admin February 6th, 2010
By Neng Betoya, Missionary Teacher in the remote village of Agbalite
“The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41
Have you experienced the reality of this verse? I have many times. Being a frontline missionary is so prone to challenges. There are many adventures along the way. In those adventures, thrills and excitements are always present. If you doubt, it means failure. If you believe, it means abundance of experiences with God and you are opening the door of joy and amazement.
In this work that God entrusted to us we need to expect the unexpected. Sometimes the work is very usual, but sometimes it is very unusual. Sometimes we are willing, sometimes we don’t have interest. Sometimes it is easy to give, but sometimes we never surrender. Sometimes we question, “Why am I doing this?” Also, sometimes we say, “That’s why God wants me to do this!” It is very clear that we are really nothing. I am so thankful that God is always there to do the intervention. Without His intervention we will fail.
The month of December is very busy. Teachers prepare exams for the periodicals. Students need extra assistance from their teachers as the periodical will be taken before their break. After the exam, teachers will compute grades to be submitted to the head office in Mamburao. Teachers also plan and lead the year-end party. This month also is a sickness prone month. So, it is expected that patients will be many.
During this month, I experienced successive sleepless nights. One night, Iya, one of our villagers, had severe diarrhea. She was also attacked by her asthma. She defecated many times. Her stool was watery and bubbly. She also vomited. Due to the previous cases in Agbalite wherein we lost five lives because of severe diarrhea, Iya was so afraid. She experienced anxiety. The teachers assisted her from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. It was so tiring because I only had two hours of sleep. I could not sleep in the next morning because it was Sunday. Sunday is the only time that I can do a thorough cleaning of my house and bedroom, wash my laundry, do my lesson plan, and teach English to Sir Ding. Sunday night I again had another patient. Somebody knocked on the door at midnight asking for help. The next day was Monday. I was really tired, but I couldn’t rest because I had class. At 2 a.m. again that night another patient having the same problem needed help. I felt so sleepy and so tired.
In the afternoon of Tuesday, I needed to go to the village to give a Bible study. I was too tired to study and so reluctant to do my responsibility. My spirit was willing, but my flesh was weak. I prayed to God earnestly that He would give me students and He would speak through me and that He would also give me the strength and energy I needed. I went to the village afterward. I found myself at the house of Iya and her family. Iya was receptive, but the rest of the family wasn’t. Iya invited her father to join us and he refused because of a headache. Iya’s mother went immediately inside the house and did not come out. Iya’s husband went out and hid behind their C.R. (outside bathroom). It was very obvious that they didn’t want to listen. I understood because I know that they are very loyal and faithful to their religion which is Evangelical. I almost got frustrated, but I know that this is not my work; it’s God’s. I told Iya that we will start, after all we had another listener, Marissa (she has a brain defect) was there. I started the study by telling them my intention of giving a Bible study is not for them to become Adventist or a part of our denomination, but to fulfill God’s mission. I didn’t know that Iya’s parents were listening inside the house. All of a sudden, Iya’s mother came out to join and before we started with a prayer, Iya’s father decided to join also. Ten minutes after, Iya’s husband sat beside me to listen also. The study was so lively and amazingly God took all my tiredness away. He replaced it with joy and understanding of His unfailing love toward us. God is really good all the time. His intervention is always perfect and awesome. After our Bible study they even wanted me to come back the next day to continue the study!
