“Did that really just happen?”
I stared around at my team.
I double checked around every table for a few minutes until it hit me.
I sank down in a chair.
“Guys, my backpack is gone.”
Immediately I made an itemized list of all that was stolen:
Passport, laptop, debit cards, cash, Bible, journal, camera, etc.
My things were gone.
Instead of breaking down, a bit of a shock hit me.
Here I was with my team.
We had finally arrived to Santiago, Chile after a few days of travel. We had just plopped our stuff down at a Starbucks near the bus station to take a while to rest before leaving again. We were to take a 12 hour bus south later that night to arrive in the city of Frutillar where we would be for our first month.
‘Now what?’ I thought to myself.
“How could this have happened? You KNEW this city is notorious for theft. You should have been more careful. You should have addressed a confusing situation more intently. You’re supposed to be leading this team, and you can’t even keep up with your own things?”
I tried to shake the disappointment at myself for a moment to logically think about the situation.
My squad leader Emily’s small bag was stolen as well. We both sat in disbelief, so frustrated but also thankful to at least be in this situation together.
We spoke to the police, the Starbucks employees, and our leader Tammy back in the US. We canceled cards, called the US embassy, and tried to come to terms with reality.
I excused myself for a moment to go the restroom and broke down.
“Lord, this isn’t the way this was supposed to begin! I KNOW I am supposed to be here. I KNOW you have prepared me for this now. But how do I begin from this place?”
I shed a few more tears, grieved the loss of some things I knew I might break down about later, and headed back out to my team.
MIRACULOUSLY Emily found her passport behind some things in her wallet, which she had in her jacket pocket.
We deliberated and decided that it would be best for Emily to take the team on to Frutillar so they could get settled while I figured out the details of how to get a replacement passport.
One of the teams was staying about a 45 minute drive outside the city, so I made plans to get to them and stay with their team until I got my new passport.
So with my big pack and guitar in tow, I said goodbye to my team and Emily, and walked about a block to catch an Uber.
Feeling alone, frustrated, and in need of the familiar more than ever, it was weird to get into a car with this stranger who knew only a few words in English. Obviously this is HIS country! So I tried to communicate a little with him with the VERY little Spanish I knew. We had some moments of understanding here and there.
I’m from the US. He is from Colombia where most of his family is now. I tell him I recognize Shakira on the radio, and he tells me he is a fan. He asks me my opinion about Donald Trump (of course..) and I say my allegiance is to God.. haha. (Swerve!)
As I stared out the window, I thanked God for the ability to communicate at least a little bit and for the Andes mountains I saw standing boldly in the distance.
I heard from the Lord:
You’re going to be okay. I’ve got you.
And I breathed a little easier.
I arrived where the other team was staying, but they were in the middle of a youth group meeting. By this time, it’s Wednesday around 7:30 pm.
My other squad leader Patrick met me out front. “Feel free to come inside, or you can sit out here if you need a little time.”
I felt the tears coming on immediately. He understood.
“Thanks. I think I’ll stay out here and have a good cry.”
He nodded and headed back in.
I sat down, and allowed all the emotion from the day hit me.
Thank you, Lord, for the space and time to just cry. I let go of the feeling of being shaken up and being unsafe. The worry over my passport and lost money. The lost photos and memories on my laptop of my own Race.
The frustration of not being able to begin things with my team right away. The expectation of what starting this journey for the next few months would be.
All of it.
Tears and snot on my face, I just so happened to find a single tissue in my jacket pocket that I considered throwing away earlier. Thanks, God. You’re in the little things too!
I had to ask Him for some help on that front porch far from my team and even further from my expectations of how this whole trip alumni team leading would begin, and He helped me consider what I could be thankful for in that moment.
I was safe. I was being taken in by another team. Patrick, having his passport stolen before in the same city, was going to help me do what I needed to get a replacement. God had supplied provision and donations get to another country to pour into these men and women on the Race. He was still good!
Just then, Patrick came out to the front porch with a blanket in hand and a roll of toilet paper. “These were just by the door, so I thought I’d bring them out!”
WOW, God! You ARE provision itself. You are all I need and you ALWAYS supply what I have need of.
“Thank you so much,” I said.
He went back inside.
I wrapped up, and wiped my face, and just took some time to breathe.
I AM with you. Let it all go and just trust me.
What else can I even do, Lord? I will.
——
The next few days were a whirlwind. I had to schedule an appointment at the embassy after the weekend, so l had to let go of frantically feeling out of control and realize that I actually WAS out of control and could trust the Lord anyway. Emily was down south with my team taking on all the communication and settling and working with the ministry host in my place (and she did so flawlessly! Thanks, Em!). In the next few days, I was able to gather all the paperwork and components I needed for my passport appointment with Patrick’s help.
Then, like a DREAM, the other team with their alumni team leader Shea, and our other squad leader Alyssa, welcomed me so warmly into their routine and way of life in Santiago for the few days I was there. I ate meals with them, went to ministry with them for one day before their weekend off of scheduled ministry, and I joined their team times each night.*
(Team time is just a set apart time of each day where the team sits down together to check in with how each person is doing, talk about any announcements, give any feedback that’s necessary, and to pray a little bit.)
They shared their bathroom with me, boiled me hot water for some showers, and served me so well during those few days. (THANK YOU, Team Agape Vita, for your love and support for a few tough days! You all are such amazing and fiercely loving women!)
I was able to go to the embassy that following Monday morning and get an emergency passport. I also got a replacement small backpack to travel on with.
That afternoon, I got my bus ticket to Frutillar, Chile and waited at the bus station for a few hours. Looking back on it, it was the first time I had ever really traveled by myself. I’ll admit I was a little scared to be there with all my stuff. I was hyperaware and a little paranoid that someone would try to steal something else of mine, but I spent some time reading scripture and praying until I walked a little ways to the where the buses were parked.
I went 30 minutes early to ensure I wouldn’t miss my bus somehow because of communication barriers or my own misunderstandings.
And there I sat. As I saw my bus pull in, I jumped up hurriedly to load my things and board the bus.
I felt so ready just to get to my team and begin adjusting with them to life and ministry in Frutillar.
That bus ride was 12 hours overnight. And I was completely out for the whole trip. The bus attendant woke us up to give us some coffee and a bag of little cookies.
Emily and one of my team girls Alicia met me on the side of the road to walk me to our little house next door to our host’s family home. As we walked up to the house, I felt a sense of excitement and relief.
The girls greeted me and embraced me as I looked around our little cabin house with wood burning stove and wooden walls. I knew it would be a blessing to be settled and get familiar with the routine of life in Frutillar with my women!! I tucked my stuff away in a corner to get ready to head to the school down the street for ministry that day.
ALLLLL that to say…
This is just a glimpse into my first 4 or so days of being in Chile!
Since then, we’ve been full force into working with a ministry called Casa Esperanza. (more on that later! :D)
I apologize for the late update, but as you can see, it’s been pretty crazy!
God is good no matter the unexpected circumstance, my team of women is amazing, my leaders are INCREDIBLE, and ministry is in full swing here in Frutillar, Chile!
Thank you, friends and fam, for all your prayers and support. Even though I haven’t spoken with many of you, I feel the effects of your prayers as I have been given so much grace and love by God Himself and those I am surrounded by.
Keep an eye out for another blog soon about what we’ve been doing here with our ministry hosts with Casa Esperanza!
Thanks for reading!
Yours,
Abby.
