A letter to Bus 16

I knew what we had was special. I just didn’t know how special until the trip was coming to a close. 

Within minutes of boarding the tour bus, we were learning each other’s names. I began to figure out some of you came with your spouse, family members, or a friend. My friend and I were eyes wide open on this adventure. It was pretty obvious, wasn't it!?

At every stop, hearing the Scriptures read aloud about the place, looking around, my friend and I be taking notes as fast as we could, and you were taking it in as well. You had such a peaceful look on your face as you absorbed through your senses. You were working your fancy cameras and phones to capture what stood out to you. 

The first few days I saw us as a group of people assigned to a bus and tour guide.

But with each passing meal we’d have together and the ways we would help each other process what we were learning, we were becoming more. 

We sang songs together at Tel Dan, on a boat, in Caiphas’ house, and in St. Anne’s Church. Because we are a timely and obedient bunch, we got all the sites in plus some! 

Some stood on the shore and others went into the waters of the Sea of Galilee as we celebrated and declared that Jesus is our Savior.

My friend with Dr. Chuck Swindoll

You were there to make sure my friend met Dr. Swindoll.

You prayed for my church in San Francisco when we learned that we were having to do online services because large gatherings were not allowed to meet that Sunday, March 8, because of the concerns of a virus.

One of you got stuck in a scary situation and weren’t sure how it would end, but you saw that God sent you there to meet a vulnerable woman and offer prayer and encouragement. Now she will always be in your heart and prayers. 

You shared your understanding of Scriptures, how you were connecting the dots, what stood out to you.

I watched, at times, how we all moved at our own pace and spent time with Jesus. To the elders on our bus, I see how much you love Jesus. It shows itself on your faces, in the sound of your voices, and yes, in the aches of your ligaments. You’ve walked with Jesus for many years. You’ve seen Him do many things. You’ve prayed many prayers. You inspire me to be faithful, for faithful looks good on you!

And with each passing meal we had together and the ways we would help each other process what we were learning, we were becoming more. 

We were becoming the Church.

We were sharing our gifts with one another. From the back of the bus, one was using his architectural gifts and sketching something from every place. Another was capturing every one of us in how we were capturing everything around us. Another would make sure we were drinking enough water. While another was passing around hand sanitizer. From the front of the bus, you were answering our 1,001 questions and reminding us again and again what we needed at every stop. Most of the time our Whispers. Always our waters. Sometimes our layers. Never the amount of stuff me and my friend would lug with us! 

We helped each other down shafts, through tunnels, into tombs, and out of tight spaces. We were happy to repeat something someone missed.

Someone chose to lead the group and someone chose to be at the end, making sure no one was left behind. Every enneagram number was present on the bus, so were all the Myers Briggs! 

We held onto one another as we rode a cable car up and down from Masada. We held each other’s belongings in the shade so others could do more hikes in the blistering sun or float in the Dead Sea. 

We all fell in love with our tour guide and his growing family as we got to hear stories, pray and laugh together, meet the wife, and later learn about baby girl! 

Ten days is a long time together staying in the same hotels, eating at the same dining rooms, going to the same bus seats. I’ve been on mission trips before with people I know and we all return knowing each other better. But this. This was different. We were complete strangers when this trip started. We were numbers on a bus so we didn’t leave anyone behind. Then we became faces. Then names. Then stories. Then friends. Then another Church was formed for such a time as this. The Church on Bus 16. 

Thank you for being the church for me for 10 days in Israel. You continue to encourage me and challenge me on my journey to know God more. I will be forever grateful for our trip, especially as it was the last time the world traveled for a while because of a virus. 

Shalom, friends. Shalom,

Shauna 

The Church on Bus 16

(Memories from tour bus 16 with Insight for Living Ministries. Imagination from my own heart.)