Twelve years ago, Robin and I arrived in Guatemala with only what we could carry in two suitcases. Soon thereafter, we purchased an ordinary charcoal grill at the roadside near our mission base in Quetzaltenango. We could not have known then how many thousands of occasions it would be put to use–simple meals with visitors, holiday meals with Bible Institute students, celebrating birthdays and anniversaries with fellow missionaries, or quiet meals between just the two of us. We are so blessed and thankful to be missionaries doing the Father’s work in Guatemala!

The weather has been wet and gray in the western highlands of Guatemala for the last few months. One afternoon, the clouds opened, and the sun shone through for a couple of hours. Inspired, I decided to grill a string of those fabulous “longaniza” sausages, a staple and favorite among Central Americans, as well as us. All these years later, as I was about to use that trusty old grill again, I noticed fractures in the side where years of regular use had taken its toll. My first thought was to toss it out and get a new one, but then I had a change of heart. Being an aircraft mechanic, I grabbed some tools and a small section of aircraft aluminum, and in no time, the fatigued and fractured area was restored and ready for more years of service.

I took a photo of that faithful, patched-up grill, restored and back in action. It’s a reminder to me of times in our missionary career when, worn-out and wounded, I wondered if the trash heap might be our next destination. But, then God demonstrated that every bump, scratch, and crack is experience He uses for His purpose and glory. Like that old grill, the many fires we have endured over the last 12 years have been in preparation for the next level. I will soon be sharing more about a new season in ministry that Robin and I are about to shoulder. Stay tuned!