Written by Jackie Heberle, Amazon Mission Trip, August 2024
If there is one thing I have learned over the years concerning mission trips, it’s that plans change, timelines move, and God works despite it. Actually, I think He orchestrates it.
On this, my third trip to the Amazon, these things were the same. Plans changed, timelines moved, and God did what He does—He created divine moments.
On Friday, we planned to go to a small village further inland. The bus broke down (not today, Satan!), so arrangements were made for a school bus to take us once it had finished its morning route. A later start and changes to our plan—these things do not surprise me.
Once the school bus arrived, we quickly loaded up all our medical and dental supplies, VBS materials, and exchange fair items. We all piled into the bus, and off we went…and went. We probably traveled at least 30 minutes deep into the jungle on a bumpy dirt road, passing nothing but the occasional structure and a cow or two.
The energy on the bus was electric! Everyone sang and laughed the entire way, and we were excited and expectant.
When we arrived at the village of about a dozen families, we set up in a covered building. We were told that most of the kids were at school, but a small group of little children, young moms with infants, and some of the older generation had already begun to gather.
The village was made up of three indigenous tribes, some of which dated back to Aztec roots. Each tribe still had its own language, but their common language was Portuguese.
My friend, Susan, whipped out her bubble machine, and it began to do what it does best…bring the children and the smiles!
The home visit crews headed off on foot to make contacts throughout the village. The medical clinic quickly set up and started seeing patients, and the dental clinic did the same.
After group play and a few songs, we started our Bible lesson on Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Along with the interpreter, I told the Bible story with my friend Sean as my trusty Shepherd and the rest of the team as his sheep.
When it was time to do the craft, and everyone was busy working, I noticed the exchange fair had begun. An exchange fair is an event held in every village whereby the villagers can come and get items such as clothing, shoes, purses, baby items, and the like in exchange for something they bring. Most of the time, villagers bring fruit or vegetables, a handmade item such as a necklace, or a small hand-carved boat.
I had never seen the exchange fair in action, so I walked over to check it out. I was taking it all in: the surroundings, the excited chatter, the intentional conversations that were happening, and the juxtaposition of the exchange of things so small but so essential when resources are scarce.
My eye caught a very young mother looking at the children’s clothes. In particular, she had picked up a pair of boy’s tennis shoes. The smile on her face was big and bright. She exuded excitement as she quickly went to her husband, who was holding just about one of the cutest little barefoot boys I have ever seen.
I noticed the young mom reaching out to her son’s cute, chubby feet to try on the shoes. I looked at her, and with a smile and a big thumbs up, I asked, “Do they fit?” hoping my upward thumb would convey what I was trying to ask. She made eye contact and shook her head vigorously, “Yes,” and we both squealed!
And then it hit. It hit hard—an avalanche of emotions.
The shoes.
The small gray pair of sneakers were familiar—very familiar. They were not just any pair of sneakers. They were the sneakers I had lovingly and prayerfully packed in my suitcase. They had traveled over 3,000 miles to a remote part of the jungle and to this moment.
They were my grandson Luca’s sneakers. I could not contain the emotion, the tears.
I smiled at the family and turned away. The tears spilled over and began to slide down my cheeks. I made eye contact with a fellow team member from my church, and he could tell I was having a God-moment without either of us having to say it.
The blessing of shoes for a young family was such a gift. But the gift that I marveled over the most was the gift God had just given me.
God allowed me to witness this precious moment in His goodness (oh, the goodness of God). He allowed me to see something that belonged to someone I loved so much go to a child in the jungle that God loved so much. A child that God had not forgotten.
My tears did not stop for a long time. I could not stop them as I kept thinking, “God you have been so gracious to me my entire life. Your love is lavish.”
I could not wait to tell my family, especially my son, the story of Luca’s shoes. Luca’s shoes were on Louie’s feet.
My son, a pastor, loved the story. He loved the God-moment that they had provided me.
The day after I returned from the jungle, I had dinner with my other son, Jared, the father of my other grandson, Cooper.
After listening to my story he asked me, “Mom, do you have a picture of the shoes?” I told him I did.
“Can I see it?” he asked.
When I showed him the picture, he looked at me and said, “Mom, those were Cooper’s shoes, too. We gave them to Luca when he outgrew them.”
Tears. Again.
Lavish love poured out again.
Two grandson’s feet covered by shoes that are now providing covering and protection for a little boy in the Amazon.
Isn’t that just like God?
And to think He allowed me a front-row seat to a scene He orchestrated.
Bring on your twisted timelines, broken-down buses, and changed plans, God. They surely are a gift.
Want to get involved in our work in the Amazon? You can donate to our programs for pastors and kids, sponsor a child, or learn about going on a mission trip.
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