Bobby and Elaine’s story reminds us of how fragile life is and just how God uses us to meet each other’s needs.
In 2015, Bobby, a man in his 50’s, suffered a brain stem stroke that left him paralyzed. In one day he lost the ability to move his body. Barely two years later, just as Bobby and his wife Elaine were settling into life’s “new normal,” Hurricane Harvey took away what was left of the life they had built together. Words do not begin to capture the depths of their sense of loss and desperate need, yet somehow their faith in God and sweet spirit never wavered.
By the time the flood waters receded, teams were showing up asking how they could help, and Bobby and Elaine gratefully accepted. This is where one of those volunteers, Dwayne Moyer, enters the picture.
A tile contractor by trade, Dwayne was part of a team assembled and deployed jointly by three Charis Fellowship churches in December 2017 – Ashland Grace (OH), Penn Valley Church (PA), and Grace Church at Willow Valley (PA). From the first announcement at church of a team going to serve in post-Harvey Houston, Dwayne was all in. As a skilled tiler, there was plenty of work for Dwayne to do. During that first one-week team, Dwayne completed four bathrooms. It was during that first visit that he heard and was touched by Bobby and Elaine’s story.
The next few months offered two more opportunities for Dwayne to return to use his skills to serve more Houston families, including Bobby and Elaine. In January, Dwayne “popped down” to Houston for a quick but intense weekend of tiling Bobby and Elaine’s bathroom and making it wheelchair accessible. In April he returned again to Houston, and this time he had the joy of seeing the fruits of his and others’ labor when, finally, Bobby and Elaine were able to move back into their home.
What would cause a man like Dwayne Moyer to return to Houston three times in less than six months? In his words, “I’ve been so blessed. It’s a blessing to be able to share your time and talents with others who aren’t as fortunate. It’s a blessing to us to be able to do that.”
Dwayne and his teammates went to Houston to be the hands and feet of Jesus, offering hope to families who suffered great tragedy. PRAISE GOD for the privilege our teams have had of being part of God’s provision for this dear couple, and for the blessing and transformation experienced by folks on both sides of this need.
