An Unexpected Ending aka Not Quite Done Yet

So we got a full day in San Juan before we were supposed to head out the next day, finally on our way home. There was so much to explore in San Juan that we went back for an hour the next day, sandwiched between our team meetings and our departure time. It was seemingly one of our last hurrahs in Puerto Rico. We spent the time exploring a local fortress with one of our friends from Mayaguez named Jeshua.

Soon enough we were headed to the airport. We had received mental closure after debriefing and everything seemed to be winding down. But wait... No, were not quite done yet. Turns out the airline booked 17 seats for a flight on June 21st, not July 21st. We had no spots on a plane, in fact there was no plane, and we were stuck at the airport without a place to stay or a plan.

It was if the Lord was telling us with a sense of humor that our time in Puerto Rico was not done yet. We could not just shut off or relax or subside, because there was still time to be spent in country. With this came a weird sensation of wanting to be home and at the same time not wanting to say goodbye, but all that went on hold.

We were put up in the Hilton and there we had time to spend at the hotel together which allowed us to bond more before we would have to say our emotional goodbyes. However, I can also see how we influenced those around us positively, whether it was taxi drivers we met, security guards, or random travelers that were placed in our lives, often only for a moment.

Did I say that Jeshua hung out with us at the airport for over 3 hours before making the long drive back to Mayaguez just because he wanted to? It was relationships like those that made these 5 weeks in Puerto Rico truly worthwhile and special. I suppose it feels good to know you will be missed, but it is even more humbling to think that the Lord was actually able to use us. We came here to share the Gospel with this island and you cannot do that effectively unless you radically impact the culture. I would like to think that our little team left a proportionally big footprint on this place.

When we finally do get home, at some point, we can find solace in that news. All the glory be His.