Car Troubles, Guns and God

This last Sunday morning, 9 young guys from the youth group Bible Study that I lead, and myself left for a day long mountain retreat with God. I had nothing on the agenda, except for the teens to do whatever it was that would result in them connecting with God and learning from him. First off, let me just say, 9 teen guys, leaving at 6:30 in the morning defines the word "comatose". I'm not even sure if they were all awake by the time we piled into the van and S.U.V. and headed to the hills.

But this I know, the guys in the van I was driving (I had borrowed it from another youth leader) woke up when we broke down. We were definitely up in the mountains and about three minutes earlier I had heard a squeal from under the hood which was followed by a complete loss of power to the vehicle. After confirming there were no cats, dogs or iguanas hidden under the hood, I resigned myself to the fact that we weren't going anywhere. About that time the other car we were traveling with noticed we weren't behind them and they returned to our aid.

And this is why I love my guys from the youth group: While myself and the other youth leader worked on the van and called for reinforcements, the teens got out the guitars and started the retreat on the side of the road in front of a cow pasture. Regardless of what was keeping us from our final destination, nothing was keeping these young men from meeting with God. When they finished their time of worship, they moved off to different parts of the shoulder and began a time of silence with the Lord.

Within an hour, our backup arrived in the form of the main youth leader for our group, affectionately titled, "Cap'n Fun". He and his wife took our place on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck to bring them the hour or so back to San Jose, and gave us their S.U.V. to make it the rest of the way.

We made it to the campground where we had planned to hold the retreat and everyone scattered, anxious to get back to their solitude with God.

Throughout the day, I would quietly make my way around the camp to check in with everyone, and every time I would start talking with another guy, I would hear more incredible things about what God was doing in their lives that day. They all were convicted, encouraged and comforted within hours of arriving.

Our retreat ended with a time of worship, testimony and communion where the guys shared with each other what God had been telling them. It's amazing what happens when we take ourselves out of our routine and say “God, speak to me”.

On the way back out, the S.U.V. was really struggling up the mountain and eventually, what I dreaded, actually happened. It stopped. I would put on the gas, and nothing would happen. Having now broken two cars in one day, I sent the guys in my car running ahead to find the other group.

Shortly after they had left, as I was sitting thinking about all that had happened that day, a car puled off and asked if everything was alright. I explained in my best Spanish that I thought something had happened to the four wheel drive. They told me they'd have a look and as they were pulling over to park, I saw it. By "it", I mean a gun. One of the men had moved it from the car door to a holster and at the same time my heart had moved from my chest to my throat. Interestingly enough I wasn't scared, really more bewildered. Of course this would happen. Gringo with a nice car broken down on the side of the road in the mountains. This is the scenario the travel guides warn about. I was sure I was about to be robbed at gun point.

As the men got out I asked them, "Ustedes son policias?" (Are you Police). The answer was yes and they showed me their badges. While my heart rate returned to normal, one of them miraculously got the car working.

As I drove further up the hill, looking for the guys I had sent running ahead, I was ecstatic. What a day! And as I pulled around a curve in the road, I saw the guys jumping and screaming in excitement. When they piled into the car they explained that after walking for for 25 minutes they had stopped to pray that God would get the car working. Immediately after saying "Amen", I had driven around the corner.

God was definitely in control, and I am so thankful for the day and all of it's events. In the retreat we saw our focus brought back to the heart of worship, while on the road to and from the retreat, we were reminded that God will take any situation and use it for His glory, whether it is listening to His children worshiping by a broken van, or answering a prayer on the side of a mountain road.