St John UMC left Prospect, KY on Saturday, June 16. After some fun in Chicago we spent the night in a Hotel in Racine Wisconsin. We attended laceName w:st="on">ChristlaceName> laceName w:st="on">UnitedlaceName> laceName w:st="on">MethodistlaceName> laceType w:st="on">ChurchlaceType> Sunday morning for a lively spirit filled service.
Sunday evening I met my crew (4 teenagers, ages 14-17 and one other adult, Jim). Only Jim had attended a Group Work Camp before. Our job was to paint Ed Thompson’s 2 story house.
Prior to our arrival at the work site, Brett (age 14) said he hoped our resident would be nice. We arrived at the work site about 8:40am Monday morning, knocked on the door and Ed came out to greet us. We joined together in prayer and got to work scraping windows and the foundation of the house and applying primer. Ed had done a great job of prepping the home prior to our arrival.
Tuesday Ed told me that “a bunch of you guys” attended his sisters church Sunday...you guesses it! Christ United Methodist!
As the week progressed Ed spent more time outside with us and worked hard painting his house. He’s told me he is a Viet Nam vet, about 55 years old, divorced with his son living in Pennsylvania. He works in a meat packing plant. We had some nice conversations as we got to know each other a little bit.
On Thursday, Ed joined us for Lunch and devotionals. At the conclusion of devos we always did a circle prayer, joining hands and praying out loud. I asked Ed if he would end out prayer and he gave me a “Deer in the Headlights look”. After assuring him he only need Say “AMEN” he agreed he “Could do that”. We all prayed and when it got to his turn he said “Dear God, Than you for sending me these young people…” and I was so overcome with emotion, I don’t know what else he said.
Friday he again joined us for devotionals and lunch and when we presented him with our “Object of Renovation” I swear there were tears in his eyes. He came to our closing ceremony, stood and clapped with the praise songs and shared many touching sentiments with us. Like how unsure he was when he first saw us because most of us were “little kids” and how his co-workers told him we would probably steal his TV while he was away. To his credit he told them “I don’t think these people are like that”. He told me that he had been carrying around a lot of pain for about 5 years but now “Something is different”. You could see the Lord working on him and he stayed until we had to go to our youth devotions at 9:30 pm. We hugged and promised to keep in touch via e-mail.
Our crew leader told me that he joined his sister at (see beginning of story) Christ United Methodist this past Sunday. Thanks be to God.
God accomplished a change in one man in 4.5 days (about 32 hours). WOW! Please continue to pray that Ed’s resolve is strengthened and that he desire to seek the Lord and His will for his life.