"They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon." Nehemiah 4:17

You are probably familiar with the story. Nehemiah hears of Jerusalem’s walls in shambles, procures safe passage and materials from a Persian king, rallies his countrymen, and is able to restore the wall to its previously fortified state despite some stiff opposition. Significant enough opposition that those feverishly working on the project needed to hang on to a weapon in order to finish the task. The thought that always goes through my mind when coming across this account is ‘how in the world could you get anything done when one of your hands is hanging onto a sword?’ Each worker, whether having great or little skill and literally only one hand to work with, became effective builders because the work they were doing was in an effort to glorify God.

Like the Israelites, you have the opportunity to step into the gap and become an effective builder of the ministry at Gateway Woods through serving at the benefit Auction this year. I promise not to make you work single-handed or even have you hold onto a spear while serving, but I would ask that you prayerfully consider volunteering for one of the over 320 opportunities on August 4^th. This long-standing event would not be able to function without the faithful aid of volunteers. We are employing a digital sign-up this year for the first time. The digital sign-up can be found at https://gatewaywoods.ivolunteer.com. At this site, you will find the five main areas in which we need volunteers and by clicking on any of these you will discover opportunities to sign-up and serve: Food, Green Tent, Grounds, Red Tent, and White Tent. Your local Gateway Woods Representatives can help you navigate these waters, so track them down — they would LOVE to assist you.

God used His people to build a wall that stood as a symbol of His provision and faithfulness. For over forty years, Gateway Woods has been a shining beacon of hope for hurting families and a testimony of God faithfully working through His people to build His kingdom. I encourage you to join in the labor and become builders of the ministry at Gateway Woods by offering your time and efforts on August 4^th.

Please do not hesitate to contact me via email at gwauctionvolunteer@gmail.com or by leaving me a message at (260) 376-1742 if you have any questions.

Happy Volunteering!