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07/08/2010: "Freedom Fest was amazing, Gods work was unforgettable!"
by Brande Bradford Sunday morning, I greeted them at the door, but could tell they had something on their minds. They went over to the Freedom Fest table in the atrium and wanted to volunteer to help with the event. (Keep in mind, they have only been coming here a couple of weeks)
As always Freedomfest was better than the year before. We had tons of children’s activities thanks to Erica Chavous and Cathy Washburn’s hard work. The food lines were packed which meant that our vendors were cooking like crazy. The field was filling up at a nice steady pace. The event was “on fire”! We had 94.4 the Bull (country radio) on campus, live music, watermelon and hot dog eating contests, etc. All I can say is that it was the best yet! All the coordinators and volunteers were amazing. A big KUDOS for a job well done.
What I really want to share with you is the highlight of the night for the Local Out Team. We are often asked if what we do really makes a difference. The answer is YES! What we do might not produce instant results, it can take a week, month, year maybe even longer, but God never wastes our time.
In June, we went and did a HUG Cookout at a manufactured home community in Stockbridge. We had a husband, wife and their daughter that spent most of the afternoon with us. They talked to a lot of people and were just a real joy to be around. Like many in the community, they were struggling. Needing to move and not sure how they were going to make it, the husband knew that God could and would take care of it.
They surprised us and showed up at Celebrate Recovery a couple of Thursdays ago. I can’t explain how it makes you feel to see people you just served walk through the door, especially on their own. Since then, they have been attending church here at Community Bible Church. What an honor it is for us to have them here.
At 4:30pm sharp, they showed up to help. People we served are now out serving others. This is what it is all about. That night, I am willing to bet they were the hardest workers there. Never once did they complain or stop working. They were THRILLED that we were allowing them to serve along side us. That is worth repeating…They were THRILLED that we were allowing them to serve along side us. That makes my heart ache.
As we were preparing lemonade, the husband looked at me and said, “ To me, it is not about the t-shirts or the door prizes. It is all about serving and giving to others, as you guys gave to us.” Tears filled my eyes.
This family stayed picking up trash off of the field until almost everyone was gone. They wanted to stay and help and we had to finally tell them it was time to leave.
This family should be a real inspiration to anyone who reads this. They have moved into their new trailer. We are in the process of helping them get beds and pots and pans. Even through their struggles and hard times, they have the love of God in their hearts and want to share that love with others.
My favorite saying is that people are brought into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. I like to think that this will be a lifetime.
All you have to do is open your heart.