... The Smile of God’s Grace

I was bored and tired of CNN, NPR, FOX, NBC, CBS, ABC. I was saturated with pundits, idiots, tidbits, sound bites, talking heads and screaming experts. And the more I studied history and the human equation, the more cynical and disgusted I was becoming - to the point of despair. I believed we could not learn from history, that we were destined to destroy ourselves as have all empires in history. And I am still on the very edge of the company of cynics.
But, while in Honduras I was moved, one might say, Inspired, by the spirit and actions of North American Gringos who came to Honduras for short periods of time to make a contribution to the mission of the Moravian/Reformed Church Hospital and Clinic. Women and men of all ages, sizes, skills, and interests came in large groups and small to paint, help, build, repair, restore, fix and improve the facilities of healing. Many were highly skilled and experienced; some had more energy than expertise, but all were driven by a desire to make a difference, to express their faith, and to do something more than complain about the state of the world. At their own expense and with the help of fund raising at home, these happy and bouncy people started each day like Snow White’s dwarfs, “Hi Ho, Hi Ho, its off to work we go, laughing all the way.”
And they made me examine my cynicism and growing despair over the poverty of wealthy arrogance. These members of congregations of Christians from the USA were not writing essays of disgust, but were simply doing what they could do of what had to be done by someone to improve their world in some small but important measure. And they made me smile in spite of myself and my “penetrating analysis” of my world. And from an essay written in Honduras on Thursday, January 22, 2004:
“This is mission. These are workers in the field, the vineyard. This is faith with works, faith in action. This is the Joy of the Lord, the Church being the Church."
Will it solve all problems, cure all ills, make everyone rich, end all suffering and inequality? Of course not.”
But we are reminded that we cannot cure all diseases, we simply relieve some pain; we cannot stop the rain, we simply replace the roof; we cannot impose world peace on our terms, we simply bring comfort and aid to those around us.
If you need a “faith lift” find a want ad for a short term missionary task at some location where you’d never go in your wildest dream. And go. Do. Serve. Give. It restores and renews your faith and your circulation. And you will see the smile of God’s grace.”

Richard E. Lake