Servanthood

We often talk about wanting to have a servant’s heart, and we couldn’t possibly have found a better example of this lifestyle than this amazing couple. They are in their early 60s, with 12 grandchildren, but they serve God with an energy and enthusiasm that can only be described as God-given. Their first missionary experience took place over a period of 15 years in Nazareth during the Lebanon war. To say that very little intimidates them would be an understatement, and that’s a very important quality for a missionary in Bagot, where alcoholism, drug abuse, and violence are the norm. Every day, they drive into Bagot, a spiritual war zone, armed with nothing more than musical instruments, fruit punch, cookies, and an unshakeable faith that they are protected by the power of the living God. At church, they sing songs, preach, pray, and generally encourage their congregation, no matter how drunk or sober that congregation may be. Since most of the people in Bagot don’t have cars, David and Isobel end up being a de facto taxi service as well. They are constantly driving others around without ever complaining about how much of their free time it costs them, not to mention gas money and inconvenience.

For Isobel, ministry is a 24/7 commitment. You could literally call her with a need in the middle of the night and she would wake up out of a dead sleep to come help you. David, on the other hand, has a job to do completely separate from their ministry; he works as a surgeon at the local hospital. A typical day for David involves waking up in the early hours of the morning, performing surgery before the rest of us even get out of bed, working until the evening, and then driving over to Bagot to sing worship songs and preach until the late hours of the night. Then, he gets to wake up and do it all over again the next day. Did I mention that he is almost 62 years old?! This is a couple that is truly striving to live up to the high standard which Christ demonstrated for us.

You would think that for all their hard work, David and Isobel would at least be able to depend on receiving ample amounts of encouragement. Unfortunately, that is not the case. There are an abundance of people both inside and outside of the Bagot community that seek to undermine their hard work. Discouraging words are common; they have literally been told that their ministry will die with them. I asked Isobel how she deals with this discouragement. She simply said that she tries to remember Luke 9:62 which states, “…no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” She’s not angry, nor vengeful…not even discouraged. It is in these hardest times that David and Isobel’s character shines through; character built through perseverance.