Submitted to the Independent News (Ridgetown)
Tidings of Dis-Comfort and So Much Joy
Saludos a todos. That’s one of several things we have learned. It means Greetings to All in Spanish and we are pleased to greet you as the guest contributors for this week. We are the Campbells and have been blessed to spend several months of each year on the island of Roatan, Honduras serving as we are needed. We confidently share that we were drawn to this work by God. Our expectation was that our life experiences – teaching, farming/problem solving, and our love for Jesus – could be used to make changes in the lives of the people living in the small Spanish/Caribbean community of Sandy Bay.
We have made over 30 trips to our place in Roatan. Despite our pleasure in being able to spend so much time there, frequently we are in situations where we are not comfortable. It is hot! There are three months when rain comes in buckets. There are insects and lizards. While the physical conditions are often uncomfortable, it is our shortcomings that really cause us discomfort.
Many people speak Spanish, and we still have only functional Spanish. We serve many people that we would not normally be drawn to. We come from excess and hurt to see the results of living without. We continue to be ashamed of making unthoughtful comments. It is in this discomfort that we have come to depend on lessons taught by the Master Teacher. And it is in the lessons we experience our joy.
When we wonder how to help because we see so much need, Jesus reminds us of his teaching about the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:29-37). He teaches us to help those he puts on our path. And, as an extension - not everyone is on our path.
Chris kept barging on our path. I did not want to help Chris because he was a thief and an addict. Chris stole my classroom computer. Chris stole anything we left on the deck including our light bulbs! While Larry wanted to help Chris go to rehab, I thought he did not deserve our help. But Chris was put on our path and with the urging of several, including Larry, Chris went into rehab. Over the course of a year, Chris replaced his bad habits with Jesus. As an added bonus, we have developed a good relationship with not only Chris but his family.
Jesus teaches us about Kingdom multiplication. As Jesus took the five loaves and two fish offered by a boy, and fed the 5000 (John 6:1-14) Jesus frequently takes the little we have and makes it much.
For several weeks, I had avoided Concepcion’s invitation to come to visit her daughter Patti. I knew Concepcion wanted me to persuade Larry that Patti needed a new house. Eventually, Concepcion’s persistence wore us down and on a Saturday afternoon, Larry and I traveled up the hill to Patti’s. What we saw broke our hearts! But we knew what we had in our bank account, and it wasn’t enough for a house build. Back in our house, Larry pulled out his trusty calculator, and pencil. He made the sketch and the calculations. On Monday morning, we opened an email from a friend who had helped build a house previously. He told us he was coming to Roatan in a week. He also told us he had money and wanted to help with a project if we could find one. Jesus took our little – and multiplied it so that Patti’s old house was replaced with a new, sturdy one.
Not everyone can pack up and travel to a hot, lizardy country. (Too bad!) Do you ever wonder what discomfort could give you such joy? We’ve been blessed - trading our comfort for discomfort has produced such incredible joy. We’d wish the same for you.
We are reminded of the benediction in Ephesians 3: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. ~ Amen.
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