raw.

I just got back from a 5+ hour hike through the jungle and mountain tops.

When we started out, we just wanted to go some of the way and have a pic-nic, plus we also thought that the village that we wanted to go to was closer than it was.

PSYCHE!

It was a ton father than we thought.

So, we live in la quanca. Which is the valley between all these mountains, but we live close to the top of the road. The road use to continue up and over the mountain range and down the other side to the rest of the country (when you get off the mountain on my side it’s like 20 minutes to the coast). Well a new road was built around the mountians, so the only people that use the road in the valley, are the people that live here.

Our goal today was to go up the overgrown road to the mountain peak where you can see the other side of the country.

Let’s just say we didn’t think it would take that long, and we didn’t bring enough water.

We did finally make it.

But instead of going down the way we came, which was a pretty smooth, even path, we took the path that leads to another village, which eventually leads to the road and my village.

Lets just say that after walking that path, well, hiking for so long, I have a new appreciation for Jesus and how he walked in sandals all the time, and how he washed the disciples feet.  I'm pretty sure I stepped in everything today that they did when traveling.

All that to say, why do people like to be so clean?

For example the first thing we did was stop at a friends house on the way home to swim and cool off at his swimming hole, but also as soon as I got home I jumped in the freezing shower and scrubbed for a long time.

But what’s the point of getting “clean” or bathing, if there is nothing to clean. Like the American lifestyle is so clean, that other than a little sweat from sports, there is really no need to get clean. (Ok, I know other things happen that are dirty, but overall Americans are clean and live in a clean environment.)

God created us for the garden. And if you know anything about gardens, you know they aren’t clean.

He created us to be among the animals (and all that goes with them), walking on the soft dirt, swimming in the cool stream, basking in the warm sun, sitting on rocks, climbing trees, and dancing with Him through the meadows. That’s where I wanna be. That’s where I wanna live.

He is screaming out His name through all of that, but we are too concerned with other things to go outside and enjoy the world beyond hot water, concrete and carpet, and Wi-Fi and cell phone signal.

He created humans naked in the garden for a reason. Not clothed in high fashion in a comfy house made of concrete. He put us in a simple lifestyle, not one where technology is bettering our lives.

And that makes me wonder, is it really making out lives better?

Cause just maybe it’s taking us farther from Him.

Life here is raw.

People from the outside think it’s not a good way to live cause “they’re poor” or even 5“uncivilized”, and it’s not comfortable.

But it’s life and life with the basics.

But maybe that’s what we need.

The basics.

And maybe, just maybe, we could dwell with God again. Because we could focus on Him and what matters, and we could actually hear Him.

Living in the simple, how He made us to live, makes me feel more alive.