A Call

Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-10 – You Shall Know That I, the Lord, Have Spoken

Prayer of Confession: “Gracious God, we confess that we believe shaming lies. … We live in – and we reflect – a society that believes in an aggressive offense in international affairs, in athletic sports, in political posturing, and in gender roles. We tell ourselves that compromise and emotion are signs of weakness and vulnerability is the greatest shame of all. Yet our Savior Jesus Christ was stripped bare and exposed, shamed and taunted as a failure. Forgive us, O God. Heal our insecurity by renewing us in your grace; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.”

Question: Recall a time when, like Simon, you felt pressed into service for another. Did you accept the task willingly?

In the late summer of 2005, there was a terrible storm – a storm that even made its way up to us in the northeast: Hurricane Katrina. Of course, the storm here was but a drop of what hit the Gulf Coast. The news coming in from New Orleans, Louisiana showed images of destruction and impossible situations for the people of that region that were mind boggling; I’m sure those old enough to remember can conjure up seeing a person standing on their roof waving their hands furiously to be rescued by a helicopter as the water crept to the ridge line of their homes.

The news told us that it would take years of work by civil engineers, federal and state entities, business owners, citizens, along with charitable institutions to recover. Other natural tragedies had happened before during my lifetime prior to Katrina, but for a reason God only knows, this one struck a chord with me, hit me hard. I remember telling a friend – “I feel like I have to do something.”

At church that Labor Day weekend, we prayed for the victims of this disaster, for the lost, the injured, the helpless patients, doctors, and nurses in hospitals that were cut off from power, supplies – everything. Again, I felt that I – lil ol’ me – had to do something. I cried and prayed.

August became September – then the Fall. In this time of 24 hour news cycles, other stories bubbled to the top of the screens; but not for me. NOLA was still on my mind in a very persistent way. Was I being “called”?

In November, during the service at my church, Harvard-Epworth UMC in Cambridge, an announcement was made that there was going to work with UMCOR to create a mission trip to New Orleans for week in January. I teared up thinking about the possibility of helping but my mind jumped to logistics, finances, real life stuff – like could I get off from work, and what about the care of my daughters, then only 5 1/2 and 3?

I attended the initial meetings, even though I had so many issues to consider. During the meeting learned that a very generous benefactor was going to pay for the flights and other transportation while we were there; we were going to sleep on air mattresses in our host church, Rayne UMC; and meals would be taken at the church and provided by our benefactor funding and our host church. My heart leapt! One major concern – finances – was erased. The “call” was getting louder! I worked with my boss to take a week off during a particularly busy time; my daughter’s father agreed to have the girls for the week. YES! I could answer the Call.

I could go on and on about my experience gutting a house nearly destroyed by the flooding when the levies broke, the family we helped, the fellowship, the sleeping on an air mattress on a hard floor, or the nightly hymn sing – but won’t do that here.

I will say this though: open your mind and heart to hearing a “call”, especially during the Lenten season. Take this time to quiet the din from the outside and listen. You could hear something that you’re least expecting, a risk you might be willing to take; and with God’s help, you’ll answer even if it means you’ll have to sleep on a floor.

-Jen O’Sullivan