The Box

I was headed back to San Francisco, for very exciting reasons. Four of the new believers in San Francisco have been coming to the discipleship center for training. One of the things we teach is that the training they receive is not just for them, but they need to return home and share it with their neighbors. So I was excited the day they called and said that they had been sharing Jesus with a nearby village and some of the people have come to Christ. Then they asked if I would visit for the baptisms. What a great reason to head back.

The journey starts with a two-hour pickup truck ride. So I went to the truck stop to get a ride. I arrived at 11:30 because the road is under construction and only open from 12:00-12:45 during the day. I found a seat and waited as the truck filled up with passengers and cargo. I waited and waited and started to get frustrated and nervous. I had a plan to meet a pastor at 2:00 and we were going to walk two more hours together to San Francisco. It was now 12:30 and the truck driver was still loading the truck. Someone had bought rebar, which comes in 30-foot-long bars, and was trying to tie it to the pickup bed. If we did not make it onto the road by 12:45 it would be closed until 8:00pm, effectively canceling my trip.

Many times we are delayed for a purpose. Our plan is not necessarily God’s plan. And this was the case for me as I saw a hearse pull up to the truck stop. They pulled a simple wood coffin out of the back and loaded it in a truck. And then out of the front climbed Jose, a friend of mine. Jose is one of the disciples that regularly attends trainings at the discipleship center. He lives in a distant village and is new in the Lord. I jumped out of the truck and asked him what was happening. He could only respond that his uncle had passed away.  We only had a moment as now both trucks were running and the drivers were waiting. So instead of asking him details, we prayed. When we finished tears were streaming down Jose’s face. It is a rare thing to see a Shawi show such emotion. I knew his heart was broken.

Then we climbed in and took off. Jose’s truck in front of mine. When we got to the road it was 12:47 and it was closed, but after some negotiating with the guard, he saw the coffin and let us through. For the next two hours we followed that truck down the bumpy dirt road. The coffin did not fit in the truck bed so it was hanging out the back, tied down with some rope. As we drove I prayed for Jose and the people in his village. And I began to think about the coffin, a simple wood box. It’s destination: three hours in a truck followed by four hours in a dugout canoe. Then carried to a cemetery out in the jungle where it will be buried and marked with a wooden cross. Ten years from now the wood will rot away and the wood box will be forgotten. But that is the same for you and me. We will die. Our bodies are destined for the wood box. And although it might be marked with stone instead of wood, it will still be forgotten. It all seems so permanent.

It was with those thoughts that I finally got out of the truck. I was late but the pastor was waiting for me with a pleasant surprise. He had brought a boat and said we could go half way by boat before walking. The river was too low to go all the way. So we jumped in the boat and 30 minutes later arrived at the village of Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa is a very exciting place as a year ago there were only 5 believers in the village, but today there are over 30 and they have appointed leaders and are building a church. The leaders have been coming to the discipleship center for training. One of the new believers invited us to his house for lunch before we continued walking. There I was able to visit and get to know him and his family over a bowl of fish soup.

Then an amazing thing happened! After lunch we walked out of his house to see that the river had risen two feet during the 30 minutes we had spent eating. Although it was sunny where we were it must have rained up in the mountains. Praise the Lord! He provided water and we continued on in the boat. Many of the believers in Santa Rosa decided to join us and climbed in the boat, with 15 people we were riding low. The old boat was full of cracks and holes and was taking on water as fast as we could bail, but we made it to San Francisco safely.

Church Service in San Francisco

After dark service began. They asked me to speak so I told the story of David being anointed by Samuel. I told them that just as God had chosen David for the task of king, God has also chosen them for the task of sharing his gospel. The service went until midnight. We sat around and talked and drank chicha until 1:00am. Then we all fell asleep on the porch of a house. At 4:00am one of the guys woke up and grabbed a guitar and for an hour they all sang hymns and prayed together. What an amazing way to start the day.

After chicken soup for breakfast, service began again. They asked how many were planning to be baptized and 4 people raised their hands. Praise God! These 4 people were trusting in God because the believers in San Francisco were sharing their faith. Then they asked me to speak again. I told the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch.  I explained that as followers of Christ their job is to be as Philip, obedient to the Lord and sharing the good news. Then I gave a simple invitation and 6 people received Christ. Afterwards we all walked down to the river and 10 people were baptized.

Baptism in the river

After service I started the long trip home. The river had dropped overnight and we spent more time out of the boat pushing then we did in the boat. It was so slow that some of the people walked and actually arrived before the boat. Then I jumped in the back of a pickup.

All wet and squished between plantains and boxes of papaya for two hours, my thoughts returned to the box. Our bodies are destined for the box, but our souls have a different destiny. That destiny is also permanent. And this weekend the destiny of 6 people changed.  God changed their eternity.

I returned home at 7:00pm, tired but full of joy. Praising God for what He is doing in, around, and through San Francisco. Praising Him that He is calling the people and through His mercy, changing destinies.

The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off- for all whom the Lord our God will call.  

-Acts 2:39

The new believers coming forward to declare their faith.