Week 19 - The Gift of Love

As Cassie mentioned last week, we’ve been serving in the community where the school shooting took place. Just days before we rolled into town, a heartbreaking tragedy struck Silver Rail Elementary School. Our hearts sank as we learned about the lives lost due to an active shooter on campus.

After the church service on Sunday, we made our way to the memorial outside the school, where we joined a team of comfort dogs and community members who had gathered to grieve, remember, and support one another. It was a heavy moment, seeing firsthand how deeply this tragedy had impacted the community.

One of the groups ministering to this community is the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry. We had the chance to meet some of the team while in Spokane, including Isaac - a beautiful golden lab. He was already in Bend when we arrived along with some of his buddies visiting fire responders, local churches and schools.

That afternoon, one of the dads in the community who lives right across the street from the school met Reece, our friend and local connection in Bend, on the side walk and shared some of the needs he and his family were facing in the wake of this tragedy. Reece didn’t waste any time getting the word out to us and his church family, and before long, people were already jumping in to figure out how we could come alongside this family and help lighten the load during such a heavy season.

While Reece got a meal train rolling for the family, Cassie and I figured it was time to fire up the gas stove in the bus and get cooking! Cassie spearheaded this endeavor as it fit her passions and skill set perfectly. Together we put together 3 meals and over a half-dozen breakfast burritos. The most impactful part was when we got to drop them off to the family. What an honor it was to serve them! 

About halfway through the week, we jumped into some projects at the school with a guy named Johnny. And let me tell ya, this dude is pretty much a local legend around these parts! I mean, when you’ve got a local news article titled “People You Should Know in Bend” featuring your name, you know you’re doing something right!

Johnny is a fun-loving, lively, and all-around awesome retired gentleman who gives a whole lot of his time volunteering at Trinity Lutheran School here in Bend. In the mornings and afternoons, you’ll find him posted up at the crosswalk with his stop sign, making sure the kiddos get to and from school safely. And in between those shifts you can often find him working on projects around campus.

One thing that really stood out to me was that I don’t think we saw a single group of students walk by without excitedly shouting, “JOHNNY!” And every time, he was right there, smiling and engaging with them. Whether you’re a student, a teacher, or just some random couple living on a bus, Johnny has a way of making you feel seen. The guy just radiates joy, and you can’t help but walk away with a smile on your face. His legacy will certainly be one of LOVE!

The rest of the week was sprinkled with hanging out with the youth and young adults, cheering on some volleyball games, and jumping in wherever we could lend a hand. But one of my favorite moments of the week came from what I can only describe as a totally unexpected side quest!

Wednesday evening, we found ourselves at this beautiful park in downtown Bend to meet up with one of Cassie’s friends, Jeff. When we rolled up, there were about 15 people scattered around the park hanging out on slacklines, doing flow arts, and just enjoying what I can only describe as "good vibes!". Jeff and a few of his friends were getting after it with some acro yoga, and before I even had time to figure out what was going on, he asked if we wanted to give it a shot.

ABSOLUTELY! (I've been wanting to try this for a very long time, and Cassie was totally down for it too.)

The next thing we knew, Cassie and I were spending the next hour or two attempting all kinds of acrobatic yoga positions, probably looking like a couple of baby giraffes trying to figure out how their legs work. There were plenty of wobbles, questionable balancing skills, and healthy doses of laughter along the way.

Honestly, I think this one takes the cake for my favorite memory on the bus so far!

Well I think that covers it for this week! Thanks for taking the time to join us on the journey. Until next time, PEACE!