Western
Jurisdiction
United Methodist Volunteers
In Mission
Guatemala
December 9, 2007 Message
by Darrel Wilson, Portland, OR
Jesus brought a radical message that our first duty as Christians is to love
others as ourselves. This message was radical 2,000 years ago; it is just as
radical today. It was extremely challenging then, and it is extremely
challenging now.
The fact is that doing mission is a fundamental way of loving others and, in so
doing, growing in our faith and relationship to God. Choosing mission is
choosing to grow as a Christian. Put in different words, choosing mission is
choosing to foster Peace because love is the foundation of Peace.
We
began our mission by learning that to be effective we had to ask the people of
Chontola what their needs were and how
they thought we could help address those needs. We expected to be asked to
help with construction and medical services. We were a little shocked by their
request to also provide VBS to 200 kids. We wondered how we would bridge the gap
of three languages and be effective with so few people on our team to lead VBS.
But Mission is not doing what we think is best for someone, it is doing what
they think is best for them. VBS was one of the things the congregation knew
they needed to further their ministry in Chontola. We decided that we would
learn how to provide VBS in the village by letting God lead the way.
Early in our mission we considered the question, how do we really show love. Is
showing love about buying stuff for our friends, our families, neighbors, or for
people in other countries? Or is mission something else, something more,
something much deeper.
As
time passed we concluded that showing love is most fundamentally choosing to
act in loving ways, even if we don't
feel love at the time. Put another way, love is choosing actions that the other
person sees as loving behavior regardless of what we are feeling about the
situation.
We
also learned that when something catches our hearts, or disturbs our souls it is
a call to mission. That is how I came to lead this mission. In 2005 I had a very
frightening, very disturbing encounter in Guatemala where I thought my son was
going to be shot by a bandit with a rifle.
I
stewed on this experience for quite awhile. The aftertaste of my feelings of
terror and despair were haunting. I felt in emotional limbo; I did not want this
memory to keep its grip on me but I could not let it go. I finally realized that
good has to face off with evil through love. I realized that leading a mission
team was the best way to live my faith, forgive the bandit and to give myself
closure on this difficult memory.
Each one of us is surrounded by calls to mission. We are surrounded by calls to
create peace. Look for the calls to your heart. They are everywhere. They are
unique to each person.
Every member of our team had a profound experience of giving love to the people
of Chontola. By making the choice to be in mission each of us was transformed in
different ways, just as I have been transformed by forgiving and letting the
bandit experience go.
Each of us has learned that love is a decision to act in a loving way.
I
challenge you to listen for your calls to mission, to show your love and to
create the peace that only your actions can do. The calls are everywhere. Your
call could be local, perhaps helping the homeless, perhaps families that need
food or housing, or (you fill in the blank). The call to your heart could be a
national need such as helping those affected by a disaster such as a hurricane.
The call could be to serve the people who live in a country like Guatemala.
Jesus called us to love others as ourselves. Committing to serving in mission,
in a way that fits your heart and your circumstances, is fundamental to our
faith.
What call will you answer to create a more peaceful world? Are you willing; are
you ready to be transformed through showing your love?
This Christmas is a time to make a decision to give your best away. What part of Peace are you going to give?