Roger Carey: He Loved Hondurans

Roger Reeck

January 2000

For many years, Roger Carey, who retired from General Motors in 1986, and his wife Betty have spent two winter months in La Ceiba, Honduras. Through their involvement on a work team, they developed a great love for the people of Honduras, and always looked forward to returning each year. Roger, quite a handyman, would keep busy with painting and repair work at the Bethel compound and in churches.

Roger and Betty Carey went to Honduras on December 14Ña bit early this yearÑwith Bob and Darlene Eberly of Greencastle, Pa., intending to spend Christmas in the country they loved. But within a couple days, Roger landed in the hospital with a perforated bowl. On Saturday, December 18, Roger passed away. He was 70.

A funeral service was held on December 19 in La Ceiba, followed by a service on December 26 at the Woodbury UB church, where the Careys have been members. Roger Reeck, a Wycliffe missionary in La Ceiba, knew the Careys well. He wrote some thoughts about Roger.

The group of American UB men and women has just arrived in the small village of La Bomba. Some speak Spanish and try to make friends. Some veteran missionaries speak fluent Spanish and try to arrange for the group to participate in the service. Meanwhile one of the men, Roger Carey, is making faces like a clown and winning the hearts of the children.

A mother notices his warm smile, and soon Roger is talking to her in down-home English and gathering a crowd. No one understands his English, but he greets everyone there and soon gets invited home for dinner. The veteran missionaries have never been invited, but soon Roger and his wife, Betty, are adopted as Uncle Roger and Aunt Betty.

As they take pictures of their new family, they invite the neighbors to come to church. God's love overflows to a new neighborhood, and because of Roger, neighbors wander into church and hear the Good News. Without words, Roger and Betty have shared God's love and helped many Hondurans find the Savior.

Roger loved Hondurans more than he loved himself, and he gave himself to them. He endured his ten months at home earning money so he could come back to Honduras each winter and share little gifts with the many families that called him Uncle Roger.

Every day he would take a walk, finding the unloved and sharing God's love with them. Roger would walk down the street and give a hug to Grannie, who hadn't been hugged since his last visit. He found a little girl who was severely burned and took her to the doctor saying, "Take care of this li'l kiddo and I'll pay ya later. Ain't she a cute li'l kiddo?"

About 130 people came to say goodbye at a funeral service held on Sunday, December 19, at the Bethel church in La Ceiba. There were lots of tears and testimonials of people whose lives had been touched by Roger.

Honduras will miss Roger Carey.