My eyes open to the subtle heat of the sun as it peers through my hut. I crawl out of my hammock and begin my morning tradition by walking to the beach, not to swim, just to collect my paddle from my family’s canoe. I am charged with the task of canoeing for hours to the mainland in order to retrieve my family’s daily ration of water. As my small, calloused bare feet trample through the jungle to where the brown water lies, the demanding journey leaves my arms in a sore and frail state. Returning to my island with the required amount of water I stagger towards my hut with pails in each hand. My mother makes her way to me on the beach and quickly sends me back out to fish for the day so we can eat. My arms are aching but the other kids and myself decide to make it a game. I grin widely removing my fifth fish from the hook, they didn’t stand a chance.

As the sun beats hotter against my back, I know mid-day is almost upon us. Just then, something sparks in me as the sound of laughter makes it way to my ears. In my search for the source I wander back to the beach to discover a large gathering. I see my friends surrounding a group of visitors. New smiling faces with brightly covered games and toys greet me as I begin running toward them to join in the fun. I tried to give them my favorite shell many times, but they wanted nothing in return for the teddy bear or stickers. Why would they do this? Why would they come here?

This is just a small glimpse into what it’s like in the life of  a Kuna child. One of the coolest parts about our trips to the San Blas Islands is the carnival that we carry by boat, to all the islands, which includes: face painting, games, beanie babies, and other prizes! These kids live a very different life than the one I was used to as a young child. Riding my bike home with a flat tire was considered a rough day, while these kids are skilled fishermen, expert boatmen, and capable of beating any brute, young American man in a boat race by age 8. What kid wouldn’t go wild for a break from their daily chores, but a carnival? Especially kids like these who don’t have a lifestyle of luxury. I cannot wait to see their faces when we arrive on their island!

As most moms will tell you, the way to their heart is through their children. Especially in a matriarchal society such as this one, we find that an awesome aspect of connecting with the children is how it opens the door for us to connect with the adults. These islands are not heavily trafficked; so for the mothers, having someone come and hold their baby or paint a flower on their little girl’s cheek means the world to them. It’s gives us favor with the people allowing us to leave a bigger impact and show the love of God to them in a lasting way.

I read a quote this weekend that said, “The best times in life are the ones you can’t imagine.” These people probably can’t imagine a love so great that people would come from a different country just to share with them; how cool is it that God is using us to share his message of hope and love that they can’t even imagine?

Only a few more weeks…

-Brown