Sunday October 15, 2006

 

 

Buffalo, NY

Saturday

Going to Buffalo was an interesting walk of faith!  We woke up early, packed our suitcases, and loaded the van with ministry materials, then waited for a phone call.

The restaurant in Elma, NY, where the banquet was to be held, would not know until 8:30 AM if they could open – due to two feet of snow – resulting in closed roads and downed power lines.

The phone finally rang about 8:45 telling us the banquet was on!

Ministry friends, Sam and Alice Rittenhouse had to leave an hour before that if we were going to arrive at the banquet on time.  We decided earlier that we were going to do something if the banquet was off – like sightseeing, visiting a truck stop where they want a chapel, or stopping at a retreat center interested in ministering to truckers.

 

Snow on the edge of the motel parking lot.

The seven-hour trip went well, and we were surprised to discover our motel had power.  We called an hour prior to arriving and they were still without electricity.  It returned about 25 minutes before we got there! 

The staff were scrambling to get clean linens to every room, because they had been booked solid with stranded travelers, who thought cold, dark rooms were better than being in a car. 

Internet service was still down – the reason I had to wait until tonight to tell you about our weekend.

 

It was nice to see our first snow of the season

 

 

We arrived at The Columns as everyone else was arriving…

 

Set up our display board and ministry materials…

 

Then visited with those who were able to attend.  We expected 120 people, but due to the weather had about eighty, many who were glad for a warm place to eat and where there were lights! 

We heard all kind of stories – sleeping in layers of heavy clothing, boiling snow for water, trying without success to locate a generator or find a motel room for warmth, and manning sump pumps because of twenty-four inches of quickly melting snow. 

 

The food and fellowship was the best.

 

Touch of Brass blessed us with a variety of music:  southern gospel, brass, and bluegrass gospel.

 

 A highlight for us was meeting Gary Guarino and his family.  He is a new volunteer chaplain at the Buffalo chapel.

~~~

Our motel bed felt so good!