Lest I Stumble

On Thursday afternoon our work was interrupted by a substantial rainstorm. It is surprising to me how much rain we’ve been getting because this is the dry season. What will the wet season be like?

Later that night I was waiting for the boys to come back from the well when Osvaldo, the old guy who lives in the caretaker’s house, called me over.

“Oye, Mamita,” he said, (why does he call me little mama?), “Please be very careful of snakes tonight. Wear shoes, take your candle”

He told me that the snakes lead an active lifestyle after it rains, and that he had already seen two very poisonous vipers that afternoon.

I’m not afraid of snakes, but the bite of one of those vipers kills you in about 45 minutes. Jenni has drilled the importance of watching our steps into our heads many times. The jungle is a treacherous place. If the snakes aren’t bad enough, there are also deadly scorpions, vicious tarantulas, and poisonous inch-long fire ants you just don’t want to mess with.

I was thinking about all of these things as I hopped over the dark muddy puddles on my way to the well that night. I was wishing that Karen and Jenni were there. I didn’t want to be all alone with my headlamp and soap in the darkness. I was afraid.

In Psalm 91, God promises to command his angels to protect us, to lift us up lest we stumble. He tells us we will trample not only serpents and cobras but also lions and beasts under our feet.

There is no need for me to be afraid. I’m working on putting that into practice.