Holy Week has come and gone. If you’re like us, you’re probably still basking in the joy that comes with the comprehension of Christ’s work of redemption on the cross and the hope of eternal life that His resurrection brings. More than that, the afterglow of Easter Sunday Morning encourages us to share with others the reason for this hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15), but the increased urge to share comes the with the urgent need to know how. So many times it can seem like we have a joy unspeakable, to borrow the words of the the old hymn, a hope that we feel we’re unable to share.
In 1 Corinthians 9:22 Paul states: “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” It is a call to enter in, to identify and empathize with a community as a means to reach them. It’s easy enough to agree with this concept, but difficult to put into practice. However, our time with the ministry of Sustain Hope has made the emulation of Paul’s message a bit easier.
From March 28th to April 6th, Andy Rogers and Frank Mayes from Sustain Hope held services and workshops designed to teach pastors and other leaders how to use simple methods to solve big problems, from water purification to food preparation all the while building bridges to help present the gospel.
One such example was a simple fly trap, made from a common plastic bottle and a piece of fruit or a dollop of honey. During the rainy season, from June to November here in the Yucatán, flies can be a big problem, especially in the open air kitchens that many still use throughout the state. The trap provides a simple solution to a common nuisance, but it also serves to illustrate the danger of sin. In the same way that the flies are attracted to the bait of fruit or honey, so sin can be very attractive, but just as the fly is unable to escape from the trap, so sin can have grave even lethal consequences for those who fall under its influence. Imagine the lasting impact such an illustration can have as flies accumulate within the trap!
In this and many other ways, Frank and Andy shared throughout the week. It was a joy to host them and translate for them as they brought new ways for our ministers to get involved with their communities meeting physical needs while conveying spiritual truths.
Interested in seeing more? Take a look at our photo gallery from the week. If you like, you can also download our latest newsletter in PDF format, featuring Sustain Hope.
