"How Can We Sing the Songs of the LORD While in a Foreign Land? Psalm 137:4

Yes, we can and we did over the past week and a half......We're back from our 8th trip to Guatemala since 2004. We had planned to bring some friends from Pennsylvania along but circumstances did not make it possible and so we were wondering who would make this journey with us as we still had alot of work left with the homes that we plan to house whomever God sends our way. Lo and behold, our good friends Don and Christopher who had joined us in May graciously came back! They are two dedicated men to Opal House and their skills were needed as we had tiling jobs that needed completion. These friends of ours are also 'cutting a path' for us with the local community. They enjoy making friends regardless of their ability to speak Spanish. They have encouraged me to come out of the woodwork and get immersed! I'm a little shy about putting myself out there with the little Spanish I've learned....but not Chris and Don! They just get out there and introduce themselves and break bread with those around them. We love them dearly. They would agree with us that this trip will go down as an extrordinary example of the Scripture that talks about "His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts". One day this past week while I was sweeping the main house for what seemed to be the umpteenth time, I heard someone yelling out for help. I ran from the house and saw Will running down the driveway with Christopher and Don following in close pursuit. I joined the pack and ran and prayed as Will said that Pedro had been in an accident. Pedro is the caretaker of the property. He was on his way to the next town in our Honda Passport because the radiator had been leaking. Will was following behind him in the van. To make a long story short, Pedro attempted to make a right turn but instead ended up flipping the Honda Passport down a ravine for about 300 yards! Will thought for sure Pedro was dead or seriously injured as he saw no movement in the car once it came to rest at the bottom of the ravine. He ran back to the house yelling for help and halfway down the hill found Pedro climbing back up the ravine! Will thought he was seeing an apparition. But instead he was seeing a walking miracle....or in Spanish...a milagro! God had protected Pedro. He was not wearing a seatbelt and had his window open. Instead of a tragic outcome, Pedro came out with a separated shoulder and some bruised ribs.
But it's what happened afterwards that would leave us overwhelmed. Our neighbors came out and praised God for the miracle they had experienced with Pedro's accident. They also asked us if they could help us in any way. Children gathered the pieces of the Honda that had been damaged and climbed up this hill to present them to us to keep them from being looted. One child came to us with the rearview mirror that had our rosary hanging from it, which Pedro must have knocked off as he tumbled down the ravine. This is now displayed in our living room as an example of God's care for us through our new faith community. And so we experience God's mercy and wisdom as we see Him use what should have been a terrible tragedy and use it to knit us together. We are so grateful and amazed! We have had a glimpse of what it means to just be present and walk with Christ daily and know that He is there to lead us......