“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
How can this not be one of the most wonderful, beautiful statements ever uttered by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? It has comforted me and encouraged me many times over. The darkest time is no longer dark, but filled with the light of hope and love when I remember this promise. I will never be alone, never without love and hope, no matter what this life brings. I have repeated this to countless people suffering from tragedy, anguish, or fear. I pray it brings them the comfort it does me.
This wasn’t Kennet’s first rodeo. He knew what was coming!
Recently, it occurred to me that Jesus made this promise is not only for the diffiult times, but the happy ones too. It was hearing “SPLAT!” that did it. It began with a funny game I brought back from the US to play with the medium boys called “Pie In the Face!” It is a simple game. You spin the dial and turn a crank the required number of times, your face positioned just right. At a random moment, SPLAT! You get hit in the face by whipped cream! Hilarity ensues. Very quickly, the game devolved into taking turns getting hit in the face. Everyone had to participate!
It was as funny the 50th time as it was the first time. And who do you suppose laughed the hardest? I am sure it was Jesus, sitting there with us, holding his breath until Kennet, or any of us “lost” the game again, then bursting out laughing! Then again, I heard a “SPLAT!” This time it was a water balloon. I don’t remember who the perp or the victim was but it didn’t matter because seconds later we had pandemonium. Water balloons flying across the courtyard, children shouting with victory or laughing in defeat. It was every man, woman, and child for themselves! Then….(imagine foreboding music) the big guns came out.
There was Menguin, house dad for the big boys, standing in the middle of the courtyard swinging a hose over his head, promising all a well aimed spray! That unleashed the more strategic warriors and the bowls and buckets appeared. Every faucet, placed for fire prevention, was going full force. Filling a constant supply of balloons, buckets, plastic cups and anything else that could hold water. And who was in the middle of it, pointing out vulnerable victims, directing balloons to their target? I am sure it was Jesus, whooping along with everyone else, laughing to see Menguin get his from a bucket from behind!
She is not innocently walking with a bowl!
I am sure Jesus threw that balloon at Menguin!
When Jesus promised to be with us always, he meant always and in every situation, including pie face and water wars. I was filled with joy when I could see him there, face covered with whipped cream and hair dripping wet from a well placed balloon strike. That is what love is…To cry with us, to struggle with us, to grieve with us, and to throw water balloons with us! As the child’s hymn goes,
Jesus loves me, this I know
For the whipped cream is in my nose
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” SPLAT!
Today, Jan 20, is my 5th missionary anniversary! I arrived here 5 years ago today with 2 bulging suitcases, joy in my heart, and a twinge of nerves. Through God’s mercy, Leamarie True, came with me for 3 months to share her wisdom and experience with our teachers. What adventures we had!
The five years have flown by. I have met so many wonderful people, Honduran, American, and others. I have witnessed so many miracles, seen Jesus everywhere, wept during tragedies, my heart has been broken and has been filled with joy more times than I can count. The teams and I have built cabins, sidewalks, walls, painted countless walls, played for hundreds of hours with the cutest kids, worshipped, cared for thousands of patients, prayed for thousands more and collapsed from fatigue. I have fallen in love with our Honduran staff. Coming alongside me have been so many people and my church, supporting me and praying for me. Suzy has become my spiritual advisor, co-worker, dear friend and sister. How rich I am!
Many missionaries sign up for a term of service – 1 year, 3 years, 5 years. I came with no particular end date. I figure the Lord will let me know when it is time to go. I remember thinking, about 2.5 years ago, that if I had committed to a 5 year term, my time would be half over. It was an awful feeling. I realized I would have been living a countdown. “2 years left, 6 months left, 1 day left.” That is no way to live. Instead, as Jesus tells us,
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?…Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” Matthew 6:25, 34
This is hard for us to do in the US. I am learning how to do this from the Hondurans, who as a pastor explained to me, set their sights on the next life. They take each day at a time. Many of them worry about how to feed their children today…every day. But still, with their eyes toward heaven, they have time to be generous, kind, joyful, and full of faith in the Risen Lord. This is surely a better way to live. I wrote a blog the night before I moved here, called Honduras Eve. In it I reflected on my call, its effect on many people and their loving response. The truth is God is calling each of us. Every call is different. Some are dramatic, leaving home and family or becoming clergy, and some occur in place, teaching Sunday School, joining the medical profession, raising your children in the Lord, modeling Christ in the workplace, volunteering to help the poor and oppressed…
But, here’s the thing. God calls us to many things. The most important is the call we all share:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment.39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40
There is no end date to this call. Finally, I reaffirm my commitment to my calls: Lord, grant that I may always allow myself to be guided by you, always follow your plans, and perfectly accomplish your holy will. Grant that in all things, great and small, today and all the days of my life, I may do whatever you require of me. Help me respond to the slightest prompting of your grace, so that I may be your trustworthy instrument for your honor. May your will be done in time and in eternity by me, in me, and through me. Amen. – St. Teresa of Avila
Years ago, while still working for IBM, someone told me I was not “evangelical enough.” Startled, I vigorously defended my efforts to share the good news. Later I realized this person actually meant I was not enough of an Evangelical. As a cradle Episcopalian, I vigorously agreed!
I have been in Honduras for almost 5 years. I have spent time with many Evangelicals, with a capital E, members of the Evangelical Movement in the US. The Episcopal liturgical tradition feeds my soul yet I have come to see that aspects of the Evangelical tradition enrich my own prayer and worship. I love all the “capital letters” who come down. We have Methodists, Anglicans, Presbyterians and Non-denominationals. I learn something from each of them.
I recently watched the movie, He Named Me Malala. I consider Malala to be a representative of the true Islam. I am inspired by Malala, 17 year old Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and her father. Their peaceful and forgiving spirit, born out of their faith, is beautiful and an example for us all. Malala, shot in the face for simply going to school, has never had one “quark of anger.” Imagine. I heard her in an interview say that if threatened again, she would throw her shoe at the attackers!
I am saddened when we focus on the differences between us, whether it is which Christian capital letter one is, which political party one chooses, or which religion one practices. It grieves my heart to hear people judging who is “in” (heaven) and who is “out.” Can we really say that Ghandi, the Dalai Lama, and Malala are “out?” Can people of other faiths say that Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, and Suzy McCall are “out?” For Christians, Jesus was very clear about division of responsibilities. He judges, we love. In the midst of our differences, we have one thing in common. We are all trying to be faithful. So, I am content to let the Lord sort things out in His time.
It seems to me, aspects of other religions may enrich our own faith and lives. For me, I aspire to have the love and forgiveness for my enemies that young Malala already has. Buddhists have much to teach me about meditation and reflection. Hindus can show me how to see God in every living thing.
Hermanos y hermanas in Christ, let us not pat ourselves on the backs when we are so “tolerant” of differences. Instead, let us embrace differences! Let us open our hearts and minds to all that is beautiful no matter what the source. Truth is truth, beauty is beauty. Most of all, let us seek God in each other and love one another as He loves us!
Feliz Navidad! May you have a blessed and joyful Christmas!
I just started reading a book called, A More Christlike God by Bradley Jersak. After chapter 1, so far so good. It is very thought provoking. A thought that this chapter provoked in my mind is how do we as Christians appear to those who aren’t? Do our words, actions, and FaceBook posts advance the Gospel or do they turn people away?
Consider this excerpt that includes a quote from Bill Maher, a famous, cynical atheist (emphasis mine):
Jesus is seldom the issue, even for a rabid, self-avowed ‘non-Christian’ such as satirist Bill Maher. His primary attacks are not against Jesus at all, but against Christians whose religion does violence in the name of the Prince of Peace. He castigates: If you’re a Christian that supports killing your enemy and torture, you have to come up with a new name for yourself. …‘Capping thy enemy’ is not exactly what Jesus would do. For almost two thousand years, Christians have been lawyering the Bible to try to figure out how ‘Love thy neighbor’ can mean ‘Hate thy neighbor.’ … But if you’re endorsing revenge, torture or war, …you cannot say you’re a follower of the guy who explicitly said, ‘Love your enemy’ and ‘Do good to those who hate you.’ … And not to put too fine a point on it, but nonviolence was kind of Jesus’ trademark—kind of his big thing. To not follow that part of it is like joining Greenpeace and hating whales. There’s interpreting, and then there’s just ignoring. It’s just ignoring if you’re for torture… You’re supposed to look at that figure of Christ on the Cross and think, “how could a man suffer like that and forgive?” … If you ignore every single thing Jesus commanded you to do, you’re not a Christian…you’re just auditing. You’re not Christ’s followers, you’re just fans.”
It is easy for us to blow off people like Maher, to say that he is an atheist and just looks for ways to attack Christians and our faith. But look at it a different way, Maher and every other non-Christian make a judgment about the Risen Lord based on our behavior. We are supposed to be His hands and feet in the world. You know my favorite hymn is “They will know we are Christians by our love.” What will “they” know about Christ when they see you, hear you, read your FaceBook page? Often I hear the excuse, “it was just a joke, it was meant to be funny.” When did Jesus insult or vilify others as a joke? Not to put too fine a point on it but will they be drawn to Christ or will they run away? Will they see Christ as a loving, welcoming, forgiving God or as a mean, intolerant,spiteful God?
I have a heartfelt request for my Christian brothers and sisters. I am particularly worried about FaceBook because the audience is so broad and often, unknown. We have all seen how things go viral, often unexpectedly by the person posting the message.
So, please, before you hit send, especially during the upcoming election season, ask yourself, “Would I post this if Jesus were my FB friend?” “Would this post be on Jesus’ wall?” “Does this post live up to “Love your enemy…” (including those who don’t agree with your position) and “do good to those who hate you.” (Luke 6:27) “Will this post bring people to Jesus or drive them away?”
The Main Street UMC group from Greenwood SC are here along with 3 “scouts” from a church in Kansas (including oldie but goodie Karen DeArmey!) At Kathy the team leader’s request, I invited a Honduran family to have dinner with us. Iris Carolina, her daughter Carolinita, and her parents, a lovely, gracious family came with home made flan in hand. After dinner, Iris Carolina shared her story with us.
When Carolinita was about 8 months old, Iris noticed her daughter wasn’t developing according to schedule. She took the baby to the doctor who said she had dengue fever which must have damaged her brain. With a mother’s finely tuned instinct, Iris did not accept this diagnosis. She began to take the baby to doctor after doctor. And, she began scouring the internet. She took the baby to a neurologist here who had no idea what was wrong. “You need to find Dr. Ken Holden. He lives in South Carolina,” said the neurologist. All Iris needed was Dr. Ken’s name. Back to the internet she went and discovered that Dr. Ken brings a brigade to Tegucigalpa! She, then shifted her investigation to Teguc, finally discovering that Dr. Ken and his brigade stay at Mision Caribe. After weeks of calls to Mision Caribe she learned the brigade would be in Flor del Campo (at our school) on January 26. On the appointed day, she went to Flor with her young daughter, asking everyone along the way, “Where are the gringos?” She laughed and said, “Everyone knows where you are! Those vans filled with gringos!” A little boy led her to the gate of our school. She rushed in with the piece of paper her doctor had given her with Ken’s name on it. “I need to see Dr. Ken Holden!” As directed, she returned the next morning to see him. He spent 3 hours with Carolinita. Finally he said to Iris, “You know what she has, don’t you?” Rett Syndrome – a devastating, extremely rare genetic neurological condition, damaging most of Carolinita’s systems. There is virtually no support here in Honduras. Then Dr. Ken asked, “Did you know that one of the world’s best experts on Rett Syndrome is in the next room?”
Imagine that. In God’s Littlest Lambs school in Flor del Campo, Honduras sat the one doctor in the world that Iris needed for her daughter! How does that happen? Friends, this is not a coincidence or luck. This is nothing less that the miraculous, merciful hand of God.
Main Street UMC raised the money to bring Iris and Carolinita to Greenwood to be seen at the genetic center. They took them to a Rett Syndrome conference in Alabama so she could learn more and meet other families dealing with the same thing. The team brought a year’s supply of important vitamins and medications for Carolinita. “I no longer feel alone. Finally, I have hope!” beamed Iris.
As her story came to a close, she looked us in the eye and said, “The Lord assures me Carolinita will be OK. I am very grateful for how the Lord is transforming my life, my family’s lives and the lives of so many through Carolinita. We are much closer to God now. I am most thankful for that. My girl will be OK.”
As many of these wonderful stories and experiences I have had in Honduras, I worried that I might become inured of God’s marvelous works. In fact, I cannot get enough of how wonderful God is. I am constantly surprised at the depth and breadth of His grace. I hope you feel the same.
