In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing, stories have emerged of acts of kindness, generosity
and service. The stories are
innumerable and no doubt you have seen many of them. They range from people in the crowd who were
watching the marathon racing to help those injured with immediate first aid
attention, to law enforcement, EMT’s and other medical personnel who responded
in such a way that the death toll was limited and injuries were less severe than
they might have been.
I saw the story of a teenage girl who was in the crowd and
struck by shrapnel. A fellow spectator
who designed a makeshift tourniquet to stave off the bleeding tended her to
first. A police officer came and helped
get her to a medical tent. A marathon
volunteer spoke to her to calm her fears and lessen her anxiety and a doctor,
who was in the tent originally to serve runners, tended to her injuries. Their combined efforts saved her from losing
her leg and may have saved her life. The
story depicted her meeting all of these people a week later and her expressions
of gratitude. It was very moving.
This was only one story of many that would be similar, or
even more amazing!
This past week I have witnessed similar efforts upfront and
personally. Acts that were not
necessarily life saving but amazing acts of kindness,
generosity and service.
Last Thursday the lower level of our facility (22, 000 sq.
ft.) was filled with an inch or two of water.
Every classroom, every open space, our youth room, storage; water was
everywhere. People immediately sprung into action. Members of our congregation who own and
operate businesses that clean up such “messes” sprung into action and their
crews were immediately on the scene.
Congregants called us to ask how they could help and went into
overdrive, some to lead the charge, others to assist in any way possible.
Our ministry leaders proved to be wonderfully resilient and
resourceful as they made alternate plans for Sunday morning and for our weekday
events.
Monday night we hosted a “drywall removal party”. The
walls on the lower level had to have the drywall removed on at least one side
at a 2 ft. height. People were invited
to show up any time between 4 and 9.
I was on duty to utilize my amazing construction
skills. I am an expert at demolition,
not construction! As I was working, I was amazed at the people who were
showing up to pitch in. Not only the
number of people who showed up, but the demographic. Business owners, working along side high
school students; full-time homemakers wielding hammers and pry bars next to
accountants, lawyers, and pastors; fathers and sons, sons younger than teens,
chipping in to help. It was an amazing
outpouring of kindness, generosity, and
service.
And that outpouring didn’t stop in our building. Many
people in our body were doing the same thing for neighbors and friends and
neighbors whose homes had been flooded.
This doesn’t surprise me because the body of Christ does
this naturally. In crises we step up and
help. Even though it doesn’t surprise
me, I still am amazed. It is a visible reminder of why I love the
body of Christ and how God’s are used to minister to one another.
I hope you all have a body you can rely on in your time of
need.
~Rev
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