September 26, 2008 Iowa Conference Edition of The United Methodist Reporter | 5A
What God Has
This has been a very humbling experience
for me. It is just more proof that if we are a
Done Recently
follower of Christ and put our whole trust and
faith in Him, He will provide more than we can
ever ask or want. He can work within our lives
in Our
in ways we can never imagine. Isaiah 65:24
says, “Before they call, I will answer, while they
Community
are yet speaking I will hear.”
Mooresville, Indiana Youth Group
by Pat Slater*
John and I went on vacation and visited the
young people that had been a mission team
About the middle of July, I was wondering how
to our town (they stayed at Pictured Rocks)
to best use the rest of the money in the Olin
the first week that we could get people in.
Flood relief fund. I heard on the Today Show
They were from Mooresville, Indiana and had
of a product called Fresh Wave that eliminates
planned to come to our area in January, not
odors from houses, even those that have been
knowing what the heck they would be doing,
flooded by the nasty water that we had. I went
or “What was in Iowa?” During the church
on line to check out the cost, and found a
service I got to tell them, about the above story,
special 2 gallon bucket that the company, the
and how they had unleashed the power of the
OMI Corporation, had made for flooded
Holy Spirit in our town.
homes. I was trying to figure out the cost of
getting enough to help every flooded home in
The youth group from Mooresville, Indiana One block frlock from the churchch..
Olin and the cost was going to be $3000!
had been going down south to help the victims
of Katrina for the past two years. They were
God had laid it on my heart that this was
tired of it taking so long to get where they were
something that we really needed, but since the
going, so when the leader sat down to begin
relief fund only had $600 left, I went to talk
planning the 08 trip, during his prayer time it
to the Olin city clerk to see if some of their
came to him that they should go to Iowa. Iowa,
FEMA money could cover the cost of the Fresh
he thought what’s there. Not much different
Wave. She thought it could, whenever they
than Indiana. But he went ahead and made the
would get it.
call. He was just sure the kids would be upset
with him, but they were OK with it. This was
After I left her office I went on up to the parish
of course before our flooding.
office to get the mail since I knew that Elsa had
been busy with God’s Garage sale all week. I
They had flooding in their own town, but
found a letter from the Bishop, so I opened it.
FEMA would not let them help as a lot of
In that letter were two checks totaling $3000!
them were under 18. Then the floods of Iowa
This was money from the United Methodist
happened and their mission became clear. Since
Committee on Relief (which we have given
Olin FEMA wasn’t in charge in Olin, we were
to in the past.) But the really strange thing
glad for any help we could get. They helped
was that the Bishop’s letter said, “Please find
everyone, especially those who were not the
enclosed a check for $1000.” I knew without a
‘right’ kind of people. At the end of the week,
doubt that this was not a mistake; this was
they put on a concert for us in their mucky,
a gift from God. Since a third of it was
dirty clothes, and we saw people come that we
Sunday School room
designated for Oxford Junction that left $2000
had never had contact before. And they saw
with which to work with for Olin.
and heard the word of God in action: how the
people still talk about the strangers that came
to our town, (and in a small town, if they talk
A Gift from OMI
I called the OMI Corporation to see if they
about you for more than two weeks it’s
could waive the shipping cost of $15 a pail. The
amazing, especially if it’s something positive);
lady I talked to took my name and number, and
how we now have hired a ‘Director of Fresh water received
I expected not to hear from them again as had
Discipleship’ because the people of the churches
happened with other large corporations. I was
saw that was something we needed. Many
working in my garden pulling weeds the next
people there thanked me for telling them the
morning (Saturday) when I got a call on my
results of their mission trip…they don’t often
cell phone from the president of the company.
get to hear that.
He told me that not only would they waive the
shipping fee, they would send along some of
One lady even took my address, I figured so
their laundry/cleaning additive, and their
we could stay in touch. Two days after we got
travel size spray at no charge. He said he would
home I got a letter from her. She said two of
see that it left their warehouse on Monday
her kids had been on that mission trip and had
morning. He said we made this product for
been profoundly affected by helping others
situations like yours, and we wondered how to
when they needed them most, when no one else
get it into the hands of those who most need it.
would come. She enclosed a check for $1000.
(This was a very affluent area, and from
When the product arrived, he had included 4
listening to me talk she probably realized that
extra pails of the Fresh Wave crystals, 14 cases
that is a sizeable amount to us) We still have
with six 32 ounce cleaning additive in them,
about $500 in our relief fund, so I thought I
and two cases of 48 spray bottles. That and the
would give it as seed money to the long term
shipping mean they gave us $2100!!!! The final
relief committee. God is good, and always
bill was $1980. God had provided $2000 be-
provides more than we can ever ask or think of.
fore I had even gone to Him in earnest prayer.
*Rev. Pat is pastor at the Wapsi Valley Parish in
Olin and Oxford Junction. Mission Team that
worked at house.
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