It was humid and hot, as it almost always is, and the ceiling fan was struggling to cool the restaurant. The room was noisy from the hustle and bustle of travelers coming and going through the airport. Occasionally a small airplane would take off from the runway outside. When the big jets taxied to the terminal, we could hardly hear each other.
I sat at the restaurant table with Mark and Adrienne Parcher. Our friend Mike Egusa joined us. The last few days had been spent together at Jaguar Creek in Belize, and the whole time we had talked about what God might be doing in our midst. It seemed like there was an opportunity to do something far beyond our expectations … but what, exactly? We didn’t know.
Despite days of conversation, dreaming, prayer, exploration, and lots of thought, we still did not have a clear vision of God’s plan. We knew it involved the poor, women and children in particular, and that it revolved around the Jaguar Creek center. But when making life changing plans, that’s not a lot to go on.
And now it was time to fly home. Mark and Adrienne would return to Costa Rica where they were working with Latin American Mission, Mike and I would return to California. We needed to come to some consensus of what God was up to and what our response would be.
It was October 17, 2006. Five years ago today.
We talked about how sometimes God wants us to take a step of faith without fully revealing where that step will lead us. It’s like signing on the dotted line of a contract without any of the particulars of that contract filled in.
In short order a paper napkin was pulled out and signature lines were penned along the bottom. I’ve had dozens of business and ministry plans penciled out on a number of paper napkins, but this was the first time I was asked to sign a blank napkin. But I did. So did Mark and Adrienne.
And with that, the new adventure we call PathLight was born. And what an amazing adventure it has been!
In the last five years, over 2000 people have been involved in short-term service trips in six different villages. Fifty-six students are receiving secondary education and four more are in college. The Teacher Training Conference has served 159 Belizean teachers who work with 4200 students. Through the sponsorship program we have funded 24,300 hot lunches, distributed 338 school uniforms, and provided more than 1000 textbooks.
Best of all, kids have seen their lives changed on spiritual, social and academic levels. They are living proof of the PathLight mission of “hope through faith and learning”.
God was definitely at work five years ago today as we sat in the airport restaurant. We sensed it at the time, but we didn’t see the whole picture. That’s frustrating and even a bit frightening. It’s hard to take a step forward without a clear picture of where we are going. But thankfully, with smiles and just a tinge of fear, we signed that blank napkin.
You were part of that step of faith. Your financial support, the wisdom you share, the prayers, the volunteer hours … that’s the tangible foundation of PathLight. The last five years have been a wonderful adventure and your presence in the midst of it all has been a huge encouragement. Thank you.
With your help – and a bit more detail on the napkin – we are looking forward to what God has in mind for the next five years!