Going the Distance
By the Duncans, IM Missionaries in Ecuador
In June, Caleb was able to visit us for two weeks. It was wonderful for him to see basketball friends and his “little sisters” from the Antioch Resident Girls Home. During his stay, we were able to get four days off and take a short vacation to Baños and Quilatoa.
Caleb and Moriah have both been runners. Some may remember Caleb’s graduation marathon “personal fun run” last year. This year, Caleb and Moriah found an organized 15-kilometer trail race in Baños, Ecuador. They had trained in their respective areas (Columbia, Mo, and Pto. Misahualli). Baños sits at 5,971 feet above sea level, and there would be an additional 3,000-foot elevation change during the race. Both knew the challenges they couldn’t train for due to their current locations. They made a pact to stay together during the race. Some friends traveled to cheer them on at the finish line.
The kids recounted that the race was hard; there were several hairline trails where they could only walk one-by-one. Times when they could run more freely on asphalt. As Caleb and Moriah crossed the finish line, they showed signs of exhaustion, but with the end in sight, they picked up their pace. We started cheering them on, and they went faster. What a moment of rejoicing when they finished their race.
After one day of recovery, we had planned to hike down and out of Quilatoa. Quilatoa Lake is an 800-yr old extinct water-filled volcano, with a trail of powdery volcanic ash soil, and it was difficult to get one’s footing going down. Coming out of the steep incline reminded us of hiking out of the Grand Canyon, though the weather was much colder at the high elevation.
It was a full two days of travel, most on foot. As we were hiking out of Quilatoa, I found myself counting my steps. Every 100 steps, Adam and I would take a break as we were coming out. The air was cold and thin, the path steep and uneven. Often life is like our two days. Sometimes in life, we run a big race, only to enter a different terrain, instead of a long period of rest. We must pace ourselves, look ahead, but not forget how far God’s brought us in this life. Taking a two-minute break to catch our breath. Sometimes those breaks don’t come as often as we’d hoped.
We’ve been going through some difficult seasons of learning about leadership, discipleship, and helping our last child enter adulthood. We often don’t grow during the flat, even terrain of a street run, but in the steep climbs or narrow trails of life. Hearing the Holy Spirit’s voice to say, “Keep going, God has gone before you.” Even if you may be the one clearing the way for others because you are the first one to go that direction, we must take up the cross of Christ each day, knowing that His ways are best.
Would you pray for us during this seemingly unending difficult season?
