Yesterday was so beautiful! While Charles stayed behind to take care of things with the new Puyo church construction, Jenny and I went to a new community to bring them the Word of God. It was by far the hardest trek I have ever made here in my almost 9 years in Ecuador!!!
We drove about an hour and 20 minutes, and the road ended. From there, we then walked for about 25 or 30 minutes through the thickest clay and deepest mud ever, which weighed our boots down, until we arrived at a gorgeous river. The river was loaded with big huge slippery rocks and was a complete maze that we had to cross very carefully, holding on to the bigger rocks as we went through.
At the other side awaited us the most difficult incline I have ever done here. Every single inch of the rest of the trail was UPHILL! Slippery wood had been laid out years ago by the Indians to walk on. So again, we had to walk very carefully. We would walk for an hour an a half, nearly 2, all UPHILL, in curves and steep inclines that we had to hold on to each other often for help.
The uphill incline to arrive to the community was a total of almost 2,000 feet. Just in case you can’t imagine that, that’s a total of 6 1/2 football fields, or even taller than the twin towers (which were only 1,362 feet). Every single step uphill, nearly 2,000 feet! And the altitude was high, so that I had to drink a lot of water (the altitude makes you dehydrate quickly), was getting a sore throat from breathing in the air of it, and had to stop often and rest just to be able to breathe!
At the last leg of the journey, we had to go down a very crooked, steep muddy ravine, actually squatting down to a sitting position to maneuver our way down it and through it, then cross yet another small river with huge slippery rocks and then uphill, for a short piece, one last time to finally arrive at the community.
But, after a little more than 2 hours, WE MADE IT!! And the people we met there were so precious and kind and amiable. Seeing their smiling faces welcoming us made the journey so worthwhile! Jenny and I talked with them, getting to know them. We talked about the Word, we sang some songs with them and we prayed with them. It was truly a very beautiful visit with some beautiful people!
After about an hour there, it was time to go. So we left, and we had to do all downhill now on the trail, which one would think easy. But because everything was so slippery, it was just as challenging. Jen and I were super exhausted by the time we finally arrived back to the truck, another 2 more hours later. But oh, how beautiful it had been and it was so worth the trip we made!
Jen and I both fell down too many times to count on this whole trip:-), so we both came home with small bruises. But, yes, no matter how difficult it was to get there and even get back out, we will be going again!!!! Hungry souls are there, who want to know Jesus and serve Him, so who am I to complain and say, “It is too hard”? But yet, instead I will say, “Here am I, Lord, send me”, even if it is the hardest trek ever! I will go, for the glory of the Lord!
