Northern Pakistan, 1993. Sitting on a charpai (rope bed), we sipped icy bottled Cokes pulled out of a hole dug in the glacier beneath our feet. Far below through a sparse screen of pine trees, we could see the river rushing over rocks, pushing green glacier water down into the valley.
It was a refreshing stop after hours on dusty roads. We breathed in the cool air, the rugged beauty of the mountains, the quiet. Years later when the Taliban began raiding and taking over Swat Valley, I grieved for the people there. I remembered the green farmlands and the primitive stone and slate houses we walked by that week. I wondered if travelers still stop for icy drinks at the glacier.
The rest of the story
Rugged mountains, glacier water, pine forests. Sound idyllic? There’s more to the story.
When we finally arrived in Swat after a long journey from Murree, it was after dark. And there was “no room at the inn” where we’d made reservations. So we finally found accommodations at another local motel. Simple, spartan furnishings, but adequate for a night, we thought.
In the middle of the night, we woke up. Bedbugs! And no more sleep.
The next morning, on our way to the glacier, we stopped along the road to look at the river. We thought we were in the middle of nowhere, but before long a group of young boys gathered around us. One pointed his AK-47 at Todd. Seeing our dismay, an older boy laughed and said it wasn’t loaded. He grabbed the gun and opened the clip to show us. Full. of. bullets. Needless to say, we quickly climbed back in our vehicle and moved on down the road.
Made it to the glacier. Let’s take a refreshing pause here: Glacier-iced cokes on a naturally air-conditioned charpai. Ahhhhh.
Travelers stop
As we left the glacier, a few miles down the narrow mountain road our car broke down.
We waited for hours in hot sun with no shade before Todd and our friend Jack were able to fix it. Meanwhile, his wife Anita and I corralled the four young children (including our 20-month-old toddler, Rebecca) so that no one fell down the steep rocky side of the mountain into the river rapids far below.
While we waited, passersby honked their horns and pointed to the mountainside above us, shouting in the local dialect. Multiple times. Interesting. We wondered what they were saying.
Finally, a man who spoke English drove by and explained. Everyone was concerned, he said, trying to warn us. “This place is where landslides happen all the time.” Oh.
No walk in the park
There are more stories from that trip that involve a fender bender. And an encounter with the local smuggler. And discovering the smuggler’s friendly ties with the district police.
Needless to say, that Swat Valley experience was way more than a walk in the park or relaxation on a charpai.
Yet we look back with fondness on that vacation with our friends Jack and Anita and their children. In the midst of the craziness, there were quiet walks, delicious curry meals, fellowship with good friends, afternoon tea on the veranda with a view of snow-peaked mountains. And hot showers heated by a wood fire.
Travelers following Jesus
Sometimes following Jesus is like that.
Moments of refreshment in the midst of struggles.
Glimpses of glory on the remote mountain road or the unknown desert path.
Dealing with detours that surprise us, unsettle our hearts.
We learn to walk the truth in the unfamiliar, the uncomfortable. Perhaps on densely populated city streets or in the loneliness of a remote wilderness.
Jesus said, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23 CSB).
For the uninitiated, this invitation sounds scary, even impossible. But for those who choose to follow Him, it is worth denying self. It is worth the daily cross. It is worth everything just to walk with Him. And learn from Him.
Step by step
Step by step, He knows the way. And He knows when we need that stop to be refreshed and renewed, to take courage and continue.
How about you?
How’s your soul? Are you in the midst of seemingly never-ending roadblocks? Feeling exhausted? Annoyed? Fearful?
Pause to rest in His presence. Abide in Him through prayer and the Word. Ask Him to refresh your mind and renew your heart with His truth. Take courage, friend, you are never alone.
“Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart…” (Irish hymn as translated by Eleanor Hull, 1912).
[posts related to Luke 9:23: Tents and altars; Deny yourself]
3 replies on “Travelers”
Thank you Susan. Well said and well written! He doesn’t always lift us out of our difficulties, but He dwells with us in them. He who calls us is faithful, and He will do it.
Thank you, Joyce. You have lived this and we have watched your trust in Him through difficult times. Glory to God for His faithfulness!
Susan, just as you have written: “Step by step.” Thank you.