t leave until 1:30.  There were mechanical problems and every time it looked like we were about to go, the driver got out and started hammering on the bus.  I was about to give up and clear everybody out so I could get out, but right at the moment we left.  I arrived to Cajixay around 2:45.  There was no truck that left at 3:00, just the same bus.  I got out and found Benjamin´s family, our family friends.  To my delight, they remembered my name right away.  I got to meet their new daughter Cecilia, visited briefly, and snapped a few photos.  But as soon as I arrived, it was time for me to go.  I figured I would miss the bus back and was prepared to walk back.  This would take 3 hours, or 2 hours if I walked really fast.  Luckily after I left, the bus was still leaving.  I chased down the bus and luckily they saw me running after them and stopped.  So that was my 30 minutes in Cajixay.  Ever since I have been planning my return to the village in which I will have more time.

Miracle and Crime on Wheels: The Guatemalan Microbus

Every day, I am traveling by bus between Nebaj and Cotzal.  I catch the bus at the Terminal of Nebaj or by the big Catholic church in Cotzal.  The busses leave every 30 minutes and are relatively reliable (as reliable as anything can be in Guatemala anyway).  A Guatemalan microbus is basically a glorified van.  They all have some expression like "Dios es Amor" written on the front.  They are a miracle on wheels as they can hold just about an infinite amount of people.  It is kind of like Jesus feeding 10,000 people with a few loaves of bread.  Yesterday, I was riding in the bus and it felt like a normal busride.  It then struck me that there were 24 people crammed into this vehicle, complete with a mother nursing her baby and 4 youth hanging out the door as the bus sped down the road to Nebaj.  This has now become my new normal.

It was also on this particular busride that my phone was stolen.  That is one negative to this form of transportation.  We are crammed in there like sardines and if somebody takes something out of your pocket, you do not feel anything.  After the ride was over and I related my story to people, they all seemed very nonchalant about it, like it happened all the time.  Yes, that is my new normal as well.  I need to have a firm grasp on my valuables at all times.