It’s not always the knock on the door that has the most impact. At LS it was not, it was a chance meeting in the street of which none of the participants were aware of the outcome – well none except for Him – the one who orchestrates!

We were doing our casual initial drive through assessment of the community when he came bounding out of his yard and right up to my truck. Gentle giant, I thought – I hoped. A tall muscular, handsome young Native American named Joe. And yes, he would prove to be a gentle giant!

Joe and I had just started greeting one another when Bob pulled up close behind me. Joe said, “He wants you to move.” I looked in my rearview and said, “Oh, that’s just my boss, let’s make him wait” and gave Joe a little wink. Joe questioned “that’s your boss?” “Yep” I said, “His name is Bob, what’s your name” ignoring his concern about my holding up traffic. “Joe” he said as he glanced back and forth between me and ‘the boss’ now grinning from ear to ear while Bob was playfully nudging my truck with his truck. Joe knew then we were a different bunch, and he liked it.

…Olympian who can dead lift 405 lbs. – a talent he was eager to put to work.

A few days later when I knocked on Joe’s door with a nomination and to meet his grandma Katie, Joe greeted me with that same ear to ear grin. His excitement over the IC Team had simmered up to a boiling point by then and he couldn’t wait to announce that he wanted to volunteer – and grandma had agreed to let him! We had guessed Joe to be 16 or 17ish and he was mentally, but he was 21 years old. Joe is autistic along with other disabilities not visible, and unless you spent more than an hour with him you may never know. He is a special Olympian who can dead lift 405 lbs. – a talent he was eager to put to work. Katie was an ex-biker, and I instantly saw where Joe got the personality and the smile. She had legally adopted Joe and his sister at a young age after their addict mother lost them to the courts, and she has done a superb job of raising him! Over the next week Joe had become a constant companion to the team and spent time with each one of us depending on the workday. He was willing to do anything, for anyone and he became a valuable asset during our time in the community. Everyone loved Joe, the team, the residents, everyone. Joe and Katie both worked tirelessly all day during our volunteer day and neither ever once complained. At some point during the day Katie rushed up to me, threw her arms around my neck and said, “Thank you, thank you!” When I ask what for she said for giving me a new back door and for being so good to Joe. I told her it was a team effort and that it was an absolute pleasure!

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Joe and Katie are some of the most beautiful people I have ever had the pleasure of loving. And finding them did not come through a door knock, it happened in a moment of openness and playfulness – a meeting ordained by our Lord. I am so thrilled to carry the two of them in my heart throughout the rest of my life and to prayerfully carry their souls to eternity!

Sometimes we make assumptions that people do not know we are Christians or what we stand for unless we ‘witness’ to them, but that is an untruth. Scripture teaches us the value of being a witness through our walk (John 13:35) throughout our daily lives, and through our love. One day in the truck Joe said a cuss word and I gave him a little ‘mom’ look. He said he was so sorry that he knew we were Christians. It was so sweet, not only the apology, but his acceptance of our team and our beliefs – we have impacted Joe and Katie’s’ perception of Christianity through our walk – no talk needed!

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” — John 13:35