“The Worst Enemy of the Best is the Good”

Sue and Woody Roland at Annual Team Conference 2010

Woody Roland, our Latin American Director, recently shared at our Annual Team Conference.  I  wrote to him and requested a copy of what he shared.  I felt what he said was so relevant for each of us today.  The following are my annotated notes from his text. 

Each of us has experienced the conflict of two forces in our lives, the clock and the compass.  Stephen Covey in his book, “First Things First” uses these two articles to describe the difference between the pressure of our agenda and the values that should guide our agenda.  

The clock represents our commitments, appointments, schedules and activities.  Basically how we manage the time in our daily lives.

The compass represents our core values, our consciousness, and our personal vision for life.  Basically what we believe is important.

We know there is a gap when there is too much space between the clock and the compass.  When how we spend our time daily, does not contribute to what we believe to be important.  People who find themselves in this position perhaps would decide the solution is to learn how to manage their time better.  They go to a store and buy a book that will teach them how to better manage their daily agenda.  After reading the book, they implement the suggestions into their daily lives; they even become experts in this area.  Unfortunately the space between the compass and the clock does not change.  They have just become better on how to manage the clock.

Each of us, daily have two choices to make.  The first is a conscious commitment to the important things in our lives.  And second, we must commit to filter out those things that are unimportant.

Lessons Learned from the Cevellos'

Total Hacienda El Refugio Staff

Howie, Mary, Courtney and Juan Carlos

Dany, Katy, Courtney and Juan Carlos

Juan Carlos, our Program Director announced at the beginning of the year that God was calling him to another ministry with a position to train leaders all over Latin America.  This is actually a great fit for he and Courtney as their hearts have always been focused on discipleship.  They have been increasingly concerned for the many leaders who they have come into contact with here at El Refugio, and who is following up with them once they leave.  This announcement came while they were in the States on furlough.  So, in February they came to Ecuador so we could celebrate with them and have a despedida, which is a going away party.

For Howie and I, while we send them off with our blessings and prayers, this was a little bittersweet.  Because, although Juan Carlos and Courtney are our kids ages, for whatever reason, we developed a friendship of mutual trust and respect.  Well, actually I have an idea as to why.  For you to understand, let me share a few snapshots of our time together over the last six years, a photo opp, the prayer card and an appropriate response.

As many of you know, each year Howie helps out with the Extreme Response Christmas Parties.  Because he does that, he is given up to seventy food bags to distribute to the poor in our area.  The first year we went to deliver the bags, everything was loaded into the truck.  I told them to wait because I forgot my camera.  Juan Carlos was very clear that no cameras were to be brought.  Why?  The response was, "what are your motives for bringing your camera?"  Motives.  And the next question, "Is this time really about the photo opp, or is it about giving food to these people, while allowing them to retain their dignity?"  From that point on, my perspective has shifted, and many times I choose not to bring my camera.  As a result I am constantly weighing my motives behind the picture I take.

For a long time Juan Carlos and Courtney didn't have a prayer card.  When we pressed them, saying we would like to have their bright and smiley faces on our prayer wall, they were very adamant that they would not have a prayer card.  Why?  "Because prayer cards are really just a way to get people to give you money", was the answer.  Well, on this point, we respectfully disagreed, because we know people who do faithfully pray for us as a result of having our prayer card on their refrigerator.  In time, they did finally have a prayer card made and yes, we do pray for them.

Finally, really the thing that linked our hearts, is Juan Carlos and Courtney's ability to respond to situations in the lives of the people around them with such sensitivity to the Spirit.  This happened the first time when Nicole lost her first baby, a boy.  Juan Carlos couldn't find us fast enough, to pray with us for Nicole and Jay during that time.  Then, about two and half years ago, Howie and I received some particularly hard news, yet didn't share it with anyone.  Howie's response was to become difficult and mine was to just isolate myself.  On a particular day in June, everything came to a head, and you just need to know it wasn't pretty.  Juan Carlos came to us and asked what on earth was going on?  When we told him, he sobbed and then prayed for us.  When Courtney arrived she did the same.  And since then, they both continue to pray.  In that moment, they personified for us the appropriate response of a believer in Jesus Christ.

So, will we miss them?  Yep.  Does it hurt?  Yep.  Do we bless them?  Absolutely!  I mean, let's face it they weren't perfect.  There were literally days, during work that I wanted to kill Juan Carlos.  He is indeed a "button pusher".  But, for me a person who avoids confrontation at all cost, that was good for me.  Will I miss it?  Nope.  OK, maybe a little.