Learning How To Build A Bridge

Community Group bands together to help accident victim
By Luke Littrell


How many Saturdays had I risen up from working on the lawn to wave to my neighbor? Probably a hundred since I had been living beside them for over five years. My neighbor Doug is that guy who keeps his lawn in immaculate condition. While my lawn looked like “Sanford and Son,” his looked like a portion of Legend’s Country Club. That’s why we were interested to know where he and the rest of his family were for several days.

Then, my wife saw his granddaughter at their house playing in the driveway and asked where Doug was. She said, “Grandpa’s been hurt real bad.” Later, she saw Doug’s daughter and discovered that he had been in a horrific car accident just up the road. His car left the road and flew down an embankment crashing into a fence. His foot was shattered, his ankle was broken in pieces, and he sustained some broken vertebrae, not to mention several cuts and bruises and an enormous amount of pain.

We were embarrassed that we didn’t even know their last name, and to this point we had wondered how God would show us how our Community Group could build bridges to those around us and suddenly it seemed all too clear. Doug’s daughter told us his last name and we called the hospital to find his room. We were simply compelled by the Holy Spirit to engage, not knowing what was in store for them or us. My wife and I began making extra dinner and bringing it up to the hospital and although they looked at us strangely at first, and said they were alright, they soon realized we were not going away.

At first it seemed to be just a good thing to do for our neighbor, but then we experienced so much blessing from serving and a real sense that God was asking us “how far are you willing to go?” Soon after we shared with the Community Group, the impact snowballed. We told the group how badly Doug was hurt and how exhausting this was for Doug’s wife, Pam, as she had not left his side for weeks and was barely eating. As we continued to go up to the hospital to visit, the families of our group began making meals for them. We even spent time before a guy’s night in the hospital lobby praying for Doug.


The idea surfaced that we could do for Doug what he longed to do, but was in no condition to do – take care of his lawn. I knew from living next to him for so long that since spring was fast approaching it would kill him to see his lawn unkempt and not fertilized or seeded. We set aside a Saturday and the guys and some of their boys showed up and invaded his yard. It is really amazing how God blesses everyone involved in this kind of thing. Everyone worked hard for the better part of a Saturday, including some of the boys, who perhaps saw for the first time, a man in need have his needs met as their dads gave their lives away.

We never saw this coming, and we will certainly never be the same. I know Doug is grateful, he says so all the time. Everyone watched his frail body struggle down three steps to say through his tears, “Thank You.” But, we’re grateful too. I’m grateful we didn’t go six years missing the opportunity to build a bridge to my neighbor, only 25 yards away.

Our whole group is grateful for God who showed us a real example of Jesus’ call for us to love our neighbor and build a bridge to them, because He is the ultimate bridge builder and He’s not going away either. Our bridge is still being built and we continue to seek God in how our group can minister to Doug and his family. Please join us in praying for Doug, his family, and our group, and that God would continue working in our hearts.

“Just before we left we all prayed together, which was a very emotional moment for the homeowner, and for the rest of us as well. As my son and I drove away he said, ‘Dad, that was really neat getting to help him out. When we were praying I heard him crying and I looked up and saw the biggest smile I've ever seen on anybody's face. Seeing him smile was the best reward we could have gotten.’ I was so excited to see that my son really understood what serving other people is all about.”
-Clint Redwine