We knew when we called Pastor Rob at Mt. Holly UMC in Fairdale, KY that he was very welcoming to us and we were eager to share with the Mt. Holly congregation, but when we had the chance to meet him and hear his story we were sure he was not only a great pastor but also a great man. Before the service, Pastor Rob told us he was so grateful to no longer wear a boot on his foot because he had been wearing it for years and, at the beginning of the service, Pastor Rob was proud to show the congregation that he was wearing shoes on both feet. As we were driving from the church to Applebee's with Pastor Rob, he shared with us about how great his congregation was while he was suffering from complications of diabetes. Pastor Rob lived for years with his foot in a special boot, seeing the doctor on a weekly basis, sometimes confined to wheelchair, in hopes of the sore on his foot healing. He spoke nothing of his struggles or perseverance, but only told us how wonderful the people of Mt. Holly UMC were to him during the whole ordeal. What Pastor Rob didn't know is that we were blessed by his testimony. The kindness of the congregation and Pastor Rob's commitment to minister as pastor in the church were both touching. We know how hard it is mentally, spiritually, and physically to fight against diabetes, and during this time neither Pastor Rob nor the congregation were willing to give up on healing, on loving, or on the call God had placed on their lives. "He's been sick for how long? He's still your pastor," was what one person outside the congregation said to one of the members who recounted the story to us. She never considered wanting a different pastor. Pastor Rob never considered giving up. This is a story of a body of believers sticking together and loving each other even when times were rough, and, although I know Pastor Rob is grateful for the love he received, we're sure there are people at Mt. Holly who will never know just how far their love has reached.
* Pictures: From Mt. Holly
No comments:
Post a Comment