|
The Key Word is Flexibility...
If you have ever been on a mission trip, served in disaster response or with a rebuild team after a storm, you have heard someone say "the key word is flexibility" - code word for be prepared for anything! One of our volunteers from Hurricane Milton recently shared his experience below.
Two Octobers ago, Ron traveled from San Antonio, Texas with his family to Florida to help with hurricane relief. They brought a trailer full of roofing materials, fully expecting to repair homes. But when they arrived, the need looked different. Instead of roofing, the local church asked them to help prepare meals for residents.
"To be perfectly frank the thoughts crossed my mind that 'I came to fix roofs, not to make meals' and 'what was I thinking dragging everyone 1000 miles across the country on a 4 day notice and a whim?" said Ron
They could have turned around to leave but instead they went to the kitchen to help. About thirty minutes into serving, a woman joined them to hand out meals and began sharing her story. She spoke about her struggle, her husband’s very recent struggle with drug addiction and its toll on their marriage while running a business. "This all really came out of the blue", said Ron "there was nothing to indicate anyone in the group needed to hear her story. After all she was talking to a group of very "churchy" looking people." What she didn’t know and could not know was that someone standing right beside her was walking through that same struggle. Ron had a front row seat watching two people get ministered to that only God could put together.
Ron first felt conviction and then thought - God are you doing that crazy God stuff that only you can do? In that moment, everything shifted. Ron realized it wasn’t about roofing - which they did get to do later that week - It was about connection, about being seen, heard and about God showing up in a way no one could have planned. One person got to see that drug addiction isn't just about those living on the streets. And one person got to hear that her story does matter and that she needs to keep telling it over and over because you never know who is listening.
Thank you to Ron and his family for sharing their experience, for being flexible and for having a heart to share God's love with those affected by a disaster. To paraphrase Ron's conclusion, "When we serve, it may not be glamorous. We may get sunburn or bit by mosquitos. We will probably have to bring our own lunch, drinks or snacks. We may not see a miracle, BUT God will show up somehow, someway, for somebody!" We hope you will too. We'll see you on the field!
**Ron and the team from Coker Methodist church will be heading to Kerrville, TX to help in the community on May 2nd. Thank you for all you do!!
| 
