So the power had just come on... started the hell out of me. The second Hurricane in the last 6 weeks had left us a little battered... reopened some of the wounds from the first... made a few new ones... and left us without power for a few days.
Hadn't be more than an hour or so after the power came on that my phone rang. Didn't recognize the number but it was local... and I had left so many messages for so many contractors that I just answered it anyway. Worse comes to worse I would hang up on the idiot trying to sell me an extended warranty for my car.
Nate: Hello
voice: MR NATE MY HOUSE IS ON FIRE
Hrmmm... that sounds like Will. Is will jerking my chain?
Nate: Wait... your house is on fire?
Will: My house is burning. right now.
Nate: Look.. I am probably gonna regret this.. but... I don't believe you.
Will. MR NATE. MY HOUSE IS BURNING RIGHT NOW
Nate: Ok... send me a pic. Then I will believe you.
Nate: ... How's your mama? are you ok?
Will: you believe me now?
Nate: I am on my way.
Now... y'all don't know Will. Will is a kid from a poor family out in the middle of no where. He started coming to youth several years ago when I was running it. Last year we got him baptized in the waters of Lake Junaluska in the Mountains of North Carolina. in the summer of 2019... Will lost his daddy in a car accident just a few hundred yards from his house. And now... his whole house was burning down in front of his eyes.
I had no idea what to do. I just jumped in the truck and drove there. I kept calling our pastor... who kept not answering his phone. if I hadn't known where the house was it wouldn't have mattered. I could've followed the smoke. it was bad. real bad.
When I arrived there were fire trucks everywhere... at least 6... house blazing. They were fighting it... but it didn't matter. it was gonna be a total loss. I found Will and his mama... and I gave Will a hug.
He said, "Mr Nate... My Daddy's ashes are in there."
And I said "Son... Ashes don't burn."
say a prayer for Will and his mom would ya? reckon they could use it.
