Fishin' Trip #17

An Eleventh Hour Worker

This ‘fishin’ trip’ is one of those where several buddies get together as part of a joint venture in being what the Lord said He would have His disciples to be: fishers of men.

It started by including help for the needy people of the community where the Legacy church of Christ building is located, 8801 Mid Cities Blvd., North Richland Hills, Texas. Members of the 1100-member church fund a food pantry that is open from noon till 2 pm, Monday through Friday. Between $2500 and $3,000.per month is given by the church members for this outreach work. It has no government agency or guideline affiliation. From 30 to 40 Legacy volunteers man the food pantry each month. A team of two each day, usually husband and wife, prepare the boxes and greet the people. The food consists of canned goods, paper goods, soups, crackers, soap, etc. This provides for families of various sizes from 1 to 5 members. Careful records are kept, so when the recipients arrive for their monthly portion, a semblance of equality can be maintained. Although there has been no advertising, word of this assistance has spread rapidly. Utmost care is taken to insure that the dignity of those who receive help is not compromised.

When an elderly gentleman arrived recently in his van, he with considerable difficulty lowered his motorized scooter and made his way to the benevolence room. He was met by Kenny and Jean Smith who not only took care of his regular food needs, but also were alert in giving him a warm invitation to attend worship services on Sunday, adding that they would like him to be their guest at a restaurant afterwards. That sounded pretty good for a ninety-nine year old man who lives alone, so he accepted the invitation, came to the service and enjoyed the meal afterward with the Smith couple.He said that of all the places he goes for help with food to supplement his Meals On Wheels, the folks at the Legacy church of Christ “have something special about them that I have not found at any other church.”

And the members of the church have also found something special about him, too. He was born in 1907, was discharged from the military in 1945 and later was employed with the Chrysler Corporation and with a trucking firm. He has spent recent years inventing electrical apparatus, and holds several patents with even more projects on his drawing board.

After showing some of his ingenious devices to Alvin Jennings, another member of the church, Stan asked: “And what do you do?” When Alvin replied that he had been a preacher and a Bible teacher for 60 years, Stan said: “Now that is one subject I know nothing about, but I want to learn!” Brethren Pope and Buchanan gave him a good TV with loud volume capability on which He could watch and hear Searching For Truth DVD programs; brother Justice checked out his air conditioner, and brother Dupree worked on his motorized scooter. The Smiths continue to treat him at area restaurants after church on Sundays.

Personal studies in his home and attendance at a class at the Jennings’ home led him to confess his faith in Jesus privately, and to hear him say he wanted to be baptized on his 100th birthday on October 23rd. However, when contemplating the uncertainty of life, he decided not to wait, but to heed the admonition that says “today is the day of salvation.” He publicly made the good confession (from his scooter) on Sunday morning October 7th in the presence of many witnesses. Upon hearing his confession of faith, hundreds of members stood and in an outburst of applause and thanksgiving, blessed God because His grace had been extended to this 11th hour worker in the vineyard of the Lord (Matthew 20:1-16). We all witnessed how a man, even when he is old, can be born again by being “born of the water and the spirit into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3-5)