First and lasts #3

The First Stage: 

Letting Go of the Secure to Embrace Faith

Officially, this is how this adventure of faith began: believing 100% in what they felt God had placed in their lives.

Everything moved fast. There was preparation, exhaustion, sleepless nights, and a very deep emotional battle: letting go.

Letting go of comfort, routine, the house, the familiar, and the lifelong security.

The first night in the RV was as exciting as it was painful.

While everything looked like a new adventure on the outside, inside, the family’s heart was grieving.

Matías and Isabella didn't stop crying for the first two hours. It was the first time they understood that their home now moved, that they were no longer in the same place, and that everything they knew had been left behind.

In the midst of that bittersweet moment, there was a gesture that became a hug for the soul: before they left, their friend Keila brought them some cookies. That small detail sweetened a moment that, honestly, felt quite bitter.

And so began the season of "first times."

The first time sleeping outside.
The first time managing water.
The first time living with limited resources.
The first time discovering that what once seemed infinite now had to be stretched.

They ran out of water in just two days.

The tank emptied because they didn't yet know how to shower quickly, how to wash dishes using less water, or how to adapt to a completely different routine. They even faced the first experience of using a dry toilet and learning how to clean it.

It was strange: they were in their home, but at the same time, they felt far from home.

Little by little, they had to get used to this new reality: their home was no longer a fixed place, but the space where they were together.

From that moment on, a routine of constant faith began.

Although everyone’s life always depends on God, in this stage, they felt it in a much more tangible way. There were no longer structures, rigid plans, or false securities.

Their security was 100% God.

And so, they began to move through Texas.

The First Test on the Road:

The first departure and the first stop also brought the first test.

Hugo began to feel that something wasn't right with the RV. The vehicle felt heavy or sagged in the back, as if something were failing.

They managed to stop at a truck service station and ask.

It was the first time they heard those words no one wants to hear at the start of a trip:

“The vehicle has damage. It needs to be fixed, because it could complicate your trip.”

Facing that just as they were starting was very hard.

Although their RV seemed huge to them, to those who worked there, it was a small vehicle compared to the trucks they normally repaired. They told them it wasn't something they usually did, but they would try to help.

And it was there that they began to see God’s hand in the middle of the road.

What seemed impossible, they managed to fix.

Meanwhile, they were worried about the budget. They were just starting out and didn't know how much an unexpected repair might cost.

But the surprise was even greater when they were told:

“Go ahead, we’re not going to charge you anything.”

It was impossible not to recognize God’s care in that detail.

IN THE PROCESS OF FIXING THE RV

Changes of Route and New Needs:

The original plan to leave the United States changed at the last minute. They decided to take a longer route within the country because they still felt safer staying a little closer to the familiar, just in case something happened.

But it wasn't long before they began to notice something important: they were missing many indispensable things.

They tried to get them, buy them, and resolve things on the fly, but a new frustration appeared: the convenience of ordering something and receiving it two days later at the front door no longer existed.

Because now, there was no fixed address.

That complicated many decisions and reminded them that this new life required much more patience, flexibility, and faith than they had imagined.

Thanks to friends and people God had placed in their path, they found a place in Ciudad Juárez where they could receive some of the things they needed to continue the journey.

That was how they managed to move forward with more peace of mind.

They spent a few days in New Mexico, trying to adapt to this new life, learning to live with fewer certainties and more dependence on God.

Then they crossed Arizona, and once again continued trying to solve one of the challenges of the road.

They realized, for example, that although the RV had solar panels, it wasn't storing energy well. They were having problems with electricity, so they managed to gather what was necessary to buy a battery and strengthen the solar system.

And there, once again, God put Gabriel and his family in their path. Although they didn't know each other personally, a great mutual friend made the connection possible, and thanks to that, they were able to ship something so expensive and valuable to continue the trip.

They were key in this stage. Not only did they receive the battery, but they also invited them to eat and gave them that hug they needed so much.

In the midst of batteries, solar panels, address-less packages, and changing plans, they saw God’s faithfulness once again in the smallest details.

Once again, the road reminded them that they were not alone—that even in the most uncertain deserts, there were always people, provision, and hugs waiting for them at exactly the right moment.

The Storm Before the Crossing:

Upon arriving in Arizona, another challenge awaited them: a tropical storm.

The forecast was alarming, and everyone was scared. They had thought about waiting two days for the storm to pass, but someone advised them to cross sooner to avoid problems later on.

Deep down, Naty still didn't seem ready to leave the United States.

That country still represented what was safe.

Before crossing, they went into a store and Naty began to fill the cart with many things. It wasn't really out of necessity, but because, emotionally, she was still struggling to let go.

In the supermarket aisles, she cried.

She cried a lot.

It was there that God reminded her of something profoundly clear: the most important thing she had to carry was not material things, but His presence.

A song came to her heart:

“If Your presence does not go with me, I am not going anywhere.”

When she got back into the RV and played that song, something changed.

She was able to look at her family, breathe deeply, and remember that God was there.

That peace spread to everyone.

As a family, they once again embraced the confidence and security that God would be in every kilometer of the way.

Two Minutes from the Border:

Finally, the moment came to move toward Sonora.

They were ready to cross.

But just two minutes from the border, they stopped at a gas station to fuel up, and another unexpected "first time" occurred: the front windshield of the RV broke.

It cracked almost halfway across.

Anguish returned, nerves came back, and for a moment, everything seemed to want to stop them.

But that is how this stage was being written: with first times, unexpected tests, and constant reminders that leaving safety is never comfortable.

It was also the last time they left a familiar place to completely embrace the unknown.

The last time staying in the comfortable.

And the first of many times they would prove that obeying God is almost never the easiest thing, but it always ends up being the right thing.

Road Reflection:

If this first stage taught them anything, it was that faith rarely feels comfortable.

Faith looks more like an empty water tank, a night of crying, an unexpected storm, or a broken windshield minutes from the border.

But it also looks like cookies brought with love, unknown hands that help without charging, friends who receive important packages, and a song that arrives just when the heart wants to turn back.

The route was just beginning.

What seemed like a departure from Texas would end up becoming a profound transformation for the whole family.

And if God had been faithful in the first miles, they could trust that He would also be in every border, every curve, and every country to come.

The next stage was just beginning: crossing into Mexico and learning that true security was never in a place, but in Who was going with them.