The Baptism of the brave Rufina

 Like on every mission trip, I was told one day that we would be baptizing some people. That strange feeling of joy and excitement flooded my heart in addition to the sense of responsibility because I imagine that someone else planted the seed that we were just going to reap. I still didn't know the number of people getting baptized but the news brought great excitement to my whole being and spirit. Something inside told me this would not be a simple baptism and the thought of so many days of being away from home was not going to worry me today, plus for a moment I could forget how much I miss my fiancee (maybe I should not mention that). I patiently waited until 3 in the afternoon, still thinking about what to wear. The sun was very strong producing a sensation of heat, but I know Catahuasi and Huayllampi very well, and normally by the afternoon the temperature goes down very fast.

Huayllampi is a very nice village with very warm and friendly people, about 4 or 5 hours away from Lima if you take the way through Cañete and Lunahuana. The altitude is not too bad (nothing you cannot handle) 1370mt (4495ft), and about 5 minutes’ drive from where we stayed in Catahuasi.

Throughout the whole late afternoon the excitement and joy of the baptisms came over me. We headed north about 8 minutes drive to Canchan where there is a small creek, where we baptized Pablo, an elderly man of 84 years whom we had to carry to be able to baptize him, but he is not the center of my story today.

So we left Canchan and went to the south heading towards Huayllampi through Catahuasi. I got off and went in to a house where I was supposed to be waiting for a lady who was going to be baptized and told that she was just coming, it’s about 200 meters away from the place of baptizing where the rest of the team were. The emotion came over me, because as I said the baptisms and dedications bring me a happy feeling. I was extremely surprised to see this sister (as for some reason that I could not explain, I thought it was someone of 40-50 years) because she is an elderly lady with a very beautiful contagious smile who proudly told me that she has been a believer in our Lord Jesus Christ for almost a year and has been looking forward to this day of her baptism. Her name is Rufina and she is 93 years old.

We travelled to the place where we were carrying out the baptizims in a small puquio (small spring of water) formed alongside the raging river Cañete, but which is about 50 meters deep, and the first thing I have in mind is how will this lovely old lady who clings tightly to my arm when walking make it down.

We stood in front of the place and now that doubt invaded her face too and she asked “How will I get down? Will I be rolling in the deep?” Despite the great emotion that baptism gives me, the thought also came to me that I wonder if it is really worth the complication, and if going down this slope will cause an accident just in order to have a baptism. But before I could say anything it seems that she has read my mind, and said “no way! You can’t stop this baptizm, this is the day that the Lord has made for me and this will not give me fear” and with that decides to start the complicated journey down holding on to my hand.

A strange feeling of admiration for this brave elderly lady filled my mind (as I do not know if I would be able to do that at that age). Every step downhill takes a year of my life without exaggeration, because she rests the whole weight of her body on my arm. The decline becomes more complicated and I see how tired she is, and she begins to tremble, but I do not know if this is the fear of falling or joy of the baptism. I try to be brave and give encouragement but in my mind I wonder who encourages me? There were 4 people baptized in this place and part of the group tries to help the others to make this complicated and rocky descent.

Finally we descended and I still wonder how we did it? Plus to look at everything that we went through to get down, I now think of how we are to get back up! but that concern comes later. Along with Paul (the American pastor and leader of the group) we enter the puquio. I will not lie about how cold the water was. In any other situation it could induce hypothermia but this gives me excitement and joy, and the sound of the mighty and raging river Cañete offered a pleasant sounding symphony from God - a celestial melody using nature to do so. Rufina is super excited, but when entering the water she can not help but exclaim “oh that’s cold”. The puquio is not too deep as it almost reaches knee height on me, but I know how small Rufina is (she almost reaches my shoulders) I know it will be enough for her.

Once in the water, after making the usual questions of baptism, and with great conviction a 92 years old lady replied “I have faith and I love my Lord Jesus Christ and want to obey him in everything”.

What a faith!, what a joy! What a courage of this old woman, who I had the privilege to have been part of her baptism, and submerged for two seconds in the cold water, makes me pray that God will keep this fearful woman whose courage inspired me to write.
Needless to say, the excitement of that baptism was such that we climbed back up the slope quickly and happy like 17 year old teenagers. I will always remember that April 4th, 2013, and will always remember the courage and fidelity of this sweet old Rufina, God fearing woman.

It has been many days since this event, but still my spirit rejoices in recounting this story to you. Some people may be baptized in a beautiful marble baptistery made of fine ceramic, and have great joy. Some as we have had the privilege to baptize, may be in rivers like the Amazon, or precious puquios like this, as great servants like Rufina and also have great joy.