I don't think that I have ever had a more stressful trip in my life...
Phase 1: Not getting there
Ice and snow ransacked Dallas the week I was supposed to leave, cancelling my original flight and leaving me with one option, an American Airlines flight that just might get me to Los Angeles on time. I made it to Albuquerque knowing that my connection had already left and no other flights could get me to LA before my next flight would leave. I got the very next flight home and ended up just having a long tiring stressful day trip to ABQ and back. I got to meet a minor celebrity in DFW but that was the only highlight in a very frustrating experience.
The next couple of days I spent lots of money changing flights and lots of time on hold to do so. Finally we figured out another option leaving Sunday morning that would get me there having only missed a couple days of the conference. We routed through Australia this time... Sunday afternoon saw me back on my couch and back on hold trying to figure out what was next, again turned away at the airport... this time because I didn't have a visa that I didn't know that I needed (another long story). Well, I got my visa and got new flights again...
With fear and trembling I headed back to the airport on Tuesday, now arriving Friday having missed the whole conference, but still in time to do the Trauma Healing program the following two weeks. Thankfully, for the most part, that attempt went as my trips have usually gone... smoothly. Here is a picture of the plane we finally got to board that took us to Brisbane on our way to Honiara. What a welcome sight! After having said goodbye to my family three times, I was finally on my way, and they were actually happy to have me gone this time!
We landed in Brisbane and got an Uber to a bed and breakfast that I had tried to reserve, but unfortunately it was closed. I wandered the streets for awhile praying and hoping and finally found a hotel for me and Mom to spend the night in. It was 7 am at this point and there wasn't much to do but explore on foot. We went to the beautiful botanical garden and then museum at City Hall. It was great to walk around and enjoy the city before resting in the hotel.
We arrived Friday afternoon, finally!
The next morning we had a lovely time meeting with Pauline, the Trauma Healing representative there, and had high hopes for the weeks to come! That Sunday I got to go to a church that Diane has made legendary in my mind - St. Barnabas. I counted 16 acolytes! Amazing singing and beautiful liturgy! What a treat to get to experience this amazing service.
My workshop started Monday morning, just a few hours before the Super bowl would start here in the U.S. My party was very different than most. This is the first time I remember that I haven't been able to watch a Super bowl. I caught the 3rd quarter at lunch and was grateful to track the score on my phone until it ended with the Chiefs on top!
The whole next week I spent training the amazing facilitators to run the same program with local youth. 18 people got trained to lead healing groups! 20 youth came the following week! It was so special to see the impact of the program on all the participants. People were healed, set free, and filled with joy and life. I heard so many testimonies as the participants put the skills to work immediately in their own challenging life circumstances. Some immediately shared things they learned with loved ones during family devotions in the evenings, others just cherished the work the Holy Spirit was doing in their hearts to comfort them in the moment. People forgave, gave their pain to the cross and experienced the power of God!
The teen program is so fun, filled with games and exercises that bring the material to life. We start our morning with devotions. After the first day the participants lead both worship and a short message. I still remember some of the lessons they brought.
I took lots of pictures of the amazing scenery from where I was staying. It's very warm and humid but you always have a great view, and sometimes a nice breeze. A lot of WWII relics are on the island making for even more fun pictures.
Over the weekend, between the initial training and the practical week with the youth, I got to go on some adventures. It was so nice getting out in the country to see the beauty that exists away from the city. I got to go to a waterfall, hiking an hour each way with my amazing mom! The next day I went to a beach and was able to spend an hour snorkeling! It's a whole new world under the sea.
I really enjoyed the next week, watching the people I had trained put into practice all they had learned. Some incredible creativity emerged and it was fun watching them adjust to a small room, almost as many facilitators as participants, and rain! Some moved outside and followed the shade around the basketball court while the sky was clear.
I had lots of time to get to know Eric, one of my two helpers, and enjoyed hearing about his life and family and work. I learned a lot about the culture from him.
I really enjoyed having the dogs around. They helped me not to miss my dogs so much.
It was so fun watching the facilitators do the same games and activities they had learned just the week before with the new participants. What a great way to learn the program on an even deeper level!
I played so much basketball in the evening after the days work was complete. I tried to get exercise, doing pushups (first day doing 4 sets of 10 and ending with 4 sets of 50) and sit ups and shooting hoops. It was really nice one morning to find another basketball enthusiast and be able to play against another person and not just myself. You see him too right :) ?
By the end I was soaking up as many sunsets as I could and went all over the compound to find the best place to see them. I really enjoyed all the time outside and time to think. The days were hard work and went fast while in the evenings time seemed to slow down and give ample time for reflection.
I took a picture of where Diane used to play as a little kid. It was special getting to picture her running around with her friends and living in her amazing imagination creating a world for her toys underneath this building.
I learned that my mom's dad (who died before I was born) served in the South Pacific during WWII! He never talked about it so all we know is that he was a mechanic. It was really special going to the memorial with my mom and imagining that he may also have visited this beautiful island, albeit under very different circumstances.
We had a lovely flight to Fiji and enjoyed two nights at a hotel by the airport before heading back to Dallas. That is just how the flights worked out, no complaints here. Although I was very ready to get home by the end, it was special to have some adventures and to get some extra rest.
Our 40 hour Monday (we left Fiji Monday night at 9:40 pm and arrived in LA Monday morning at 11:30 am and in Dallas around 10:45 pm Monday night) was incredible. We booked a trip to an island and had a very relaxing day getting to make new friends and see some of the amazing things that Fiji has to offer. It was so special to share this with my mom!
Now I'm home and slowly getting back in my own time zone and into the swing of life here again. God taught me so many things on this trip through all the hassles and adventures! God invited me to put my hope in His character and not in the way a particular circumstance would turn out. I was convicted and inspired as I reflected on how much I was hoping in things working out a particular way instead of putting my hope in the love, wisdom, faithfulness and power of God in any and every circumstance. He was doing something so special on this trip even when it didn't feel like it or look like it. Another thing He showed me was how you can't put a price tag on healing. Watching people get healed of old wounds and learn to forgive and give their pain to the cross and apply the things they were learning was invaluable. It's easy to measure things financially, but these kinds of things, where the kingdom is advancing, it seems so silly to measure the success by how much money was spent. Humbling and wonderful lessons.
I'll leave you with a video that will show you some of the impact from one of the participants. I'll also drop a link to the rest of the videos and pictures if you are interested in seeing them. Before I do that I want to thank you for your faithful prayers and financial and emotional support through all of this. I needed you so much on this journey and you were there! Thank you for being the precious body of Christ for me!
If you want to support what I do a little or a lot, on a one time basis or with recurring gifts, the easiest was is to use Zelle. You can follow this link zellepay or scan the code below. That will start the process of getting you set up to use Zelle with your bank or If you already use Zelle it will direct you to the banking app you use and give you instructions from there. To send me money use my email caleb_robbins@sil.org. If you would like any help setting that up feel free to contact me directly! 214 558 8431.
Another way to donate to the ministry if Zelle isn't an option is via check. If you write a check to "Holy Cross Lutheran Church" and put "Caleb Robbins Ministry" in the memo line, it will get deposited into my ministry account. If you would rather set up a bill pay or have any other questions you can call the Church at 817-451-7561. Let them know you want to Support Caleb Robbins and his ministry serving Missionary Kids.
The address is:
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
4400 W Arkansas Ln
Arlington, TX 76016
Diane is my beautiful wife and the mother of my precious children Creed 16, Asher 13, Liam 11, Echo already in heaven, Bella 8, and Serenity 6 years old.
