LOST! The me version.

This is me lost in San Jose, Costa Rica. Do I look tense? My wife decided she needed to become a photojournalist, as we tried to find our way after loosing our guides who mysteriously turned left and disappeared. The kids were in the back, the sky was getting dark, it was rush hour, I hadn't spoken spanish in 10 years and we had no map, or idea where we were going. Tense, heck ya!

In retrospect things went very well. We eventually got on the road we were supposed to be on and hooked up several hours later with the car we were to follow. The in between time was spent relying on strangers. I realize that some directions are good and some are bad, but if a Costa Rican says the road to Cartago is straight ahead....it doesn't mean the road you are on will take you directly to Cartago. It actually means, turn left at the soccer stadium, left at the church and when it dead ends-turn left.

What was more interesting than the situation was what it taught me.I realize that I have a fear of the unknown. My immediate reaction to Costa Rica was I didn't like it. I was likely to be lost, robbed, it was a dirty, confusing place etc. Costa Rica has since become best and safest Latin American experience-WHAT a country! The bottom line was I hated being lost. It taught me that I had assumed that people would not be helpful, that I would not be able to communicate, that it was terrible to be out of control. In reality, we found our friends because a very kind guy with is daughter stopped and lent us his cell phone to make a call to our friends. Repeatedly people gave us directions, suffered through our broken spanish and helped. Even Burger King let us call on their phone.

Now, I pride myself on being someone who is willing to take risks, who has traveled extensively and is able to converse in spanish. Realizing these fears was a big shock! Traveling with my family I realized I don't always like taking risks, that I do isolate myself from the help of strangers. I am so glad I got lost! It is amazing that when we don't have these experiences how routine and controlled our life gets. It leads us to a false sense of our ability, our life direction, our safety. Getting lost allows us to see that God will look after us any time any where. No wonder pilgrimage was meant to be a spiritual practice, that gave followers of Jesus a consistent glimpse of his constant leading. Those people that stopped helped me not only get to my destination, but helped me to see God leads me, and looks after me. What a great reminder!

HE LEADETH ME by Joseph Gilmore

He leadeth me, O blessed thought!

O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
Refrain
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, over troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.
Refrain

Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.
Refrain

And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.
Refrain