Reflection by Chuck Conley Team Member

I volunteered to go on the Honduras trip, and then I decided I could not go. Then over the next two weeks I simply could not get it out of my mind. I told my Sunday school class that I had no idea why but I just had to go. So, I did.

I had traveled to Central America in the past and I believe I knew what to expect. I found things different than before. On one hand they seem to be connected, at least to the internet and other modern trappings to which we are accustomed to in the U.S. On the other hand the poverty I remembered was still there.

I remember how confused I was as a younger man at my inability to make sense of how the poor people of Panama seemed otherwise to be happy. This was magnified on this trip because the construction of the church was in its third year. How could these people be pleased with progress so slow? Why I could get a crew from the U.S. to come down and with just a few more modern methods we could have this up in no time.
Then I remembered my promise to myself before leaving Berea. First, I wanted to bring to the trip no prejudgement. God loves all people no matter how they live and where they live. I needed to have that acceptance and love as well. I decided there were three things that I could do to help me reach this goal, a lofty goal for me. Number 1, I started the week before going with introspection. Why was I going? How could I be what I needed to be at the right time and place? Then simply to take a good hard look at who I am. Number 2, I wanted to be a part of a team and really it appealed to me that I did not know some of the people going very well. What better way to learn about people than to be with them for 10 days of service to others? Number 3, I wanted to be able to minister to the people I traveled with and especially the people we were going to help.

I never worked any harder in my life. I was dog tired at the end of each day. I did take the time to sit down each evening and evaluate the day, and then we did it as a group. This helped, yet I was unsettled about some feelings of frustration. We could do this much faster if we had the right tools. Why can’t they get supplies to us when we need them? At the end of the week we finished the task set before us, and in record time. Still I was frustrated because I knew with the right tools and materials on time we could have done a great deal more.

Then I thought over the church services we attended with the people we were helping. They were grateful to their Lord for the progress, for their lives, and their blessings. They laughed easily. The dog was welcome in church. After church we left for the last time where we had labored for a week. What I remember are the happy faces, the handshakes, the children who had been our constant companions and hugs from all expressing their thanks. It was hard to leave.

On the return trip something kept nagging at the edges of my consciousness. I just could not quite figure out what was there. After a week at home and not being able to get my mind off of all I had seen and heard. It finally struck me. I went to minister to them and they had been the ones doing the ministering to. I also realized that the speed that the church is being built is of no concern to these loving people. Indeed, it had provided for nearly three years a stream of other Christians from far away coming to them to help reach a goal, and in so doing, the spirit of Christ permeated that place for all the participants. They reveled in the joy of anticipation of what is to come. One day a church. One day Christ.

In conclusion, everyone wins when one serves others, and as I found out the servers become the served. Our beloved Berea United Methodist Church is a winner for the encouragement provided to our team members. In the event you have an opportunity to serve, here at home or somewhere far away, keep in mind that by doing so you will create a community of winners in Christ.

Sincerely submitted by,
Chuck Conley