The first. Ever.

Friday, 3 October 2008

It was another early morning, as we drug our suitcases back over the muddy trails to the waiting buses and trucks. Breakfast was at McDonalds (and though I'm not a big partaker of the restaurant in the states, it was GOOD to have the same great hotcakes and sausage in Guatemala). We then boarded the vans for another first - a visit to a school in a remote mountain village near the Honduran border. One of Buckner's in-country staff has befriended a pastor who visits the school each week to minister to the kids and teach. We are the first North American visitors to the school.

The climb up the mountain was unlike anything I had experienced on a trip - it was rugged and treacherous and steep, and at one point our van began sliding back down the water-covered rocks and dirt.

We finally reached the remote village of Petante, Camotan, where the two-room school was nestled in trees and brush. The village is extremely poor and primitive, and the curiosity of both the children and adults was clear. I can't imagine what the children must have thought when we emerged from the vans - all pale and tall and odd-looking. They were shy, but it didn't take long for the smiles to emerge. They warmed up when the guys pulled out their guitars and began to sing. They listened intently as Lolly and Jean told the story of creation. And when we began distributing new shoes to them, the joy was evident.

Many mothers with small children and babies came to the school when they heard of our visit - and the blue bag of baby shoes Carmen had been carrying with her all week was put to good use. The bag was opened, and there were enough shoes for each baby - all in the right sizes!

While we were at the school, rain began to fall. "No Lord, not yet," I said out loud. "Just a bit longer, OK?" Jenny walked up, and after hearing my concern about rain-soaked mountain roads, said "absolutely - pray!" God was so kind - the rain stopped and the sun broke through the clouds. What a delightful gift!

We trekked back down the steep mountain, and started our journey west to Guatemala City. Our final stop was to be the Buckner Baby Home. But as we drove toward the darkening skies, we received a call that mudslides were making many of the roads impassable - our trip was likely to be difficult and long. And our visit to the home would be cancelled. Fortunately, the road we were on was not impacted by the slides (though we could see on the mountains the red-brown streaks that looked like someone had gouged the land away). Our trip took more than 5 hours. But as in all things, we were blessed with a special surprise at the end of the journey - the decision was made to visit the home after all. Seeing the children who live at the home again was good medicine. Cristal (a little girl with a severe digestive disorder who did not want to be touched or held when she was first found) laughed and talked and hugged each of us. Juan Pablo (a boy who was burned severely when a relative poured hot grease on him) greeted us with smiles. Milagro (a baby with a heart condition who was found in a dumpster) snuggled with Stacey and fell asleep in her arms. Jose (a sweet deaf boy who is new to the home) held my hand and grinned when I signed "I love you" to him. Steven, Dana, and Giles became human jungle gyms for the rowdy boys. The children at the Buckner home are thriving, growing healthy, and are happy. If only little Jose and Edmund from Zacapa could be there...

We said our goodbyes and drove to the Vista Real, where we ate dinner together and told of sweet moments we had encountered throughout the week. The rain poured down outside. We talked about the faces of the children, talked about the bus rides and the street vendors and the towns and the new friends we had met and the need for even more ministry to widows and orphans. We talked about both hopelessness and hope. And the tally was shared - 5 cities in 5 days, 703 miles, 739 pairs of shoes, 45 hours in buses and vans to visit 5 orphanages, 1 school, 1 babies home, and 1 widows home. There were four firsts - the first visit by Buckner to Ascension SOS in Xela and to the widows home in Antigua, and the first visit ever by North Americans to the school in Petante, Comotan. The final first was especially meaningful to me – it was the first trip to be hosted by a musical artist, Geoff Moore. His love and passion for the poor and needy is evident. His challenge to those of us called to serve is powerful. I’m thankful and humbled to call him my friend.

Tomorrow we depart - Mark, Giles, Kelly, Laura, Edie, Sheila, Lolly, Stacey, Courtney, Terry, Charles, Jonathan, Georgia, Jean, Dana, Carmen, Bonnie, Courtney, Katie, John, Steven, Ben, Jenny, and me. It's been an exhausting, exhilerating, heart-wrenching journey. This is good. Very good.

I'll close with more lyrics from my Guatemalan soundtrack. These are courtesy of Nichole Nordeman:

oh, great god, be small enough to hear me now
there were times when i was crying from the dark of daniel's den

and i have asked you once or twice if you would part the sea again
but tonight i do not need a fiery pillar in the sky

just wanna know you're gonna hold me if i start to cry

oh, great god, be small enough to hear me now

oh, great god, be close enough to feel you now

there have been moments when i could not face goliath on my own

and how could i forget we've marched around our share of jerichos

but i will not be setting out a fleece for you tonight

just wanna know that everything will be alright

oh great god, be close enough to feel you now

all praise and all honor be

to the god of ancient mysteries

whose every sign and wonder

turn the pages of our history

but tonight my heart is heavy and i cannot keep from whispering this prayer

"are you there?"

and i know you could leave writing on the wall thats just for me

or send wisdom while i'm sleeping, like in solomon's sweet dreams

but i don't need the strength of samson or a chariot in the end

just want to know that you still know how many hairs are on my head

oh great god, be small enough to hear me now

The perfect sunset.

SUNDAY, 28 September 2008

This morning, Brad took Geoff and Dana to a church to play. I, on the other hand, hung out at the hotel with my pup Millie, repacked my suitcase and duffle just to make sure everything was in its rightful place, and wondered what it would be like to travel to Guatemala as a participant rather than an employee. As part of my “farewell” from the organization, Buckner is paying for my trip – so I still get to travel back to Guatemala, visit again the orphanages there, see once again the incredible staff. I get to travel again with Geoff and Dana. I get to see Katie on her first-ever mission trip. I get to finally travel to somewhere other than Texas towns with my "brotha," Jeff Jones. And I still get to experience ministry with my friend Courtney, who is journeying with me.

We filled up on Jake’s hamburgers, said our “goodbyes” to Brad, Ryan and the pups, and drove – slowly – to DFW (thank you Dallas Cowboys for allowing us to experience your nasty traffic). There, we met Bonnie Hilton and Carmen Brown, two awesome gals from the radio world who were joining us. Steven Patterson was also there, the lead singer of Branch and worship pastor at a church in Athens, Texas. Ben Day and his equipment were waiting – he was to join me to take video and photos for Shoes for Orphan Souls, Geoff Moore, and Branch. My departure from Buckner meant someone else would be working with him on this trip – and I couldn’t have asked for a bigger blessing than to have Jenny Pope join the team. She is the publications editor for Buckner, and getting to spend a few days with her is a special treat! And John Adams, our trip leader and NOT the president, is waiting. He is an awesome guy with such a heart for the poor – and he’s got an amazingly dry wit. My kind of guy.

The plane ride was easy, and the sunset outside our window as we flew held new meaning for me. Only a week before, before the praying and the downsizing, Courtney had said, “I don’t know why I feel this way, but I feel like this trip is going to be your sunset with Buckner.” The flaming red, rich blue, and bright orange in the sky brought tears to my eyes – they were all the colors used in our “Go. Be. Do.” branding. I pray the sunset is only for this chapter – I hope Buckner remains a part of my life in some way.

Hello Guatemala. I’ve arrived.