I realize that 99.9 percent of you may have no desire to ever do mission work, and that’s okay. But let me tell you about one man who, according to 99.9 percent of people, could never do mission work—and yet he did.
I first heard about Robert Reid in college. A professor described his incredible story* and stated that he was a tremendously effective missionary overseas. From that day on, I hoped to meet the great Robert Reid.
Robert’s journey began with a rough birth and a later diagnosis of cerebral palsy. His earliest memories involve relatives discussing him in front of his parents, assuming he couldn’t understand because they thought he was “mentally retarded.” They even suggested his parents place him in an institution. Such words would have shattered the spirit of most children, but not Robert’s. He made a decision then and there to prove his worth to the world.
He faced many challenges while attending school. At first, some teachers assumed he was an “imbecile” incapable of being taught. It did not help that his cerebral palsy prevented him from writing and taking notes. In high school and college, he had to memorize what his teachers taught him and then recite the information to his mother when he arrived home. She would write everything down for him to study. Despite these adversities, Robert earned good grades and dreamed of attending law school. His life changed when he traveled to Europe on a summer mission trip. This was a big step. It was his first time away from home. For a young man who was wheelchair-bound and could not dress or feed himself, it was a challenge. He raised his own support, traveled to Europe with fellow students, and discovered he could leverage his challenges to connect with more strangers on the streets of Europe than his fellow campaigners.
He dropped his dream of attending law school. He had fallen in love with Portugal and aspired to move to Lisbon and serve as a missionary. He raised his support and began his mission. His approach was somewhat unorthodox. He would roll into a restaurant or pub at mealtime and find someone to feed him. He would establish rapport and look for an opportunity to share the Gospel. How’s that for advanced technique? Yet, I would dare say that he has led more people to Christ than most Christians. (Incidentally, one person to whom he shared the Gospel was a lovely young woman named Rosa who would one day become his wife and the mother of his daughter.)
Now do you see why I admired him (and still do) so much? Shortly after I turned forty, Robert arrived at Abilene Christian University. I was studying for my Master’s of Divinity degree and teaching as an adjunct professor. He was invited to spend a year teaching and mentoring college students. You can bet it was a special day for me when I finally got to meet this great man.
Even if you are not of the Christian faith, Robert can inspire you. He is the ultimate example of this truth: it is not important what you have; what matters is what you offer. You may feel limited in your talents, but if you present all that you have to the world in a spirit of service, you will do just fine.
So, what can you do? What talents and abilities do you possess that could be used to serve others?
Are you doing it?
Mark
Dr. Mark Edge
The WorkEdge Company
Telephone: 903-245-7851
Email: workedgetexas@gmail.com
Website: www.workedgetexas.com
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*While I wrote this post from memory, I confirmed the details with Robert’s book Bursting with Life: Triumph Through Cerebral Palsy, which I had purchased. I would highly recommend it, and you can buy it in paperback or Kindle at Amazon.com