|
Thanks for Everything!
Shakespeare, in his Twelfth Night, Act III, has a character making the statement, "I can no other answer make but thanks, And thanks, And ever thanks." That statement sums up the sentiments that saturate my heart as I write these words. After a recent mission trip to Guyana, South America, I am thankful to our Heavenly Father to be safely back at home. I am also thankful for so many of you who "became fellow workers for the truth" (3 John 8) through your constant prayers and encouragement and financial support. The first part of the trip took us to a village of about 1200 people known as Matthew's Ridge. Located in a vast rain forest, the land is strikingly beautiful. In the hills surrounding Matthew's Ridge banana and coconut trees abound and parrots and monkeys are often seen or heard. But physical conditions in Matthew's Ridge are hard. Many residents have no electricity, and those who do must get it from privately owned gasoline-powered generators. A (cold) shower was available in the room we stayed in, but only before about 7 am and after 7 pm! We slept under the protection of mosquito nets. The main street was built of dirt and a crushed mineral known as manganese. Side streets were really no more than well-worn paths leading to homes in the surrounding hills. Besides bananas and coconuts and other fruits, a big part of the diet in Matthew's Ridge is rice and chicken and chow mein noodles.
While in Matthew' Ridge we made visits and conducted home Bible studies during the day and had preaching and teaching each night at the church building of the small local congregation of the church of Christ. We baptized five people. One of the most interesting experiences I have ever had was connected with one of those baptisms. In the home of a lady who has been attending worship at the Matthew's Ridge church I was able to study with her 17 year old son, a school teacher named Orison. After the study Orison made the decision to obey the gospel. He himself led us up and down a couple of hills to a small stream of water coming out from under a hillside. The stream was much too shallow to bury him with Christ (Romans 6:3-4), but where there's a will there's a way. We quickly began to gather sticks and leaves and with them constructed a small dam across the stream. After about 15 minutes the makeshift baptistry was deep enough to bury Orison and raise him to a new life! Orison's obedience to the gospel reminded me that no matter where you go, the gospel of Christ is simply beautiful and beautifully simple. "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15)!
Dan Gulley
Smithville church of Christ
|
