So, I said goodbye to my family yesterday and hopped onto a bus headed south (Puerto Montt). I did cry and hugged them all several times over. I really will miss them – especially my oldest brother Gabriel who has become one of my closest friends.

I’ve kind of had a crazy last week with goodbye parties, skiing in the Andes, fixing my temporary visa, and packing my life into my suitcase, box, and book bag. All those stories will have to come later. Today I crossed the channel from the mainland onto the island of Chiloe. I decided to stop for just a few hours in the northern city of Ancud – and according to my travel maps, the city cemetery was just a few blocks from the bus station. So, I headed up that way but got a little confused and stepped into a little market to ask if I had missed the street to the cemetery. A gentleman was just finished checking out and offered to show me the way since it was on his way home.

That’s how I came to meet my new, wonderful friends and Chilote family – Jose and Elizabeth! Jose, the man from the store, and I talked and walked up to the cemetery – he even walked around with me to show me interesting graves and mausoleums. Because it was rainy and cold, Jose invited me to come by his house to meet his family and warm up a little. I hesitated a little because of traveling alone, but then reminded myself that I was just traveling by myself and should take advantage of every opportunity to enrich the trip!

So, on a muddy street in a humble home lived Jose, his darling wife Elizabeth who at first seemed shy but later warmed up to me like family, Elizabeth’s father Gregorio who is a round, robust man that greeted me with 2 kisses on my cheeks, and Gregorio’s wife who they all call la Madre and is perhaps the smallest, sweetest, and cutest old woman I’ve ever met. And here I was an absolute stranger – but before long we were wonderful friends because over coffee Jose and Elizabeth shared with me that they are Christians. And when I told them about my faith (which even most recently had been on the rocks) we all just felt a strong bond and talked about the Lord and read Scripture together. Jose was so caring and encouraging and invited me to stay for lunch, when later became an invitation to stay for “once” (teatime/dinner) and eventually I stayed the night there.

It was such a blessed, joyful experience that I really felt a renewal of God’s love for me. He had planned this little juncture and showed me the amazing, pure faith that this couple had despite being in the middle of nowhere with no big churches or superfluous “spirituality” – they were just living by of the bread of life. And honestly, I’d been running around the last few months an emotional basketcase, thinking I know what I really want or need in life – but truthfully I’ve just gotten myself more confused and perhaps more numb. But tonight I feel alive – excited by the truth and love God has shown me through Jose and Elizabeth.