St. Joseph of the Lakes

This past week has been one of the most wonderful weeks of my life. I received a phone call from a man I had helped when he came from Liberia, Africa as a refugee. I met him about fifteen years ago. He worked as an air traffic controller but when troubles came to Liberia he and his family had to flee because he was part of the government. He settled in the Twin Cities for a couple of years and then he got a job in Texas. I had not seen him or his family since they moved. He called to catch up with me. His family moved back to Liberia and he was now working in Uganda for the United Nations air control.
He called to thank me for all I had done for his family. He said that there was not a day that had gone by that he and his wife didn’t think of me and thank God for being able to have met me. It was a tremendously moving moment for me. He especially thanked me for my warm and welcoming smile. He said my smile gave him and his family great comfort in those most scary first days in the country.

I never really thought I had done enough for that family. I could provide them some food and clothing but their needs were pretty overwhelming. They had left everything they owned behind when they fled. I provided for them more then anything else a warm sense of comfort in a strange land. I was just being myself and God did the rest. I have had 35 years in which I have mostly just been myself and God has used my gifts and talents to bring comfort and warmth to so many others. I am so grateful to all of you who embrace me in my pastorate. God who is mighty continues to do great things!