The South Richland Bible Way Church was originally a small community congregation. Then they started to grow in size and Spirit. Their pastor, Bishop Myers, and the congregation built a new church. Its members did much of the work themselves. Each year they would celebrate the opening of that church. On the Saturday evening before their thirteenth anniversary they left their church after spending the day preparing it for the celebration.
The next morning the church was gone. The previous night, under the cover of darkness, another bigoted arsonist had set yet another fire. On Sunday March 23, 1997 rather than celebrate, the congregation mourned the loss of their house of worship. Another act of hatred intending to prevent people from executing their right to worship had destroyed another building. But, much like the Gay's Hill and Full Gospel churches, this congregation was a God-fearing and God-loving group. They would not be stopped from their worship of Him. They would be strengthened in His name. Out of their diversity, they began to plan for the building of another church, larger than the one that had just been destroyed.
This was one of the church's we had decided to help last year, but was unable to do so due to a problem with the building permits. The first morning in Gadsden, the group arose to an unusually cold day. Following devotions and breakfast, the group assembled into its caravan to begin its mission. As they approached the area, some remarked at a construction site they could see off in the distance. It looked like a large department store, a graceful office project, or similar building might also be under construction near the church site. It wasn't, as we drove into the parking area of this edifice, we realized that this was the church and it was huge.
We are a small church and not used to such large buildings. As our group began work, we seemed more disorganized than in the past. Since there was so much to do and so many directions to go in it took a while to become oriented and focused.
On our first two mission trips we hardly experienced someone getting a splinter, but that was to be different on this trip. On day one of our women climbed on top of the sanctuary's choir section and started passing down lumber for others to begin cutting and assembling. There was no flooring, only joists separated by sixteen-inch gaps. As she took a step, she slipped and fell to the floor below catching her fall with her hand and wrist. The hand and wrist immediately swelled turning various shades of black and purple. She knew her week of labor was over.
Day two, another of our lady workers reached into a car and grasped a bag. Her knee was on the car's bumper, but it slipped off. Her side crashed against a large, unforgiving tool box. Held by her teetering midsection and clenched hand, unable to move, she was scraped and pinched, and her breath was knocked out of her. Her ribs were severely bruised by the heavy contact.
On yet another day, one of our men, dutifully swinging away with a 20-ounce framing hammer, squarely pounded the middle finger on his nail-holding hand rather than the intended nail. Few who have taken up a hammer have failed to maul their own body, but his was a square hit with an extra heavy hammer severe enough to bring tears to his eyes and send spasms of pain in blinding fury up his arm We feared the finger was broken.
Now we were down three people with the week only half over. If ever we needed help and healing it was now. Still our work continued. The church moved ever closer to its completion. Installation was stuffed into every appropriate opening. Floors and walls sprouted where there had been open spaces. Walls began to turn gray with a new covering of sheetrock. There were some design issues that one of our members, being an architect was able to help alleviate. Despite the cold that had many of our mission members covering up in cumbersome garments, we continued, working side by side with members of Bible Way's huge congregation.
Cornelius Thompson a Bible Way congregation member was the contractor in charge on the project. He had lived a life quite contrary to God's wishes, hurting others but mostly himself for a very long time before being brought to God. Read what Cornelius has written about his life.
This man, who had been injured and then healed by God many times, was about to become our physician.
Our first injured member came along with our team on that second day to participate in any way she could, but her options were limited. Though it had been wrapped the night before, the hand was still swollen, discolored, and painfully disabled. Cornelius, upon hearing of her plight, approached her and grabbed her hand. Asking her if she believed in the powers of God, he squeezed her hand in his construction workers vice-like grip. He began to pray. She began to feel immense warmth emanating from his grasp, radiating up her wrist and, finally, resting around her heart. By the time he finished his prayer and touch, the pain of the last twenty-four hours had subsided. Better still, the swelling was nearly gone and the hand had regained its function. She was able to go on working and the injury became a memory, a very powerful memory, of the healing God sometimes blesses us with through the hands of others. When she thanked Cornelius for his healing touch, he simply pointed heavenward and said that it was God who had healed her. Cornelius said that he was merely a vessel for those who believed in God's healing power. One up.
Our second injured party also felt the warmth and healing of those hands. Though the discomfort remained, she too was able to continue her work. Two up. The third member to be injured also recognized the God-given healing touch of Cornelius. This time it was through the touch of the woman who had been our group's first injury. She asked him if he believed in the power of God. He responded affirmatively and his painful injury also disappeared. Three up.
The construction work continued despite the chill and the injuries. By the end of the week, most of the insulation was installed and many new sheetrock wall were in place. Sud walls, windows, and other structures had been built, renovated, or repaired. Once again we had been blessed with abundant food and generous quarters provided by loving Christian men and women from South Carolina.
A great deal of thanks and appreciation goes out to our Christian brother, Bruce. He wrote a book containing the stories of the Lord's Builders first 3 mission trips. With Bruce's permission, we unashamedly plagiarized this book.
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