Enough Joy IN THE MIDST (Philippians 4:1-13)

THE REALITY IS that life is hard in third-world countries in a way that most Americans cannot understand unless they have walked it out a bit. 

Just in the eight days I had my feet on the ITM Honduras ministry location, they experienced problems that, for the most part, here would not be major issues. They struggled with their water filtration system (and life without water or with poorly filtered and treated water is not pretty for those who depend upon it); their septic system has to be pumped out frequently onto the ground at the back of the compound because even with proper installation, it doesn’t get absorbed into the ground quickly enough; transportation by one vehicle was out of commission for several days (until mechanics could be convinced to come and diagnosis the problem and be taken to a nearby town to have a part fabricated from other bits and pieces of available parts and then get installed by said mechanics after a trip to a town relatively nearby; and BTW, the coolant required to make the car run had to be retrieved by Kim and poured in because all this occurred while the men involved in the ministry were away at a last-minute opportunity for pastor’s training in a town about five hours away); the old blue bus would not start on Sunday morning while several of us were at another church plant several towns away, which required people to walk long distances in the heat to attend service in a rather hot building (and BTW, almost 100 people did so); those cooking on the outside grill daily to feed almost 300 people were doing so in extremely hot weather and risking burns to make 100s of tortillas to feed the children and the elderly; illnesses and the constant risk of dengue fever from mosquito bites (as the picture below taken in one of the JLH homes shows of this family that hung netting for the youngest members of the family). 

This doesn't even begin to mention the peril of travel on dirt roads (and some paved ones) that make the worst one here look pretty luxurious; and do I dare mention the risky way people drive in third world countries where all road signs are taken as suggestions. The speed at which one can run upon an animal  just standing in a road on a dark night when travel by day cannot be avoided is a bit frightening. Then there is also the smoke from the constantly burning garbage and grass fires caused by discarded cigarettes and fires from everyone cooking their meals outdoors over open fires and semi-indoors over poorly vented "ovens" made of adobe and stuffed with the daily gathered branches (throw in a condition like asthma or bronchitis and life just got really complicated). After being there, I understand just breathing is not to be taken for granted. But we do, don't we? Take it for granted?

(Left, cooking in a porch kitchen on a blazing hot day during lunch preparations.)     

Add in the inherent troubles that come when dealing with broken people who need Jesus (and have access to social media and the outside world through their phones), people who have chosen to follow Jesus and are growing slowly, people who have been following Jesus for quite a while and need to grow but are resistant, people experiencing unbelievable heartache and hurt and abuse and struggle to forgive, and people who have to deal with the myriad temptations that naturally come to all of us while living in the flesh, and you might begin to understand the 24-7 nature of being a missionary living IN THE MIDST of a people in answer Jesus’ call to go make disciples of all nations in His name. Did I mention their phones ring and ding with messages constantly. Oh, and don't forget that these missionaries have now left behind (for the most part) their ability to be with their own family while dealing with all these things piled on and multiplied in a country with endless paperwork and taxes for the Americans. 

It is hard. And these do not complain. They just live life. For Jesus. One day at a time. One breath at a time. Doing piles of paperwork and traveling many miles to do what it takes to keep the ministry afloat and feed people both food and the Word. Is it any easier for them? No, lest you think they have some super power. They have the same Spirit that lives in you and in me if we are in Christ. He is enough. For them. And for us. Even in the hard things there is joy to be found in making disciples, even when you must travel five-and-a-half hours one direction, teach in unbelievably hot conditions with only natural light, worship outside (with birds buzzing your head and curious chickens everywhere), and then travel five-and-a-half hours back home, risking travel at night. It is worth it, each of these would tell you, in time and cost and labor and joy and love and fellowship, getting each church established to the point that native Honduran pastors are able and willing to take over the fellowship and lead their people to Christ.

(Pictures above of discipleship classes in San Jeronimo, a five-and-a half hour journey from La Ermita where ITM is located.)

The list of realities in Honduras and other foreign countries where missionaries go could go on and on. The dangers are real. There is a reason EVERYONE has a fence of some kind around their properties. Stray dogs and wild horses and donkeys and cows and chickens roam around everywhere. There is a reason all stores have armed guards who open the door and ask to see your receipt on the way out before they politely open it to let you exit. Not all people are friendly or have good intentions. It is a harsh reality. 

In America, we constantly complain about even the small interruptions to our lives, yet in Honduras they live with big interruptions and say, “To God be the glory (a Dios sea la gloria!), which I heard over and over again in their prayers along with “gracias Jesús” and “gracias Señor!” and "gracias espiritu santo and still find joy in their thankfulness to God and what He has done for them in Christ. I am pretty sure if they focused on the hard things they encounter daily, the obstacles would be too great and they would all lay down and just wait to die, but isn’t that a lesson for us, too?

Days 2-3 (Thursday-Friday)

The second day of my visit with Kim and the people of La Ermita helped me to realize again (Lord, will I never learn this lesson?) that our circumstances and our joy are two completely separate things when we are in Christ. It makes me think of Paul’s comments about contentment in Philippians 4: 1-12 (verses 1-10 included because context is everything):

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you must stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. I urge Euodia and Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true yokefellow, to help these women who have labored with me for the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Now I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Thursday and Friday were both days spent traveling around the countryside and visiting with Honduran families and seeing both their circumstances and their joy. Seeing their contentment, especially in the things they cannot change, what they have no control over. 

Two of Kim’s precious Honduran friends who are in ministry themselves have held her up and prayed for her and supported her in the establishment of ITM. The wife’s elderly mother posed for me, and I told her I would help make her famous. :) I saw their extended family all living together, cooking together, working together, laughing together. There is joy in that place, and they shared it all with me, showing me a brand new litter of piglets. They are beautiful, and I know they will be eaten or sold one day soon, but that too is a gift.

(Pictures above taken at Santito's house near La Ermita.)

(Pictures above from ITM house build. Much work went into getting the land cleared by the new owners, and much work is still going on in making it their home and maintaining and improving it.)

We visited with a young man (see pictures above) whose family received a home after much effort to find a place to put it. They cleared a piece of wild, untamed land and received permission to put the house there and moved into the day it was built because they had nowhere to live. Then they planted all kinds of things to eat around their 16x16x9 home with dirt floors and planted and cultivated beautiful flowers and trees and foliage, bringing much color to their world. They painted it and work hard to maintain it in a place that we couldn’t even ride to in our vehicle. There is joy in that place, and it is beautiful.

We visited with one elderly man (Misa’s grandfather) who was terribly excited about turning 101 this week. His family found balloons for him, and I did a photo session (see some pics above). He was so excited that he got ready several days earlier than we had planned, so we went. Carias (please forgive me if I butcher any names, y'all!) works in his yard every day, using his machete to keep the weeds down, which I got a first-hand demonstration of when asking him about his yard. Being active keeps him young. His comment (loosely translated): “I don’t know if I will be here tomorrow or even on the 19th when I turn 101 years of age. I have outlived all my brothers and sisters and many others in my family. But at least they will have pictures of me if I die tonight.” He is just humbly living the life God gives him each day. There’s a lesson there, and there is joy, and it is beautiful.

And I met one of Kim's best friends from Honduras and spent time photographing her beautiful family. Jocelyn is precious and is a blessing to ITM's work in Honduras. We spent most of our time together laughing, and it made me so want to be able to speak her language without translation. I cannot imagine that my face would've survived the joy of being able to talk to her without Kim's translation. :) Beautiful!

(Pics above of Kim's friend, Jocelyn, and her sweet girls.)

On Sunday, I had a conversation with another elderly man (86 years old) from Guaimaca (see picture below) who has a four-year-old son. They are alone, but he finds much joy in this bright-faced beautiful boy that I honestly would have packed up with me and brought home in my suitcase if I could have. He beams about his child’s talents and kindness and love for his father. He takes life in Christ one day at a time, whatever it brings. It is beautiful, the joy in this father’s face in the midst of his adversity and the grief life has brought to him. His Father's love sustains, and it is enough.

Yes, life is hard in Honduras as it is in many other places, and it is different from the way we live here in America and other places around the world, but the take-away for me when I have visited  with such joyful people is that God is good even in the midst of the hard things life requires. It is a reality check I need often, and I hope I will have opportunity to go again one day.

God is good in the hard things I face, too. 

He is good in the hard things you face. 

God is good. Let that sink deeply into your soul.

He is enough, and He deserves all the glory we could possibly give Him.

Amen!