When I first planned my service week for my Sabbatical, I thought it was a chance for me to help out and do something I have some experience with that was also a former job. Before I worked for DIG, I worked at Beltway Park Church cleaning the building late at nights. My time there was beneficial for my faith. It stretched me and I became friends with some incredible men. One of those men still works there, but in a different capacity.
Several months ago two things happened that made me realize that this was a good time and opportunity for me to serve. The first thing that happened was that the dates of my Sabbatical changed. Later on, Beltway Park’s North Campus decided to start a Thursday night service, which started on August 24th. That week was also the week we were back from vacation.
The first day of my Sabbatical, I went over to the church building to discuss what I would do and a time rage of the days I would work. My friend told me that he was moving from the evening shift to the day shift and would be doing landscaping for the Church. I was a little disappointed because I was looking forward to hanging out with him. On the other hand, I was excited for his new opportunity. (This will also be a theme later in my Sabbatical.) He introduced me to the man I would work with two weeks later, which was a Divine Intervention type appointment.
For the first day, I set up a couple of rooms for a conference the Church was hosting for a local organization. I also organized part of the Sanctuary/Worship Center/Auditorium after the previous day’s services. I also knew that the next day would be putting up all of the tables and chairs I set up on Monday. Tuesday was an interesting day. The head of the maintenance team was taking the day off because his wife was having surgery, and the man I was working with had an appointment 100 miles away and couldn’t work. I got the opportunity to work with my friend for a few hours clearing out and storing chairs and tables.
On Tuesday night, Laura heard a noise that sounded like rain. I told her I thought it was rain, until she went into the garage. Our water heater was spraying water at the ceiling. I was worried we had a $500 problem on our hands and it stressed me out. I unplugged the water heater with a towel so I would not get shocked. I turned the valve off to the water heater. I thought that would solve the problem, but water just kept spraying. I then released the pressure valve on the water heater, which took some of the pressure off of the geyser that was washing the paint off of the ceiling. I then shut off the water to the entire house, and the water slowly stopped spraying. Laura called her dad, and he and his friend (who can fix anything) came over. We made a quick trip to Lowe’s and bought a hose for $11, put it on the water heater, and that was the fix.
Wednesday Laura came home at lunch time and I was to take our car to the church building to start working. Fifteen minutes after she got home, I went to start the car and it would not start. I thought the water heater would be the only stress of the week. Because we only have one car, it is an inconvenience to have jumper cables, but no other car to jump it with. Again we called Laura’s dad because everyone else we tried was not available. Luckily he was close by running errands.
I got to the church building later then I had planned. I helped set up a room and clean others. Thursday was coming with its new church service. I mentioned to the man I was helping how stressful the past 18 hours had been for me. Later I would find out that was poor judgement on my part. This man later told me that he had to rush his wife to the ER the night before and found out she had 67% of her lung function. He never told me that I should have refrained from complaining about a water heater and a car battery, he was so gracious towards me. A couple of pastors prayed for him that day and I encouraged him.
On Thursday I helped before the service for a few hours and picked up Laura from work and we went to the new service. I mentioned to her about the man’s situation regarding his wife’s health. After service, I stayed until 10 pm and he said he had met Laura and said how great of a woman she is because she told him we were praying for him. I was encouraged by that.
Friday I helped him and his co-worker begin to prepare for Sunday. His co-worker had only worked there for less than two weeks. I was able to teach the new guy some things and get to know him a little bit. The man whose wife had been in the hospital was getting released to go home on Saturday, but the diagnosis was bad. The doctor said her condition was terminal and she had just a few years at most. Hearing that broke my heart.
On Saturday we started earlier because most of the building was not being used. Before I left, my friend, my new friends, and I got to pray for each other. It was a growing experience. The timing of it all fit perfectly with the things God had for me, and also for my new friend.