Inspire, Spring 2006

Inspire 21 as the pile of debris we carted out of the house rose to six or seven feet high. By the second day, it spanned the entire curbside in front of the house. We worked harder than we had ever worked before. The more our team labored, the more they praised God in song and word. At the same time, “the new guy” was watching. We just didn’t know it. During our lunch breaks and trips to and from the site, Frank began to ask a lot of questions. On the second day he shared his spiritual journey with me as we sat on the ground eating a cold sandwich. He had spent a great deal of his life doing good deeds for other people. His background was widely varied in matters of the heart, and he was certain God would not turn away his best efforts. Our team prayed more fervently now, not that we would simply finish the work, but that our “new guy” would come to Christ. We began to see that the chaos of New Orleans was only part of the story. Each of us was beginning to sense a mission beyond ourselves and what we could offer. We realized that it was never about us, but it had always been about holding out the hope of peace through Christ to all we met. As we sifted through the upper story rooms, we attempted to recover any mementos not wet or molded. Only a few things on the very highest shelves were spared ruin. We gathered a small pile to present to the family on our last day there. It was at that moment that we all understood the enormity of their loss. The remnants of 29 years of marriage and the joy of two children fit in one small box. It is true that this family has more than a home to rebuild. They are faced with the challenge of rebuilding a life. Their jobs are gone, friends relocated, and their hearts are broken. Yet in the center of this overwhelming set of circumstances stands Jesus Christ, the living Son of God. How can they see Him without the impact of committed believers serving in this hard-hit area? We thought that was the reason we were there. We had even envisioned sharing a wonderful testimony of God’s love to them on that last day. Instead, on our final day, with the help of our co-workers (19 Cedarville students in all) we finished the work God had given us to do. The house became a beehive of activity as we completed the gutting of every nook and cranny of the once proud brick home. We cheered in amazement as the last bit of that home rested curbside, awaiting the backhoe driver and dump truck. The homeowners did not reappear. There would be no expressions of gratitude or heartwarming hugs, and so we turned to leave. It was over. We would leave for Ohio in the morning. That night at devotions, Frank, “the new guy,” stood and began to testify of the changes going on in his heart during the course of this week. He recounted how the Cedarville team had worked and served with more joy and love than he had ever seen. He publicly told the gathering of workers how he had witnessed Jesus at the work site every day. We were moved. Earlier in the day, when asked what evidence he had that he would obtain a place in heaven, he had no answer. We pressed scriptures into his hands the next morning as we boldly prayed together for his conversion. Frank hopped in his car and returned to Chicago. We arrived in Ohio the next day. His spiritual need was still on our hearts. Two days later, I received an e-mail from Frank. It simply began, “I now know the answer!” Thanks to the computer’s “forward” button, our entire team was soon aware of the details of his spiritual birth. Our mission was complete. God had a man in Chicago that had heard it all, but he needed to travel to New Orleans to see Christ in action. He had to see the walk of love and the genuine commitment to Christlike living in the lives of these students before he was convinced. Frank “the new guy” is now a new creation in Christ! John ’67 and Ruth Hussey Hess ’67 reside in Xenia, Ohio and both work at Cedarville University. John is director of student teaching and licensure, while Ruth is an adjunct instructor of education. God had worked behind the scenes to orchestrate a far more beautiful story than we could have dreamed.