Clothed in Compassion
A Rivers of the World (ROW) team from Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church in Augusta, Ga. recently met ROW staff members Wuk and Drew McIlreavy in Atlanta, bound for Siguatepeque, Honduras. The team was equipped and prepared to work on our medical clinic under construction in Taulabe and ready to conduct vacation Bible school in remote mountain villages.
Rain is common in Honduras in October but the ROW team found themselves in the midst of Tropical Depression 16, which struck Central America in mid-October, spawning heaving rains in at least six countries. Our mission team was suddenly immersed in horrible flooding that impacted 1 million people throughout Central America. In Honduras over 280,000 people were affected by the flooding, more than 12,000 homes were destroyed and over 30 people lost their lives.
Instead of assisting with the clinic and visiting children in mountain villages, the ROW team suddenly found themselves thrown in the midst of relief and recovery work, which is not exactly the mission of our organization. The group never missed a beat. They prayed, forged ahead and adapted to the circumstances. In so doing, they touched the lives of nearly 1,000 people who were in desperate need of medical care, food and clothing.
The compassionate efforts of this ROW team were even featured in Tiempo, one of the newspapers in Honduras. I am so proud of these volunteers and ROW staff for adapting and meeting the challenges they faced. When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are suddenly adopted into His family and become a child of God. It is then that we must strive to imitate Jesus and exhibit the same character traits He displayed during His brief time on earth. We get a glimpse of some of those traits in Colossians 3:12, which says:
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Most of us go to great lengths to choose the best outfit and accessories appropriate for the day ahead. As Christians, we must also be diligent in putting on those spiritual garments that will impact lives for Christ. Take one last look in the mirror before you head out the door and make sure you are covered with the righteousness of Christ.
