Two years ago our facility was approved by the American Red Cross as a site that could be used to service our community in the event of a natural disaster or God forbid, a terror attack due to our proximity to two military bases as well as nuclear reactor. We went through a series of emergency procedures and talked about the "what-if" scenarios. On Tuesday evening there was an accident a Keswick Pines, the lifecare retirement facility next to our property. A maintenance man was working on a boiler that exploded and the elderly residents, except for the medical patients needed to be evacuated.
With the assistance of the Manchester Township Fire and Police and the American Red Cross, the Activity Center of America's KESWICK was turned into a "temporary hotel" for over 210 senior citizens. The staff from Keswick Pines and America's KESWICK did a phenomenal job in helping these precious people through a very traumatic event in their lives. Most of them had already been in bed -- dressed in the pj's!
The following morning I was walking through the Activity Center moving from cot to cot welcoming them to our facility and trying to help the other staff adjust to their new environment. As I looked into their faces you could sense gratefulness that they had temporary housing, but apprehension over how long they would be displaced. Some of them just
needed a hug, a handshake and a smile to settle them down to let them know it would be alright.
As I watched our staff in action, my mind raced back to the Scriptures. What would Jesus have done in this situation? I could see Him moving through the crowd calming the storm with His presence. I saw touching them with his hands that provided calmness and peace to a difficult
situation. I then realized that this is the privilege we have as his disciples and followers in 2005. We have the privilege of being his hands and heart as we have opportunity to serve in His name with those who come across our paths.
Remember the words of Jesus: " . . . For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked and you clothed Me; sick and in prison, and you visited Me . . . Truly I say to you, to the
extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me!" (Mattew 25:35-40)
God may surprise you with an opportunity to be His hands this weekend. Maybe it will be a co-worker who is struggling and needs a word of encouragement from you. It may be a total stranger that you meet in the grocery store, at the gas station -- open your wide eyes to
opportunities to serve others this weekend. When you are serving others -- you are doing it for His glory.
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