Known By Our Love
Do you remember that classic Christian song, “They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love?” In the village of Billy White, located in the western Cayo district of Belize, they know we are Christians because of our love for them.
My friends, Pastor Dr. Tom Sikes from First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Meridian, Miss. and John Eve, lay pastoral assistant at St. Andrew By-The-Sea United Methodist Church in Hilton Head Island, S.C., accepted the challenge of revitalizing the little school in Billy White.
The school receives no governmental assistance and originally only had one math and one English textbook for all the schoolchildren to share. Teachers travel 2-1/2 hours from Belize City Monday morning and sleep on the floor of someone’s house during the week before returning to Belize City on Friday.
Sikes and Eve’s churches have sponsored the school in Billy White, which has been completely revitalized. The school now has ceiling fans, new bathrooms, tile floors and a water collection tank. School supplies and textbooks were donated, new school desks are in place along with a computer, sports equipment has been purchased and basketball courts are in place. A multi-purpose concrete pad was constructed.
Future projects needed include an additional classroom, teacher’s residence compound on land already purchased, pavilion roof over the multi-purpose concrete pad and picnic tables for serving lunch to the students.
When the people of the village of Billy White asked why we took on the task of revitalizing the school, Tom and John both said, “We did this because of Jesus Christ.” This revitalization project turned into a revival.
Whether you are working at your job, volunteering in the community or assisting with a church project, do it all in the name of Jesus Christ. Let us follow Jesus’ instructions in John 13:34-35, which says:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
