Taking Time to be Present
Evan Wheat, Good Shepherd OPC, Sugar Land, TX
For a week this past summer, I, along with Sawyer Wiersma, his sister, Campbell, Leanne Doezema, and our fearless leader, William Devenney, traveled from our scattered locations in the States to Puerto Rico for my first short term mission trip (apart from my time at Boardwalk Chapel). We all went into the week unsure of what plans or what objectives we had.
The trip felt unorganized by our American standards, as we typically plan every activity down to the last minute to “get the most” out of a trip. We quickly came to realize that is not at all how our Puerto Rican brothers and sisters in Christ operate. They take their time and move at a much slower pace. On the first day, as the boys got settled into Pastor Bradney’s parents’ house and the girls at his sister-in-law’s house, we too began to move a lot slower. We realized this seems to come naturally when you’re stuffed with good food while in a house largely without air conditioning.
The morning after our arrival was Sunday, and we traveled a small distance to Guayama, where the OPC church is located. William had warned us beforehand of the practice of two kisses as a greeting between men and women, but it still took me by surprise the first time I experienced it. Although the language barrier was there, the entirety of that Sunday was incredibly uplifting and encouraging for all of us. For Sawyer and I, being with the men of the church fueled a desire in us for more fellowship with our own elders and pastors. The way in which they practiced Sunday, keeping a Christ-centered focus throughout the day, was a discussion we had multiple times throughout the week. I began to truly appreciate the beauty of an entire day given to us by God for rest, recovery, and re-orientation in Him with brothers and sisters in Christ. That Sunday, nearly everyone stayed at church from 9:30 a.m. to roughly 5:30 p.m.! That time of fellowship with so many lovely people eased all anxiety or worry I had had before coming to a foreign place with foreign traditions.
The rest of the week, we awoke each day to a lovely breakfast, watched some of the Olympics on tv with our hosts, and found out who and where we would be visiting. Nearly every day we were in homes sharing meals with families from the church. We shared our faith, talked, laughed, encouraged, and were encouraged by the beautiful people we met and spent time with. I can honestly say I have not eaten so much delicious and different homemade food before (aside from my mom’s, of course). The phrase “comer más” (eat more) became one that we all knew well. I had the opportunity to use the little bit of Spanish I knew, but, when in the homes of strictly Spanish-speakers, William Devenney, our leader and member of Calvary OPC, Glenside, Pennsylvania, proficiently carried the conversations. William insightfully reminded us that our simple presence in the homes of a single mother with four children, an elderly widow, or a vibrant, growing family made a profound and positive impact, eliciting heartfelt gratitude and appreciation.
We got to be human, to show love to people who, although divided by a language barrier, understood that we were brothers and sisters in Christ who cared about them and loved them. It has truly been one of the most uplifting aspects of my journey with Christ so far, as I have come to realize how our shared faith can unite us with people who would otherwise be strangers.
We consistently found ourselves brought together with people in a wonderfully pastoral manner. Sawyer, Campbell, Leeane, and William infused the space with such vibrant energy that it was impossible not feel a deep sense of brotherly and sisterly love.
This experience shifted my perspective from one of an evangelistic focus to recognizing the profound importance of Christian encouragement, which is a crucial aspect of both the church and the pastor's role. The best way to achieve this is by spending quality time with my church family and demonstrating the love of Christ, who first loved me, through a ministry of presence. Sharing food and conversations centered around Christ proved to be a powerful way to connect with my fellow brothers and sisters. I genuinely believe I will return to Puerto Rico to enjoy and connect with those wonderful people again. I genuinely hope to return to Puerto Rico to enjoy and be with those lovely people again one day.