Volunteer Travels Over 3,000 Miles to Help in Vermont
“I’m a guy that loves to serve. I’ve kept a weather eye out for a mission trip to hop on since my last one back in 2019 in North Carolina. So, when my dad gave me the heads up that Vermont needed services that were my specialty, I was already packing my bags in my head before I said yes,” said Nick de Ru, a member of Sovereign Grace OPC in Oak Harbor, Washington. De Ru traveled over 3,000 miles to serve. He’s thankful for the many who contributed to get him there, saying “Folks all around have been quite generous towards this trip and me. My church’s deacons are covering the airfare, my family and friends are helping me out with my lost income, the Comstock family [from Covenant OPC, Barre, VT] has been wonderful with room and board, and the OPC NE Presbytery has covered the work truck rental. This trip is a big group effort and I’m doing my best to make every dollar count.” De Ru says, traveling is fun. Doing electrical work is fun and doing it to help others for the Glory of God is an opportunity not to be missed. Not having to pay for expenses is a bonus.”
Nick quickly found out that the need was great as winter is closing in, “These People have no one to do this work and cannot do it themselves. They are emotionally and physically exhausted and it is clear my work here is a significant relief to them. The trades here and in many other places are short-handed and backed up for months. Volunteers here are coming to the desperate with a cup of cold (in this case hot) water. The Holy Spirit utilizes difficult times to do his work and I pray he works in me to improve me as well as those I’m serving.”
Nick looks forward to more opportunities like this to serve with OPC Disaster Response. He tells us, “My biggest takeaway would be the time I spent interacting with the flood victims. Interpersonal communication doesn’t often get that heavy in my life, so it’s certainly been a growing experience for me.”
If you are interested in helping others in need, register with OPC Disaster Response. We’ll let you know when there is a need and you decide if it’s the right time for you to jump in. Register now.