Last week my family and I traveled to Maneadero, Mexico (south of Ensenada) on a missions trip. Though a few of us had been on missions trips before this was the first one we'd experience all together. I didn't know what to expect. And was I going to be surprised.
We flew into San Diego, met our C&MA missionary host, Rick Romano, and headed south across the border. At about 1 AM (3 AM our time) a tire on Rick's van blew out ... and he didn't have a spare. We waited for his wife to drive up and rescue us. It wasn't until 3 AM (6 AM for us) that we got to our room, that is, our dark, dusty, dirty, bunk beds on a cement slab room. When my bed sheets didn't fit the mattress I wondered what I had got myself into. But that was only the beginning.
The bathrooms were mere outhouses so small that your knees would hit the wall when you sat. The showers were small, dirty, and with limited water supply. And we had to wake at 8 AM for breakfast. Being exhausted he first day was not the ideal way to start this trip.
I began the next day finding out that our primary job was going to be construction. Now, my family and my church know that I really dislike construction work. I am not the guy who buys tools and loves to putter around the shop. Urgh! I get no satisfaction or joy from doing that kind of work. When I saw, however, where and for who we'd be building a house for (a poor family living in a crowded shack) I determined to do the job.
It wasn't going to be that easy though. The discomforts continued. Other than dinner the food was repetitive and, well, quite disatisfying. That was minor for on the second day I got a severe sinus headache. The next day my back starting hurting. The next day the van hit a bad bump and I crushed my head & neck on the roof. Then, to top it off I almost got a concussion when a 2x4 fell on me! It really seemed like "someone" was trying to discourage me so I'd just give up. I was out of my comfort zone, beaten up, and among strangers. Nonetheless, the joy of the Lord was my strength and for the first time in my life I enjoyed construction; I actually WANTED to build this house.
When the week was over we introduced the family to their new home. It wasn't much by American standards and it certainly wasn't built by skilled professionals, but it was a mansion to them. Their expressions, their tears, their appreciation made all the inconveniences worth it.
Serving the Lord isn't always convenient, but it is always worth it.
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58
