First of all, let us say thank you for not giving up on us. We have been without communication for a lot longer than expected and it pains us to not have access to the internet to post updates. Your prayers, in the meantime were felt like never before. Again, thank you for sticking with us!
The past nineteen days have stretched us more than we could have ever imagined. From Key West to Livingston we expected a five or six day sail... and since Key West we have been on the water for 2 1/2 weeks. We sailed from the Keys to the Dry Tortugas, then down along the coast of Cuba, across the Yucatan Channel, down the Mexican Coast into Belize waters and then to Guatemala. I wish we could tell you that it was an enjoyable easy ride- what sailing is supposed to be like- right? Well, imagine good moderate sailing weather and you are imagining what we experienced only one day out of nineteen. Along the way there were many days without wind- an almost inexplicable weather phenomenon, as the trade winds have served Mariners for centuries this time of year. David was absolutely stumped by the conditions, and it was obvious that the enemy was trying everything possible to stop us. There were many days when we sat in glassy water without a single wave in sight and experienced little to no wind. There were also times when our boat was actually drifting backward due to the current- back toward Key West- and we could do absolutely nothing except wait for the wind. The progress we did make was often quickly defeated by an unexpected current or deadening of the wind. We had to take three hour shifts during the night, as you can not stop sailing, so were often disoriented and sleep deprived! We were doing everything we could to keep our spirits up, although it seemed like we would never arrive. The heat was miserable, it was rarely enjoyable to be out in the sun at all. We had to work very hard to conserve water and were only able to take two real showers, with fresh water, the whole time. Thankfully we were blessed with one rain shower and eventually resorted to taking one salt water bath (not really a shower at all) after not having bathed in five days! Through it all we have learned valuable lessons about sacrifice, patience, endurance and above all what it means to completely surrender all to the Lord....
A week into the trip Kyle and I sat on the deck of the boat more frustrated than we have ever been in our lives. We starred at a glassy sea, having made it 25 miles (out of approximately 600 total) not understanding why things were going the way they were. Our spirits had taken a serious blow a few minutes earlier when the forecast predicted no change in the weather or pick up of wind for four more days. We were floating in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, without any control over our situation. We were absolutely helpless in regards to the weather, and could do nothing in ourselves. It was then that Kyle and I realized the situation we had been blessed with.... yes, blessed! This is the first time in our lives that we were completely helpless and could do NOTHING in our own power. We were completely dependent upon the Lord to bring us through. So many times we say we trust God and truthfully do, but is it ever without us having some control in a situation? We are so quick to rely on ourselves and to hold on to some control because we feel the need to ensure certainty. However, in our circumstance we had no choice but to throw up our hands and say, “Okay God, we are all yours... we can do nothing. It’s in your hands completely and we are helpless without you.” We have since realized that it is with this desperation that we should pray every day! We were able to trust him with our situation... not only lack of wind but with contacting loved ones. Without wind it was uncertain as to when we would be able to contact our families, and the last thing we wanted was for them to worry. We were risking possibly not being able to talk to them for more than a week after their expectation. We didn’t want to put them in that situation because we love them so much. But we decided to trust that the Lord would provide some sort of communication along the way. We didn’t know how or where or when, but did know that casting our cares on Him would ensure the best outcome. So after tears and desperate prayers we decided to press on... and what do you know, we were both sustained with a peace that definitely surpassed all understanding :) The next morning the wind picked up... despite the forecast. And two days later we radioed a cruise ship in hopes that they would have mercy on us and let us use their internet capabilities. David relayed an email over the radio to the ship’s captain to send our parents!!! So within days our prayers were answered...our families received word that we were alright, and the wind became much more favorable.
We went through a few more dry spells as far as the wind... mostly in the mornings... but just continued to trust that the Lord’s timing is perfect. We soon realized why...
On the afternoon of Sunday, September 10th we were relaxing in our cabin when we heard David yell... “We’ve got Cubans!!!” We ran on deck and saw three refugees waving a flag and screaming out for our help. Their boat was incredibly dirty and tattered from many days at sea and the precious people inside were obviously desperate for a chance at life. We cautiously helped them on board and soon realized that we could trust them completely. We welcomed them with open arms and gave them water and food, a shower and new clothes. Their names were Michael, Vania and Yamile, and they quickly became our new “amigos.” They shared their story with us in Spanish and broken English. Kyle and I were able to communicate with them very effectively. (Praise the Lord for using our few years of Spanish education!) They had spent most all of their money to buy their boat from someone off the street in Cuba- equipped with a faulty motor and compass. They left everything but a book bag full of clothes... Vania (24) even left his wife and children to risk freedom. Michael (29) and Yamile (21) were married... and willing to risk their lives for a new start. They had been at sea for 10 days, and had not eaten for 7 so their stomachs had shrunk. As a result they couldn’t eat anything besides a few crackers without throwing up. Yamile was suffering from a combination of seasickness, malnourishment and dehydration so we gave her some stomach settling medicine and helped to nurse her back to normal. They were incredibly receptive to our explanation of God and how he has a plan for their lives! They said that this was the first time they believed in God because He rescued them, but that now He would be the most important thing in their lives. We shared the gospel with them and gave them bibles. I wrote a letter from us complete with important verses and a prayer of salvation inside the front cover. They promised to keep the bibles forever. We enjoyed their company late into the night and ended up laughing, singing, and dancing with them... what precious video we have to share when we return! Everyone eventually crashed for about 2 hours in the early morning. It took us ten hours to motor to the coast of Mexico where we planned on dropping them off. Just before daybreak the morning of the 11th, we pulled in close to a luxurious hotel in Cancun where they could easily row to shore and taste freedom on the beach. We cried and hugged and prayed with them before they left “Faith” and ensured them that if they prayed to God He would hear them, direct their path and take care of them. Please be in prayer for our new friends and know that you, our supporters, had a part in helping to save three precious lives from the deep! What a privilege it was to be used in their lived in such a way... to have enabled them to find life and freedom physically AND spiritually! Amen and Amen and Amen!!!!
The rest of the trip since the Cuban rescue was still tough, but our souls were satisfied for a lifetime! We were able to endure the rest of the journey with a little more patience and understanding that the Lord’s timing was, is and will always be perfect.
The last two nights before arriving in Livingston, it was so obvious that enemy was doing everything he could to keep us from Guatemala. First of all, the national weather forcast that we listen to and rely on twice daily completely skipped the broadcast for our area of the sea. So we were sailing blindly, on faith and unsure of any weather patterns we might encounter. As a result we got caught in two unpredictable and unruly storms... both at night, heavy with rain and strong wind and waves. We can’t express to you how scary these situations can be. To be caught in the middle of the seas, in the dark, the boat rocking so violently that you have to hold on, waves crashing against the sides, wind howling so hard that you can barely hear directions being yelled by the Captain. We truly were able to experience how the disciples felt before Jesus calmed the storm. We prayed like never before and saw results quickly when begging for mercy, although it was still very hard to be put in such a stressful and uncertain situation. We were confident that the Lord would carry us through and protect us with his angels, and He did! It definitely wasn’t easy to endure the storms, and we hope to never go through another one... but we have learned so much, and learned what it means to truly trust and pray.
We arrived in Livingston exhausted after the second storm kept us awake all night long- unable to anchor- having to navigate based on longitude and latitude because we couldn’t see anything. We cleared customs and enjoyed a tired first day in the beautiful town. David even fell asleep at the restaurant where we ate lunch. Yesterday we were able to get our dollars exchanged for Quetzales, the Guatemalan currency (7.45 Q= $1) so coffee for instance is 6Q, about $0.80. We bought calling cards that we can use at certain pay phones around the city, and were able to call our families. We stayed in a local Guatemalan hotel last night for about $20 and were blessed with internet capability here. Even experiencing a touristy town in Guatemala has opened our eyes to how blessed we are in America. Life is so simple here as the people have very little, our hotel room was a quaint tiny room complete with a bed with a sheet and pillows, a fan, a lamp and a small bathroom. The cold water shower (a spigot in the ceiling) actually felt wonderful after experiencing intense heat all day. We went to dinner last night and sat out on the street watching the town come to life. During different parts of our meal, the third chair at our table became occupied with townspeople that we enjoyed getting to know... a precious barefoot two year old ventured across the street away from her mother and just came, sat and starred at us for awhile while we talked to her. Later a 12 year old boy from New York that was visiting his Grandmother spotted us Americans and came to share our English! Lastly an petite, elderly lady selling fresh bread she had made hobbled over to us, set her basket on the table and enjoyed our company. We bought bread from her (for the the second time since we had arrived) for 5Q ($0. 70). We have already fallen in love with the people of this town and enjoyed the unexpected company at our meal!
This morning we ordered cafe con leche from the small cafe in our hotel. Kyle worked on the computer while I had an opportunity to get to know one of the hotel workers. This beautiful girl, late in her teens works day in and day out to keep the hotel running. She performs all duties... manning the cafe, doing laundry by hand, cleaning the bathrooms, taking care of the desk and works every day. Olga, during our conversation, noticed my ring. (I left my diamond at home for safekeeping. However, I have replaced it with an icthus ring from Dede, my awesome mother in law). I told Olga that the icthus is a symbol for Jesus Christ and asked her if she knew of him. She said no. I was then able to share with her the Gospel and why it is so important to me. She was incredibly engaged and receptive and the Holy Spirit helped me communicate clearly in Spanish the whole time! I asked her if she understood everything and showed her a prayer of salvation that I had written out in Spanish. She said that she wanted to pray and so she repeated the prayer after me and received the Lord in her heart. It seemed as if she had no problem understanding everything that I had to say and when we finished the prayer she had tears in her eyes. I am amazed that everything was so clearly communicated. Please pray that she reaches a fuller understanding of this new life and really takes to heart everything that I shared with her! It’s amazing what happens when you make yourself available, even in my weakness considering the language barrier, the message was clearly communicated! We have to go back to the boat to get her a bible in Spanish. She is looking forward to having one. I gave her my ring as a reminder of her decision and she graciously accepted it with a big smile on her face and told me that there is nothing like it to buy anywhere in Guatemala. She wears it proudly on her pinky.
So here we are... overwhelmed by God’s goodness, about to venture out into the city to see what else God has in store. Keep us in your prayers and thank you SO much for your support.
No comments:
Post a Comment