male
Dr. Hugo Venegas is Senior Pastor of Colorado Community Church - Englewood in the Denver area, where he also leads a Bilingual service. Originally from Costa Rica, Hugo graduated from Southwestern College in Phoenix, received his Master of Divinity at Denver Seminary and earned Doctor of Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Holly, are the parents of two daughters, Megan and Madison.
box
By Dr. Hugo Venegas
Butterfly Man
MALE BOX is a regular feature in FullFill™ where we invite the opinion, perspective and insight of male leaders as they comment on women and their participation in the kingdom.
26
FullFill ™
SPRING 2010
SEAN_WARREN / PROXYMINDER / ISTOCK
T
here are vipers hidden along the path that can attack us at the most unexpected times in life. One struck me about six months ago… I was on a trip with my older brother, Benson, in the village of Yorkin, on the Costa Rican—Panama border. A flood had devastated the area, and I brought volunteers from Colorado to aid in the rebuilding efforts. At the end of the trip Benson became ill. Within two weeks he was diagnosed with stage IV liver cancer, and two months later my healthy, strong brother with his gigantic smile—was gone. My life went into an emotional tailspin. I was in deep shock and the loss shook me to the core. Benson dedicated most of his life as a biologist to help eradicate poverty through self-sustaining, communitybuilding initiatives. He was a true idealist whose reputation preceded him in many of the poorest communities in the country. The women of Yorkin were facing challenges posed by husbands struggling with alcoholism, lack of education, unemployment, and a hopeless future for their children. They contacted my brother to ask for help. Benson taught the women how to create a better future for everyone in the village. He helped them organize themselves, build a network of partnerships and create an
infrastructure to meet educational, economic and health needs. Within a few years, due to the women’s hard work, the men had sobered up and the teenagers were attending a new, local high school. After Benson’s sudden death, I felt paralyzed by my grief. I had lost a friend, coworker, playmate, encourager, and beloved brother. A health clinic was left unfinished and the villagers were still waiting to receive critical treatments. I wanted to help, but I felt stuck. You may be in a similar position of grieving—perhaps a health crisis, a messy divorce, the death of a child, a job loss, or a dream turned into a nightmare. You may also have other demands on your time and energy. You cry out to God in prayer seeking relief, answers, or strength to face each day. You may ask, “How can I keep going?” I found my answer to this question in a most unusual place. Early Christmas Day, my wife, Holly, and our two daughters were reading the Christmas story. Holly had recently lost her grandmother, so we shared favorite memories of loved ones who had passed. Holly recounted her favorite story about Benson. He was trying to explain to the women of Yorkin the most important trait to create a better future for themselves. However, he faced a problem. There was no equivalent word for that trait in the indigenous language. Benson got a brilliant idea for illustrating this concept, so with a box in hand, he ran off into the jungle. When he returned, he opened the box, and the whole village saw the ascent of a myriad of colorful, dancing butterflies. Benson explained that each butterfly was representative of their dreams, aspirations, gifts, imagination, and human potential. God had given them everything they needed for a productive life. All they needed was to take initiative and release what was already deep within. From that day forward, the women of Yorkin felt empowered to act on behalf of their dreams, their children and their futures. As Holly shared the story, my eyes welled up with tears. I realized my need to release the pain and grief. I understood the gift my brother had given me in his example of serving others and motivating them to take initiative and release their potential. I am headed back to the village to continue an arduous work in challenging conditions. But truth be told, I’m just going back to the jungle among the mighty women of Yorkin to be a simple butterfly man. ■