In Loving Memory of Reymunda

Reflection from Jarrod Brown.

She was crippled, blind, deaf, dirty. She had a broken hip, she was extremely malnourished, and she was being consumed by cancer. Her name was Reymunda (Ray -moon-du). She was in her mid nineties when we met her almost a year ago. The cancer that had consumed the entire right side of her face, her right eye and about two thirds of her nose was so painful to look at. It constantly oozed a clear liquid that her long beautiful white hair would get stuck in and matted to her face. She could not have weighed more than 60 or 70 pounds. Her dwelling could not be a home, water streamed through the old clay tile roof when it rained, the mud adobe brick walls were dissolving like saltine crackers in a glass of water with each new rain storm. She lived alone.

View from Agua FriaShe ate, when, and only when, someone decided to bring her something. In the beautiful jungle mountain village of Agua Fria, a place that would seem almost euphoric with the large hardwood canopy trees, an abundance of banana, avocado, orange, and star fruit trees providing a paradise of sorts for the varieties of parrots and parakeets that inhabit the tree tops and the odd looking watusas that hopped around the floor of the jungle. However, the reality of the poverty living underneath, in between, and among this beauty, was challenging to say the least. Challenging for those who try to survive existing there but challenging as well for every North American who was blessed with the opportunity to meet Reymunda. When I met this woman, I sat beside her on her bed. The bed was a frame with rope pulled taunt back and for from side to side and end to end, creating somewhat of a tight net to lay on. She stroked my small framed hairy arms and commented on how fat I was. A true reality to her perspective on life.

On that first day in Reymunda’s home, she told me, “I don’t want to starve to death. When you die of hunger everyone looks at you in your coffin and comments on how poor and malnourished you are. I don’t want folks Blake Mullins and Ashley Del Real with Reymundasaying those things about me.” I made a promise to Reymunda that day, I told her, “You will not starve to death.” It started with some food being taken weekly to a neighbor who would then “make sure” Reymunda got fed. It did not take long to realize that this arrangement was not working out and Reymunda was not getting fed. Soon God sent a young lady who wanted to work. We hired her to live with Reymunda and care for her. We visited Reymunda weekly or close to weekly bringing a large sack of food every time. We also sent a crew of workers who replaced the entire roof, trusses and all. We got a water line run to the house and an outhouse dug. For our entire North American missionary team the trip up the mountain to see Reymunda was such a blessing. Even when we had way to much going on to get away. However, time spent with Reymunda helped us all realize what our purpose is all about. To be God’s hands and feet.

When with Reymunda all of the stresses of deadlines, budgets, operations, groups and the overwhelming obstacle of saving so many lost and hurting souls went away. We were challenged to put things into perspective. No, we will not transform every life in Honduras, much less the world. No, we will not take away all of the pain that the innocent kids feel, no we will not share the Good News with all of those who don’t know Jesus.

However, we would be the hands of Jesus for one woman. We would be the tangible fulfillment of the sermon on the mount. The Bible studies and prayers would be real and personified through our visits. If we lost sight and forgot Christ’s words in John 12:8 “You’ll always have the poor” we would not do Christ’s life and death justice, for anyone. Christ’s statement was not made so that we don’t even try to get involved, such as a “why bother?” Rather, it’s Christ’s encouragement to us as his children. “Don’t get discouraged when you can’t help them all. Don’t kill yourself with guilt because you were not there for them. Do what you can for those that you can and be tangible. Be real. Be the ambassadors, the representatives that I am calling you to be.” Over the past year Reymunda challenged many many American’s who visited her to reevaluate their lives, their priorities, and their beliefs on what it means to be a Christian. An uneducated, very poor, very sick, and very old little child of God was a powerful force in changing the lives of the very educated, very rich, and very healthy North Americans who were blessed with the opportunity to meet her. With the added nutrition the cancer consuming her face also began to grow.

The eminent threat that this tumor imposed on her life had been held at bay by the eminent threat of starving to death without food. Two evils, fighting for a stronghold, to end Reymunda’s life. Satan scares us to fear death and the “end” while Paul reflects on his life as race, death being a victory, and only the beginning of an amazing eternity for believers. On Monday, June 28, Reymunda finally finished the race. Like a determine novice marathon runner, she was tired and worn down by the journey and by her circumstances. However, it was her journey that has changed my life forever. It was her journey, as insignificant as she may have felt, that has challenged me to do something else. Something else. Not was I am supposed to do, rather something else. So, while I search for that “something” and I ponder about what “else” is, I’ll have my eyes open for the next unsuspecting, humble instrument of God, who is longing to be served. And as much joy as I’ll receive from serving that person, whomever he or she may be, the true blessing will be the humbling fact that once again God will use an unsuspecting humble person to teach this well educated, self-starting, entrepreneur that it’s really not about him, it’s about God. God, would you tell Reymunda thank you for me, I did not get a chance and thank you for using her to teach me.

Comments

[Valeria Woods]

Awwww! How precious!

[Trina Meeker]

This story reached into my heart, turned it inside out and left me crying at the feet of Jesus. Thank you Jarrod for telling me about this dear sister. I can't wait to meet her in heaven.