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Story: Here’s a good one. Let me share it with you. It started back in November. The project involved installing floor tile and cabinets in the kitchen of a mobile home trailer for a senior citizen. Simple enough for me and Scott, right. I mean we go in, do the work, provide some hope, and then move on to the next project. This was the plan and we planned on sticking to it. However, over the course of 3 to 4 months, that plan changed.

At this point, let me provide some background on the situation. Larry, the recipient, had just moved to Fort Wayne in August. Larry is not in good health: heart attacks, MS, broken bones, etc….have weakened his body substantially to where the color was drained from his face. Lutheran Hospital and CVS are planning to invite him to the upcoming shareholder’s meeting (28 perscriptions). Less than a year before moving to FW, his wife of 20+ years had passed away. The story of her death is too long to tell, but let me paraphrase by stating it was tragic and Larry often blames himself for her death. In addition, his daughter, who had just been recently married and living next door, has stopped speaking to him. I do not know the facts surrounding the situation, but my understanding is that the husband is influential in dividing them. To compound matters worse, his wife, prior to passing away, had compiled a large amount of debt and his daughter owed him money from three loans. This is not good when your expenses are larger than your income! Bankruptcy was on the horizon. The trailer, in which Larry lived, could be described more as a breezeway, than a trailer. Again with limited resources, one can only purchase so much. Well, Larry is 69 years old and was born/raised in good ole Detroit. He worked 10 years as an inventory manager for Chrysler prior to being diagnosed with MS. He was a member of the local Catholic church where he volunteered in community work and taught Catechism. For over 30 years, he was a Scoutmaster in the Boy Scouts, then the Head of Scoutmasters for the local Boy Scout council.

Now that you know Larry, let’s go back to the plan. Wait you say, if you were just there to do the project, provide some hope, and then move on, how do you know so much about Larry? You are absolutely right. Something changed as Scott and I were working. The core concept of serving a recipient turned into helping out a friend. As time passed we realized that a relationship had been established. This was new ground for us - clearly not the direction we intended from the outset. Both of us were scared of being taken advantage of and wondered about what would happen when the project was completed…How would we explain to Larry that the project was concluded and we were moving on? Then came that moment that stops one in their tracks, everything was normal, we were making good progress on the project, then about lunch-time, we decided to take a quick break, pick up some more supplies, and grab some grub…right before we leave, Larry looks up at us and asks if we would mind getting him a cheeseburger. Scott says sure and we head on out. At the restaurant, both of us were frustrated and questioning whether he was taking advantage of us. This is a good point to mention that all Larry has to eat are a few cans of vegetables from the Food Bank! And yes, we were acting like a couple of church goers missing the whole point on serving your neighbor! The simple truth: a man needs food and we have been given the opportunity to meet that need. Looking back, I can see how painful it was for Larry to humble himself enough to ask for food (I am not sure if I could do this). From then on a new realization set in; there is more to this project than the project itself. We started to be bolder in developing the relationship and as a result Larry opened up to us. As of today, Larry has food, his health is improving, more construction projects are being planned, and we are even working with him on improving his finances (budgeting, etc.). We share meals together often and might even take in a Komets game. Scott and I have gained much from this experience - be willing to put yourself in harm’s way (fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me) and don’t judge the book by its cover (seek first to understand, then be understood). My hope is that this story encourages you to be real in your serving. God bless.

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— Campfire Story Submitted on 2.6.09 - Clay, Scott & Larry