After 7 days of driving, 10 hours every day, almost running out of gas in the middle of the Sierra Mountains, and almost getting our truck seized and almost getting a $5,000.00 fine at the border for getting in the wrong line, we are home! We arrived home Wednesday, April 26th. The drive was long – there sure is a lot of desert up the Baja, through southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas! The world didn’t start getting green until Arkansas and Tennessee. Emma had her first experience with rain in Arkansas. Speaking of Emma, she traveled like a champ! I sat in the back with her for most of the trip while Mark drove. She would eat every 3 hours, we would play or read together for about an hour, and then she would sleep for about 2 hours. I think it was in New Mexico that I taught her how to give raspberries which Mark was not very happy with since she would stick her tongue out and spit all over us when we held her after that. It was a very educational trip. . .
It was very difficult to leave our home in La Paz. We feel so blessed to have been able to spend a year in paradise with some of the most wonderful people in the world. David and Joyce Reed have been like a brother and a sister to us as well as mentors. It was also a blessing to be able to spend so much time with our friends Mary & Raul and Carolina & Ruben. By the way, Mary & Raul’s house looks great! They are all moved in, and Mary even planted a garden already! It’s still not complete, but it’s beautiful, and they couldn’t be happier. Carolina & Ruben are in the process of building a home too!
Another blessing we received before leaving was through our neighbor Edith and her 2 daughters Azul and Emmi. Edith’s father was our landlord. Edith is a hair dresser, and she works hard to care for her girls. Over the year, Edith has shared with us the struggles she faces being a single mom. One of the brothers at Crossroads was a regular at her shop. One day he invited her to Crossroads, and she agreed to come. Edith speaks only a word or two of English, so she did not understand much, but the 2nd time she came, she met Carolina & Ruben who also attend the First Baptist Church of La Paz (a Mexican church). They formed a wonderful relationship, and soon Edith was closing her shop early to attend weekly Bible studies at Carolina & Ruben’s home. Financially, this was a huge sacrifice for her, but she knew that this was something she needed to do. One morning as Joyce and I were going for our morning walk, Edith stopped us at the gate just beaming. She shared with us that she had accepted Christ! And not only that, but she was going to be baptized at the First Baptist Church! Were were ecstatic! What a blessing! Our last Sunday in La Paz, Mark and I, David and Joyce, and the brother who gave the original invitation to Crossroads were able to attend her baptism on Easter Sunday. Ruben and another sister from the church accompanied her as she was baptized. Amen!
Now that we’re home, it’s back to the “real” world. We are still praying and waiting to see where God will lead us next. It’s great to be back though. Emma has now met almost all of her family. Her grandparents are going crazy over her. Mark starts a temporary job tomorrow working with a good friend in construction. I am blessed to be able to spend my days with Emma being a mom. I can’t imagine anything better than that.
This will be our last Blog entry as our mission year has come to an end. We can’t believe our year is over! We are looking forward to catching up with you all! Thank you for all of your love and support! We continue to cherish your prayers as we prayerfully await our next adventure.
With Blessings!
Mark, Susan, & Emma Larimer
