Here am I. Send me. (Samaritan’s Purse Deployment, Part 1) 

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8) 

In my last post, Sleep in the storm, I wrote about how God had spared my area from the wrath of Hurricane Ian. I felt so blessed to be saved from any potential home damage that I wanted to do something to help those who were not as fortunate.   

That’s when the first email from the Billy Graham Evangelism Association hit my inbox. “Deploying the love of Christ to Florida,” the subtitle began. “A Category 4 hurricane that produced a ‘500-year flood’ has left millions of Floridians without power and many without hope.”  

“To help minister to those impacted most,” the mailing continued, “the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team is deploying 20 chaplains to multiple locations in southwest Florida. Their mission: To let them know God has not abandoned them.”  

Ever since I learned about the existence of the BG Rapid Response Team, I’ve felt called to be a chaplain. As a relational person who gravitates to the hurting, this ministry seemed tailor-made for my evangelical beliefs and deep compassion. I’ve kept my eyes on the Samaritan’s Purse (SP) website ever since. I’ve always wanted to assist SP with disaster relief work. Could God have spared me and my home so I could help in such a time as this?   

In checking the SP website, I learned that volunteer opportunities to support hurricane relief work would soon be posted. My mind began moving ahead to the possibility of action. My workplace provides time for staff to volunteer each year. Perhaps I could use those hours in this service. After investigation, I discovered that I had 12 volunteer hours to use for the journey. There were no limits on what organization I could utilize these hours for. Obstacle #1, triumphed.   

I began seriously considering the trip on my birthday. What better way could I celebrate this day than by using my life to serve others? After researching potential relief site locations, I learned that a trip to Fort Myers – the hardest hit FL city – would take me approximately 7-8 driving hours. I can do that, I thought. Obstacle #2, overcome.   

My next challenge was in finding a pet sitter. I’d been looking for over a year, but the rates were so high that I despaired of finding one I could afford. I contacted several, and nothing was coming together.   

Did I really want to drive 7 hours to sleep on an air mattress with total strangers after performing hard labor all day? I wondered. The idea didn’t sound very appealing. Could I even get time off from work on short notice?   

The challenges were mounting up. I could think of countless reasons why such a concept seemed crazy. And yet, I felt compelled to go. In my innermost being, a deep longing existed – telling me that I needed to make this trip. I could feel my heart rate increase at the concept. The idea made me happy.   

Lord, I prayed, if this is Your will, You know the obstacles I am facing. If you want me to go, You’ll have to help me. Clear the way.  

That’s when I found The Pet Nanny. I’d consistently checked my NextDoor app for pet sitters in the area but never saw this business before. I texted the posted number, asking the sitter for her rates. Miraculously, they were exactly what I was hoping for and could afford. Best of all, the Pet Nanny could help me with just a few days’ notice. “You are a God-send,” I told her. “I prayed for God to help me if he wanted me to go on this trip, and that’s when I found you.” Obstacle #3, surmounted.   

The next day, I asked my boss if I could take three and a half days off the following week. I didn’t want to push it. He agreed. Obstacle #4, conquered.   

After that, I began researching cots versus air mattresses and wondered if I could even acquire such a thing on short notice. I found a cot that seemed perfect for me and ordered it. Delivery would come one day before my trip began. Obstacle #5, cleared.  

This was really happening! I could hardly believe it! What started as a simple act of praise for being spared from the storm became a mission trip in just a matter of days. I was more than thrilled to sign SP’s statement of faith, consent to a background check, and begin my preparations. God was taking me on a journey.   

Moving one step further in faith, I boldly used the notification of my trip to send a message to others I work with, announcing my upcoming absence. I included a link in my mailing to the SP Hurricane Ian response site, advising all those I work with that I would perform this service in Jesus’ name.   

The SP website is unabashedly evangelical. I had previously been cautious about announcing my faith in such a woke environment – but no more. Anyone curious about what I was doing or who I was doing it for would have no doubts after visiting the SP website.   

As Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham stated, “The damage is incredible. These people need our prayers and our support. We’re going to need an army of volunteers. Prayerfully consider joining us to help in Jesus’ Name.”  

And that’s precisely what I did! If I’m going, I thought, I want to use this opportunity to testify both in my workplace and in Florida. As I wrote in my Silent No More blog, my days of hiding my faith at work are long gone. As co-workers responded to my mailing, I was more than happy to turn any praise of my service back to my Creator. “This is my opportunity to show the love of God to others who are hurting,” I explained. There can no longer be any doubt of my where my faith rests.   

Thereafter, what began as a three-and-a-half-day trip to Florida became five days of being used by my Savior to sweat more, get dirtier, and work harder than I ever could have imagined – all in the name of Jesus.   

And so began a trip that has changed my heart and soul forever. The spiritual work God allowed me to perform was more important than the physical labor I expended. SP encouraged me to do what I was created for – show love by offering encouragement and support in Jesus’ name. “Every house has a task and a job,” one of our leaders explained. “The task is the house. The job is the homeowner. Share the love of God with them.”   

Every home we visited afforded me a new opportunity to do so. I took it upon myself to complete my task – but more importantly – my job every day. I purposely sought out connections with homeowners, neighbors, and community members wherever we were deployed. God led me to them and gave me the words to say.   

But the blessings didn’t stop there. From the moment I arrived at the SP base camp in Fort Myers, FL, I began talking to Rapid Response Team (RRT) Chaplains. “How did you become a chaplain?” I asked the first one I encountered as she walked me to my shared room. Of course, the next person to join me there was an RRT member. God was determined to surround me with them, so He sent two more to bunk with me. Every day, I sought out and questioned every RRT chaplain I met to ask about their service.   

On day two, two RRT members, Tommi and Paula, prayed over me after hearing how I spoke to all the neighbors. “You should be a chaplain,” Paula declared. I just laughed and told them of my aspirations. At the conclusion of Paula’s prayer, Tommi said, “It’s a done deal. You’ve already begun your journey.” I could only smile, thank her, and pray that her prophecy would come true.   

And so, my mission began. The lessons I learned and the experiences God gave me will take weeks to detail.   

For now, I end with this thought. If you feel led to follow God on a difficult journey outside your comfort zone, to a place far from home, with unquantifiable obstacles, go. Don’t question the prompting. I can fully affirm the grace, provision, and blessings that will follow if you are only willing to say these five simple words: Here am I. Send me!