"Living Dead" at 12,000 feet. [Memoirs of a short-term-mission-tripper].

I have a young friend who has a passion for the Quechua Indians in Bolivia. We had been on 4 other missions’ trips together and she approached me about this one. The photos looked a little more remote than the previous trips. No electricity (again), no showers (again), no bathrooms for who knows how long. Was I up to it? As I studied her photos the Lord allowed me to look at the faces. He gave me compassion and a deep desire to go. He miraculously provided the funds in 30 days and I found myself South America bound. Our purpose was to bring good news to the Quechuas, targeting the children. We had 2 professional clowns, a Doctor, and lots of donated items to give away. There were 14 team members, 4 men, 10 women. There were many challenges, but one stands out in my mind…It may be only once in a lifetime that you find yourself in a place where not only your body but your mind is also pushed to where it's never been. This is where I found myself on a mountaintop in the Altiplano of southern Bolivia. I lovingly called this “The Death Hike”…I didn't think I could walk one more step without falling over. We had been hiking uphill for 3 hours in 12,000 ft. +altitude. I could not take a deep breath. The tears flowed as I realized I couldn’t make it to the next village (Kollpa). It had been, by far, my hardest missions’ trip. I knew the Lord wanted me to come so why wouldn’t he allow me to go all the way to Kollpa? As I waited with 3 other women while our team disappeared over the next mountain I realized that All of my trust had to be in the Lord and in Him alone. Phil wasn't there for me and our guides and team leaders were gone. It would be another 3 to 4 hours before we would be reunited with our team again. It was surreal, as if I were on a TV show….However, God met me there in a way that He had never done in my 36 years of serving Him. He came with a strong presence and sweetness that I will never forget. All of my fear was gone (dying, being lost, freezing to death) and I was able to worship Him wholeheartedly in the midst of his glorious creation…He was calling me to deeper faith. It wasn’t just about protection from what one of our teammates called “A Survivor-type Extreme Missions Trip”. It was about my present and my future. He wanted to take me to a deeper level of trust. When I let go and placed myself in His hands His peace came like a gentle rain. The Comforter was there.Upon returning the Dr. told me in Spanish of the victories he felt that were just won. People in the region believe that Christians, worshiping God instead of Pachamama (the earth goddess) bring natural disasters upon their crops. In Kollpa, two years ago, a family converted and shortly after, a severe hailstorm destroyed the community's crops. The family was banished from the village and Kollpa has continued to be hostile towards believers ever since. A drunk man followed our team throwing football sized rocks and yelling “We don’t need the gospel here” at them. I had been the last one during the hike and with my luck might have been the one to be hit with a rock. I have to trust that the Lord kept me on that mountain to protect me. So many times we want to move forward and he says, “No, be still.” A deeper faith. A resting faith. A quieted Heart. This is his plan for me – not only on a mission’s trip but here at home too.

Annette graciously gave permission for me to share this devotional/testimony that she shared with her missions committee about some of the lessons learned in Bolivia.