Have You Carried Someone Today???
Sharing Lives—Connecting Journeys—Following Christ
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”. Galatians 6:2

In 1997 I had the privilege of serving in a short term mission team to the Rivne region of Ukraine. Our team was composed principally of medical providers and we were focusing on working with children in the rehabilitation camps and orphanages of the region.
As always when on a short term mission trip you never know when the “divine appointments” might happen when God teaches you a lesson that he may have brought you 7,000 miles to learn. I remember very well such a poignant moment while on our 1997 trip.
A small medical clinic was located on the perimeter of “Camp Elektronic” where we were billeting and providing care for the resident children and outpatient services for the community. As I was walking to the clinic one morning I saw a Lada (small Czech made communist era sedan) pull up close to the door of the clinic. Out from the driver’s side stepped a wiry weathered man of undeterminable age. I watched as he went around to the back door on the passenger side and opened it up to assist the passenger inside. As I paused and went over to also offer assistance if needed I realized that the passenger was a large young man who for some physical reason was quite flaccid and did not even have enough muscle tone to be able to sit up unaided; a woman somewhat hidden by the profile of the young man was sitting behind him and propping him up into a sitting position. I extended a hand to help and was politely directed to stand aside as this slightly built father demonstrated the proper way to carry someone at least half again his weight. He bent down with his back towards his son and crossed his son’s arms over his shoulders and onto his chest with his own arms gripping his son’s hands and crossed over his own chest. I watched in amazement a scene that was no doubt played out several times a day as the slight father would carry his much heavier adult son from place to place. When I asked them (through an interpreter) they shared with me they had no wheelchair plus the uneven steps of the apartment buildings rendered a wheelchair almost useless going up to their flat. When I asked them why they came they shared that they had heard the American doctors were in Camp Elektronic and they hoped to have their son seen. They were hoping for a miracle of some kind to help their son since they were getting older themselves and weren’t sure what would happen to him when they couldn’t care for him. I witnessed a wonderful example of what unconditional love looks like; Parents who did the hard work every day, day in and day out providing care for their son in a remarkable unselfish way.
Reflecting on the opportunities of that day in my journal I had written that I saw what God does for each one of us. Granted we are never too heavy for him to carry but the redundancy of the task must at times seem to never end. Same mistakes, same deaf ear, same idle tongue, same self centered worship. While the young man I saw may have issues with physical limitations how many of us have spiritual issues that if translated into physical representations would look flaccid and minimally developed as well. It was a moment of reflection that cause me to think about being more intentional in my role of being a disciple and being available as well to carry my spiritual brothers and sisters. All of us are different points of grace and sometimes we need to be carried and sometimes we are the ones who just have to do the hard work of carrying our brothers and sisters.
Thank you for serving as a life group leader and for being willing to carry others….may there always be someone to carry you when you need “God’s presence with a little skin on”.
YOU ARE APPRECIATED!!!!

Steve Bishop—Life Groups Director