Lesson Learned (Again) - Pray
Last winter we discovered that the main water shut off for the storehouse was covered with a wooden structure without an access. Yep, completely Insulated and covered with no way to get to the water valve without tearing the covering totally apart. Some months later, when the weather had turned warm, we decided to make some minor plumbing changes and tore the protective covering away from the outside wall in order to get to the shut off valve. No matter what we did we could not get the water turned off. The shut off valve was frozen, stuck, rusted, what-ever. We saturated it with W D 40 and tried it again. We messed with the thing off and on for most of a day. Nothing, it would not budge. Bob Kranz, from U-turn applied so much pressure, I feared he would break the valve. Still nothing. Eventually, we built a new, insulated structure to protect the pipe and valve from freezing, but this time we added a access door in case we ever needed to get to the shut off valve.
A week or so ago it turned bitterly cold here. Low temperature of 7 one day and 4 degrees another with high's in the upper 20's to lower 30's and is continued for several days. Pastor Gary Hall from Calvary Chapel, Greeneville and I went to the storehouse to prepare a food box for a lady who had lost her job. When we were getting out of the truck Gary noticed that water was running out the sliding door and ice was forming on the ground. When we entered the building there was water all over the floor. Three inches deep in some places. A coupler on a pipe to the boiler had ruptured and water was spraying all over and around the boiler. (No heat in the storehouse). We went to the plant next door to find the owner of the property, Herb Thompson, hoping that he knew of an alternative way to turn the water off.
The only option was to get the city to turn the entire neighborhood water supply off. Herb got soaking wet, we decided to try the shut off at the building again. Even if we broke it we wouldn't be any worse off. We couldn't locate a pipe wrench, Herb went to call the water department and Gary and I continued to open the protective structure covering the water shut off valve. Gary stopped me in my tracks. He exclaimed, Charlie, Do you know what we haven't done? I said no? What? Gary said " We haven't prayed ! We stopped what we were doing, bowed our heads and ask God to bless our efforts. When we opened our eyes, Bryan was rounding the corner with a pipe wrench. After a short discussion on which way to turn the valve he applied pressure and gently turned the water off. It was so easy. I believe that a man with a strong grip may have been able to turn it off by hand. What a lesson. Pray first.
Cold weather has caused frequent house fires. People heating with portable heaters, overloading electrical circuits, defective heaters, mostly mobile homes and apartments although there have been several homes lost to fire. In this rural area most of the fire departments are volunteers and by the time they get to the fire it is simply too late. We have helped two fire victims get their household somewhat replenished after fires. A grandmother, her son and his three children who lived in the same mobile home in Rogersville, lost everything. A mother and grown son who was recently released from prison lost their rented home to fire. The mother works at a fast food restaurant and the son has not found employment since being released. When we prayed with them that big 240/250 lb. man had huge tears running down his face. We think that God is really working on him.
Unemployment is causing many people who used to contribute to charity to have to ask for help. Many of the small plants here, manufacture for the auto industry. Cutbacks, layoffs and plant closings are really hurting the working people who really work hard but live payday to payday and do not have any savings to fall back on. The demand for food is increasing and one of the benevolent food suppliers closed in December never to reopen. They supplied about 30% in NE Tenn. and SW Virginia. Pray for the needy. Because of the efforts of Grace Fellowship Kingsport and Calvary Chapel Greeneville, who held very successful food drives, we have been able to assist some very grateful families.
We have been blessed with a surplus of clothing and next Wednesday will be taking a 6'x10' trailer and pick up loaded to Front Line Global Missions in Newport, Tennessee for shipment to the Philippines. We have depleted the bedroom and living room furniture, but have kitchen appliances. Things are coming and going. We pray the prayer that Al Jacobson prays. "Lord send us those who you want us to help today and keep the Wolves away from the door". It works.
Posted January 30, 2009 by Charlie and Earlene.
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