Tim’s parents left on Christmas day for a short mission trip to take food, toys, and other supplies to an Orphanage in Mexico. Duncan is 81 and Rosa, who is just a few years shy of that mark, have been doing missionary work in Mexico and Central America for 42 years.
It’s difficult for those of us who do not have that same call on our lives to understand why they must go into a very dangerous country several times a year. The journey to the United States border town is an arduous task at their ages and the violence in Mexico has not gone unnoticed. The decision to cross onto Mexican soil comes with risks that we are all keenly aware of. Logan has also reached an age of understanding. He worries from the time they cross into Oklahoma until they return home.
When I sat down to write about the cane that Logan made for his Grandpa Duncan I was reminded of this scripture:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
We view these trips as more dangerous because of their age, but it has taken 80 years for God to mold them into the servants that they are. They are no longer stable on their feet and more dependent upon God and those around them than ever before. It is not much of a leap to see the symbolism between using a cane and gaining the wisdom we need to be more reliant on God. We pray that the this cane serves as a reminder for our family to lean on God always, allow him to mold us into the servants that he has called, and direct our steps in the way we should go.
In October we cleared some overgrowth at the back of our property and trimmed back some overhanging limbs. Logan shaved off the bark and coated the exposed growth rings on either end with wood glue to keep them from splitting. They were allowed to dry for six weeks.
The cane was carved to the desired diameter tapering to 1.25 inches at the bottom and sanded until smooth.
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An English Chestnut stain was applied to the raw cane.
Three coats of polyurethane was put on the stain. (This was done in a well ventilated area~ picture was recreated)
The end was cut off the cane and the leather was cut. Pilot holes were cut in the leather to hand sew the pieces together.
A shallow hole was drilled in the cane so the cross fit flush against the surface. The finished leather grip was sewn tightly to the top of the cane.
The backside of the sewing.
A rubber stopper was attached to the bottom of the cane.
This is the leather grip with the Cross.
The finished product!
Average is Overrated 