The Tide Rolls On

There are places we go, people we meet, and activities we involve ourselves in that leave indelible marks on our lives. We create memories through touch, taste, sight, sound and smell that stay with us and even possibly change us for life. Such was the time that I spent with my teens from July 22-Aug 1. We covered 6 states and approximately 3000 miles making our way to Grand Bay, Alabama and back. It was our privilege to aid in the reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina along the Alabama coast. The climate was hot and sticky, much different than we are used to living in the desert of the Oklahoma Panhandle, and rears were tired from 20 hours of travel. We arrived though on Sunday evening and relaxed a while before beginning our labors Monday morning. We quickly found out that regardless of what work we did the sweat was going to flow. The unforgiving heat of the Gulf Coast wouldn't allow us to find comfort, not even with a slight breeze, as long as we were exposed to outdoors. However, in spite of the heat we found comfort and peace in our work. We were a part of something much larger than our own wants. We were participating in something much more valuable and precious than our own lost sweat and energy. We were a part of restoring hope to the hopeless and in that we found our joy. Our team of 22 worked on one church and three homes that had either been impacted directly or indirectly by the flooding that occured in the wake of this tremendous storm. We witnessed lives, changed in an instant by the force of nature, being restored daily by the continuous work of hands they had never met. We met Amos and his wife, an elderly couple whose house had been gutted by waters that reached a depth of 4 feet in their living room. We took a break from our work and talked with him about life, disaster, tragedy and hope. Amos talked to us about all the kindness that had been shown he and his family and graciously thanked us for the work we were doing. Hope restored. Alabama and its residents live on determined to rebuild.

Something else happened for me on this trip that has impacted me and reminded me of the possibilities that exist all around us. Last night we had an evening to report to the church on our travels and work. I had prepared a movies from pictures and taken on the trip by several participants. I worked 3 hours preparing the video and putting it to music and thought nothing of it. However, as I listened to the testimonies of my teens and heard some of them say that their perspectives had been changed I glimpsed something I had not seen when I was preparing for this service. During the video I saw my kids, smiling and laughing and pouring themselves into work that did not directly effect them. Seeing them glue on cove base, screw up sheet rock, tape and mud, paint, and landscape I was moved to tears as I saw the kingdom being demonstrated in front of me. I was on the trip and I sweated alongside these kids doing the work we had gone to do but I found myself captivated by the moment as though I had never seen those images before or lived out those days with them. I was amazed at the possibility that I saw being used by God in those moments and the lives that I knew were being changed by the hope that these teenagers and adults brought. I was proud in that moment to say, "I am their pastor!"

Memories were made and lives were changed. I pray the insight gained will last a lifetime for these teens of mine. They arrived home on July 30th, but myself and one other teen who graciously stayed behind for companionship did not get home until Aug 1 due to a broken rear differential on the church suburban. I am grateful for the chance to have led this group and my common prayer is that life will never be the same for them or myself. May the journey continue to change us more into Christ's image. Grace and Peace.