An elderly couple that I visit owned a store that had been in their family for a long time. They closed down the store a few years ago and have been using it for storage ever since. That building caught fire in the early spring of this year. Although the concrete structure stands: the ceiling, walls, floor, and everything inside was severely damaged.
When I found out about the fire I was devastated for them. The wife, whom is in a much better physical condition than her husband, handled the situation as a problem that could be fixed and I was in the same mindset after talking to her. So before long I found myself covered in soot with a group of college students that came to the region to serve during their spring break.
Our understanding of the severity of the situation grew larger with each lift of the shovel. My participant was there with us committed to doing whatever physical labor needed to restore the building to its original beauty. I was feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, and heartbroken when a discovery was made.
Among the wreckage was a Bible. The cover had melted into the preacher’s podium in which it sat. The pages were burnt, waterlogged, and covered in ash. After some discussion we decided to bury the bible in a ceremonial fashion. We all gathered in a circle as one of the volunteers dug a hole in the ground and placed the fire consumed Bible in it. We then held hands and said a prayer praising the Lord for his word, his protection, and his divine appointment that brought us all together. After covering the Bible with soil we broke for lunch and enjoyed each other’s company for a good portion of the afternoon.
I drive by that building frequently, often multiple times a day. To most people passing by the building sits desolate as an eye sore or perhaps a sad reminder of what use to be a community gathering space. The sight has a different effect on me though. I no longer see it as a problem that needs to be fixed. I am reminded of my loving, selfless, hardworking participants that, like the building, have seen better days but are still hanging in there. I am reminded of the student volunteers that I met that day and how their focus was on building relationships and serving the Lord. I am reminded that there is always more under the surface and although we buried the sacred scripture, like our Lord, a grave will not hold it.
I have hope that we will one day all gather together again in Heaven and praise the Lord for bringing us through the fires of this world into his everlasting peace.
Debbie is an AmeriCorps Elderly Services Caseworker in Jackson County and is a member of the Jackson Volunteer Community. Opinions expressed in volunteer blogs are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CAP or the Volunteer Program.
