Trash

First of all, I’m glad to report that I am feeling 100% healthy again. After about a week and a half of feeling under the weather, it’s nice to be back to normal. Please continue to pr-y for the health of my team. In the past 2 weeks, Jeff got bit by a dog, I visited the hospital, both Clay and Kirsten were feeling sick, and Jean injured her thumb pretty badly. Don’t misunderstand - this team is extremely tough, and very little keeps us down for long. We are optimistic and hopeful, but not naive enough to not recognize that someone isn’t happy about what we’re doing here, and is doing his best to distract or disable us. Continue to join us in pr-ying that we would be strengthened and covered by the right kind of armor.

This week was a bit different than usual, due to the death of a family member of an elder of the ch-rch. We had to change a few plans, including a trip to an island we’ve never been to, which will now happen next week. Instead, we had the opportunity to do a few things that were a bit out of the ordinary, but a fun change of pace. For example, yesterday the team and I walked around our neighborhood with black trash bags and collected only a fraction of the ice cream wrappers and empty cigarette cartons that line the streets of our neighborhood. The amount of street trash in our area, which itself is less than 10 years old, is just simply impressive. In about an hour’s time, we collected about 8 full-sized trash bags full of litter from about a block and a half. Cleaning it up has been something that I’ve wanted to do to contribute to the betterment of our neighborhood for a long time.

During our time in our neighborhood, Fe y Esperanza (Faith and Hope), we have been told (and noticed first-hand) just how much we are being watched. For our team, it is very important that we always remember what kinds of names we are carrying and representing on a daily basis (gringos, our churches, our families, and most importantly, Chr-st). This was made very evident while we were picking up trash, especially during interactions with some of our neighbors that we have not yet met. Several people stopped to thank us, and to tell us that we are setting a good example for the people here, especially the children. There was a group of women in particular who began by asking us if we were members of the “organization” (a group that works for the government on minor construction projects in the area). We obviously aren’t, but were able to inform them about our ch-rch services that are held right in the neighborhood every Sunday morning, in a familiar community center.

As we were sifting through discarded diapers and cast-off cans, I couldn’t help but think about J-s-s’ m-n-stry in meeting the people’s needs - both the physical as well as the sp-r-t--l. It’s through His concern for physical health by way of healings and miraculous feedings that J-s-s opened the ears and hearts of the people to His message. It’s through things like picking up trash on the side of the road that we are given opportunities for conversations with people who don’t know the love of J-s-s; conversations that we may not have had otherwise.

If none of those things, or simply for the fact that we were caring for creation were enough, we are told in Matthew that when we do things for the benefit of others, we are doing them unto Chr-st himself.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘L-rd, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”

Take a minute today to pick up a piece of trash on the side of the road, or to talk to someone who needs a friend. Do something for the benefit of someone else. You never know how simple things will end; make the effort to do something seemingly simple today.