A bitter sweet day

Today started off with a beautiful sunrise and the sound of birds. I always like it when I wake up at the vista. I now know this is the start to a week that is going to see transformation in the lives of all involved.

Of course I could not wait to get down to the buffet to have breakfast and fill my thermos full of Guatemalan coffee for the ride to Santiago.

I think the real reason for the anticipation of morning was that I would see friends that I have not seen since July when I was last here.

Karty showed up first and we talked for a while. Ruth Ann and Linda both came over to join in the conversation. We all know Karty from the 2008 Mission to Xela.

Not long after a car drove up and out came Luis, his wife, and his children. This was a very special arrival for me. Luis was our translator for the 2009 mission. Our whole team became attached to him.

The back story on Luis is that he was not a Christ follower when he joined our 09' team. After spending a week with the our team he ended up being the room mate of the pastor of the church that followed us. This pastor completed the Romans road with him and he gave his life to Christ. When our team heard this news we could not help ,but rejoice for the work the Lord had done in his heart.

(fast forward back to present)

After all the meet and greet the team piled onto the bus to head for WalMart to buy supplies for the school. We all started getting to know the translator as they trailed us through the stores.

But for a portion of us, Mostly the guys. We spent the morning with Luis as he helped us exchange money and searching for odds and ends.

Like last July, it was evident the team was instantly bonding to Luis. He has that genuine personality that beckons you to like him.

Once on the bus with close to 200 note books, socks, and odds and end. We headed for lunch. No time for anything interesting, just Burger King.

On our way to lunch Luis received a call. A quit conversation with Gloria and then an announcement in the parking lot of BK.

Luis was going to have to leave the team. His Grand mother had just past to the hands of our Lord.

If this was not enough. An earlier conversation let me know of the stress, confusion, and heartbreak Luis was already going through before this news.

Luis' Father runs cars. He travels to southern Mexico then gets on a plane and flies to Houston to pick up the car he has been assigned to drive back to Guatemala. The last they heard from him he was about to get on the plane to Houston. The people in Houston said he never got off.

The family has tracked his credit card and the last place it was used was in a part of Mexico his dad would not have had any reason to go. Then nothing. Nobody has heard/seen any trace of him in weeks. The family is fearig the worst.

Then this , his grand mother dieing (his dads mother)

You would think this would be enough to break anyone of us, but pile on one more thing. Luis' wife is running out of options for her ailing health and is quicky being left with one last option.  an operation. of which they cannot afford and are scared to face the possible outcome.

We all sat on the bus, I was in shock. My heart was breaking for him. This is a time when those questions start flying through your head.

'Why Lord, Why? Why this man? Does he not have enough to suffer through."

Ruth Ann and Gloria lead the team in a prayer over him. We laid our hands on him as we prayed. I was still in broken shock for him and could not even speak a word of prayer"

We all stepped of the bus. to say our good-byes.

In tears, I looked him in the eyes and told him I would pray for him unceasingly.

 I handed him his letters. Letters that the summer/July team had written him. We hugged. and we watched him walk away to get a ride home.

I had a quiet lunch and tried not to let my brokenness for Luis affect the rest of the team.

Back on the bus, on our way forging forward I can't help but feel I just left A big part of me back in the parking lot.

Every time I think of him and his situation I start praying. Every time I start praying I start crying.

This is hard

I am going to leave this here for now. I need to get some air, be still, pray and spend some time with my Lord.

You have just read this.

 Do you believe in the power of prayer?

I do.

Please stop right now.

And Pray for our brother in Christ.

I am comforted by the sounds filling the air tonight. The Sunday evening worship is reaching late into the night tonight. I am going to go join them.

Psalm 34: 1-3

Tomorrow is a fresh day, with time for much prayer and praise.