Journey up a Mountain

I want to write this while my heart is still full and running over with joy from the blessings we received Saturday and Sunday from a wonderful missionary journey to Nicaragua. I thank the Lord He is still giving me these wonderful experiences and I am still able to go to faraway places to see what God has done in places that I never imagined I would be able to go.

It all started a few weeks ago when one of the pastors in Nicaragua told me that one of our churches was planning a "BIG" service in my honor. When I asked him where was this church, he told me to turn around and look. I was in front of the church in LaTrinidad at the time and when I turned around I saw one of the highest mountains I had ever seen (well, at that time it looked like the highest), and my first response was "There is no way I am going up that mountain". Then, he and others began to tell me that a road had recently been made and one didn´t have to climb the mountain called Mesa de Oyanca. They also told me that other churches were going to be there and they had made plans to kill a cow, etc., etc., so wanting to show these pastors that I was a brave missionary, I agreed to go.

My two sons advised me not to go, saying I would not be able to make the trip. Stevie even went as far to say as "Mama, if you die up there on that mountain, they are only losing a missionary but we are losing a mama¨....

Saturday morning, along with Stephany and Philip, Jr., we left early for the mission center in Condega where I spoke with the pastors wives of our mission. It was a wonderful time for me to get to know many of the wives that I had never met and we had a great meeting.

We then drove to the city of Esteli to spend the night. Getting there early, we were able to walk around town and I showed different places to the grandchildren, such as where we first lived in Esteli, places hit hardest during the war, etc., etc.

On Sunday morning at 7:00 am, we left for LaTrinidad where two four wheel drive vehicles were waiting for us. I felt no fear, only a thrill to be able to meet brothers and sisters in Christ that I had never met before. For about the first hour the little narrow road was STRAIGHT UP and the most beautiful scenery that you could imagine. It was breathtaking. Then we hit the flatland and I could not believe what my eyes were seeing. There were rocks that came up to the door of the truck and the driver had to try and go over, around and in between these rocks. My only fear was that one of these rocks would destroy the vehicle underneath which, by the way, was a rented vehicle. The jeep was in front of us.

After about an hour and a half we reached the church and I could not believe the people standing there waiting to see Sister Joan. It was very emotional for me....hundreds of people and they had killed the cow. They wanted to serve us breakfast first thing and they were proud to tell me they were serving me "steak", the best part of the cow.

The pastor told me he had 97 adults saved on this mountain. They had built their own church before the "road" was built. Every member was required to bring 10 cement blocks for the construction, even including the women. How they ever carried a block up that mountain is beyond my imagination! The vice-mayor came for the service on Sunday, and he promised the people that in time the city of LaTrinidad was going to improve the road.

To my surprise I began to see more people arriving, but these people had walked up that mountain. Most said it took them two and a half to three hours. The greatest surprise was to see Antonio Inestroza´s mother-in-law who has to be in her late sixties, or maybe more, who left her home in LaTrinidad to climb the mountain. It took her and others with her over five hours to make the climb. She left her home at five in the morning and she told me she would climb a little while and then rest, but she said it was well worth it.

What a service we had!! They had put up what looked like a home made tent and the wind was blowing so strong, I looked for the poles to start flying at any time. Brother Carmen Carcamo, whom many of you know who almost died last year with an enlarged heart, diabetes and a lot of other problems, preached under that tent, a miracle from the Lord. When they asked me to speak, I told those people that one had to feel close to the Lord because it felt like you could touch the sky. What a beautiful world God made for us.

After service they wanted me to go to another house where an older member wanted to meet me. She was unable to walk. I sat amazed as she told me about her life - she had born 13 children on this mountain, and never had a doctor. She was so beautiful and she would not take her eyes off me.

As we said our good byes and started back down the mountain, we met several men, women and children on horseback on their way back home after going into town for supplies. I felt like I was watching a western movie on television.

I wanted to do something so badly for all these people to show my appreciation for their invitation to me to come and visit them. I told them that they had fed me, now I wanted to feed them - and that I wanted them to have a big Christmas meal together and I am going to send money also for piñatas for the children who will also be receiving toys and candy from the Christmas sacks that we will be giving to all the children.

As we were coming down the mountain, I told the group I was with that people give me so much honor and glory, which I feel I do not deserve. I have never climbed a mountain for five hours to be in a service for the Lord, I never had to live in a place like that and bear my children without even a doctor like the young pastor´s wife has done. I think when we stand before the Lord at the Judgement Seat of Christ, many of us will be taking a back seat to these men and women who love God so much and who sacrifice in ways that I have never had to do but yet never receive any recognition from man. God keeps the records and their recognition will be coming from Him.

Thank God for allowing me to go to Mesa de Oyancas and meet more of the precious family of God. Thank the Lord for the opportunity to expose my grandchildren to missions and to the hardships and sacrifices that others make for the Lord without any recognition. Thank God for His people in the United States who support me and pray for me so that I can be a missionary.

Joan Tyson