Perilous Sacrifice
Henry, Bolivia
Helping a blind man
Accompanying bereaved family of pastor who died of COVID
”However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24)
When the World Health Organization declared Covid 19 as a pandemic 2 years ago, country after country started to close their borders and I found myself stranded in my home country for almost a year. But while waiting to return to my field, Bolivia, God gave me opportunities to minister to poor folks as well as migrant workers in my home country. Though some thought I was foolishly risking my life, I knew that there was no service without sacrifice and risks.
When I returned to Bolivia to continue with my ministry, I found that Covid cases and fatalities continued to rise there too. Church meetings and ministries were being curtailed and it seemed as if the whole world had shifted to virtual encounters from education to worship.
As I walked through the streets, I saw beggars and homeless people out there with needs and no protection at all from the merciless Covid virus. God put a burden in my heart to help some of these forgotten people at a time when everybody was trying to avoid contact with everybody.
It was heart breaking to see a significant number of pastors and people whom I ministered to, succumbing to the virus last year. Together with another pastor I began distributing food and financial aids to families of pastors who died of Covid. Some members of those families were themselves battling the virus when we went around distributing aids and praying for them. It was not about being brave and daring to do what I did during the pandemic but simply leaning and trusting in God ́s guidance and protection as I responded to the needs of the moment. Though I cannot fully comprehend why God chose to take some home to Himself while sparing others, one thing that I am more convinced now than ever is that we all live according to God ́s timing.
Missionary Charles Thomas Studd once said: “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him.” Thus, let us continue our journey of risky service for our Master, so that He can fulfil His plan and purposes in our lives.