“It’s mostly storage space, but I finished a portion of the east side so the kids could play up there on rainy days.”
“They are lucky to have you, Charlie.”
“I’m lucky to have them. I didn’t realize that until Orion came through and turned our lives upside down.”
They walked the rest of the way in silence. When they finally stopped in front of three slabs of concrete, Alton took off his hat and scratched his head. “Foundation looks gut.”
“Poured last week.”
“I worried you might be done rebuilding before I could make it back.”
“Nope. In fact, Jim says we have enough projects and funds to last at least another two years.”
Alton studied him a minute, and then he nodded toward the foundations. “Who are these homes for?”
“This one is for a couple in their thirties—no kids yet. As you know, MDS selects the most critical needs first. So I suppose we’re on tier two now—folks who contribute to the infrastructure of the island but don’t have young ones or older parents to care for. Helping them is important, but they could continue commuting from the mainland as long as they need to.”
“So how do Mr. and Mrs.—” Alton stepped back and read the number painted on the curb. “Six Forty-Five Sea Side contribute to the island?”
“Teachers.” Charlie sighed. “We’ve had quite the teacher shortage the last year. Enrollment is down more than twenty percent, but even so there are not enough teachers. Some moved on. The ones who stayed take more time off than they have—without pay—so they can work on their home. We’ll be providing the Tuckers a real service.”
“And those two?” Alton studied the other two foundations.
“Gabby and Sam Story. She is a waitress who works with Alice. Her husband, Sam, works on the grounds crew out at the state park.”
They continued down the street until they reached the last foundation. “This home is for Michelle Baker. She works at the animal shelter. Nice lady in her thirties. I’m surprised she’s staying, but she says she loves the island and loves her job.”
“All good people.”
“Yes, and all in need of our help.”
They turned and walked back toward Charlie’s. By the time they had reached his place, Alice had pulled up into her driveway. C.J. tumbled out of the car and launched himself at Alton. Shelley walked over to check on Quitz. Once she was sure the old dog was doing fine, she ran to Alton and threw her arms around his neck.
“I’ve missed that young man,” Alice said.
“That makes two of us.”
The kids finally went inside to work on their homework, but only after they had been assured Alton wasn’t going anywhere. Charlie took Alton inside his home and showed him the spare bedroom where he’d be staying.
“This is a little nicer than a FEMA trailer,” Alton said.
“I’m glad you think so.”
Charlie made sure Quitz had food and water before he settled her in her crate. Though she still followed Charlie throughout the day, he made sure she was bedded down early in the evening.
It wasn’t until they were in Charlie’s truck that Alton opened up and began talking about his time at home—telling of the farmwork, his family, and the questions he’d been battling.
“We were worried you might be blaming yourself for C.J.’s accident.”
“But I was to blame.”
“No. I don’t think so. C.J. has a stubborn streak wider than Mustang Island, and he needs to learn to control that.”
Alton seemed to consider his words, something he hadn’t been in the habit of doing on his first visit. Back then, Alton would smile at you, and you knew—were absolutely certain—that he was politely waiting for you to finish so he could go ahead and do what he had planned.
But something had changed. Perhaps he’d matured during the Oklahoma winter. Maybe he’d learned that he didn’t have all the answers. Charlie knew from experience that the moment you realized that, a whole new world of possibilities opened up.
Charlie pulled to a stop in front of Jim’s FEMA trailer, but Alton made no move to leave the vehicle. Instead, he stared out the windshield at the light rain that had begun to fall.
“I didn’t want to come, you know. Last May, when Joshua told me about his plan, I had to fight the urge to scream at him and everyone else. I wanted to tell them it was my life and I could do what I wanted with it. I wanted to tell them if I chose to waste my life, it was my business, not theirs.”
Charlie didn’t interrupt. He’d counseled enough teens to recognize an important moment when he saw one. Alton wasn’t so much explaining his decisions to Charlie as he was to himself.
“I was Joshua’s mission, not… this.” He waved toward Jim’s home. “He’d never even considered doing something with MDS before. He did it because he thought it would save me. He thought it would turn my life around.”
“And did it?”
Alton ran his right hand up and down his jaw. “It almost didn’t. Even when I was here, when I saw the destruction and the need, I didn’t see how it related to me personally. I could help for a few weeks, but what difference would it make in the long run? Another storm could come along tomorrow and blow it all away again.”
“Yes, it could.” The same thought passed through Charlie’s mind at least once a day.
“It was the night with C.J. that changed everything. The way he looked up to me was kind of embarrassing and kind of flattering, but I didn’t take it seriously. When he almost… when he almost drowned, I understood that I have a responsibility to him even if we aren’t related. I have a responsibility to him because Gotte has brought us into each other’s life.”
“So you had an epiphany.”
Alton shrugged, and when he turned to look at Charlie, his expression was a combination of the old fun-loving, carefree Alton and the newer, more serious young man. “I don’t know. Maybe. I do understand now that life is a gift.”
Charlie nodded. “Some people never realize that.”
Alton reached for the door handle. They walked up to Jim’s trailer, not minding the mist that dampened their hair and clothes. Charlie took a deep breath full of air straight from the Gulf of Mexico. He could hear the waves from where they stood. He could practically taste the salt on his skin.
The amount of loss he’d endured in his life… Some days it felt as if he could fill the ocean with his tears and hurt and grief. But most days now he had the same thought that Alton did, that life was a gift.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. In chapter one we meet Charlie Everman. Charlie’s wife warned him that “the world doesn’t stand still, and you wouldn’t want it to.” Charlie thinks that perhaps he would like for it to. When we’re in a place of profound grief, what specific Scripture verses can comfort us?
2. In chapter eight, Becca and her mother discuss the differences in Amish communities. Suzie says, “We read the same Bible and share the same faith, but the details we perceive vary.” What differences are you aware of that exist between Amish communities? What differences exist between your church and other churches in your town? How can believers work together to be the body of Christ in spite of these differences?
3. As Hurricane Orion bears down on Port Aransas, Charlie stops to help several different families. Is this wise or foolish? Read Matthew 25:31-46. How can we minister to “the least of these” on a daily basis?
4. Alton’s parents are scared and worried, but they don’t seem particularly angry. Daniel tells Joshua that “We all have those days of questioning. For your brother, those days came a little later and lasted a bit longer.” What do you think of this compassionate attitude? Is it biblical? Why or why not?
5. Becca’s Aunt Nancy regularly volunteers with MDS. She tells Becca that “even when we have limited resources to contribute, we can donate our time and our talents.” Do you agree with that? Why or why not? List types of mission work that someone could do in your area, even i
f they had limited financial resources.
6. When Charlie gives his testimony to the group of volunteers, he begins by quoting the third chapter of Ecclesiastes. Open your Bible to this passage and read it. Then discuss how the sentiment expressed there applies to us today. Is it still relevant to our life and our faith or simply beautiful words written a long time ago?
7. Joshua experiences God’s call on his heart when the group attends Jim’s church. He believes that God is calling him to “delight to show mercy.” He understands that he has not shown Christian love toward his brother. When we have a situation which causes us to withhold mercy from one another, what things can we do to “make it right?”
8. After C.J. is found, Alton blames himself. Charlie believes “sometimes a dire event could mature a person overnight. Other times the person fled back into their childhood.” Has this ever happened to you? Has God used difficult circumstances to bring you to a new level of maturity in Christ?
9. Joshua makes the decision to not worry about the future. He is certain that God knows our future, and He has blessings planned for us. What areas of your life do you worry about the most? What could help you release that worry and trust that God will care for you?
10. Alton finally realizes that he was Joshua’s mission, not the work for MDS. What does the Bible tell us about caring for one another? What are some practical ways that we can support one another?
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Mustang Island has not experienced a major hurricane since 1970. The book 1919: The Storm: A Narrative and Photographic History by Murphy Givens and Jim Moloney provides a thorough history of the island, as does Images of America: Port Aransas by J. Guthrie Ford and Mark Creighton. The Port Aransas Museum is also a treasure trove of information and can be accessed at http://portaransasmuseum.org.
Information about Mennonite Disaster Service can be found at http://mds.mennonite.net/home. Their stated mission is as follows: “Mennonite Disaster Service is a volunteer network of Anabaptist churches that responds in Christian love to those affected by disasters in Canada and the United States.” You can donate to MDS at https://mds.mennonite.net/donate.
FEMA trailers provided in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita were purportedly plagued with problems, most especially the presence of formaldehyde. The Urban Disaster Trailers described in this book are a prototype that has been tested in New York City. At the time of this writing, they have not yet been used in a major disaster.
The town of Cody’s Creek does not exist in Oklahoma. The place I visited and researched was Chouteau, which was originally called Cody’s Creek when it became a stop on the Katy Railroad in 1871. The Amish community in Chouteau does allow the use of tractors, both in the fields and in town. They still use the horse and buggy when traveling to church, weddings, or funerals.
GLOSSARY
Aenti—aunt
Bruder—brother
Daddi—grandfather
Dat—father
Danki—thank you
Englischer—non-Amish person
Freinden—friends
Gotte’s wille—God’s will
Grandkinner—grandchildren
Gudemariye—good morning
Gut—good
Kapp—prayer covering
Kind—child
Kinner—children
Mamm—mom
Mammi—grandmother
Nein—no
Ordnung—the unwritten set of rules and regulations that guide everyday Amish life.
Rumspringa—running around; time before an Amish young person has officially joined the church, provides a bridge between childhood and adulthood.
Schweschder—sister
Wunderbaar—wonderful
Ya—yes
Youngies—young adults
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She has published more than one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania. Her novel Falling to Pieces was a 2012 ACFW Carol Award winner. A Promise for Miriam earned a spot on the June 2012 Christian Retailing Top Ten Fiction list. Vannetta was a teacher for 15 years and currently writes full time. She lives in the Texas hill country with her husband. For more information, visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com
Anna’s Healing
When a tornado strikes the farms surrounding Cody’s Creek, Anna Schwartz’s life is changed forever. She suffers a spinal cord injury and suddenly finds herself learning to live as a paraplegic.
Three people—Chloe Roberts, Jacob Graber, and Ruth Schwartz—join forces to help Anna through her darkest days. Chloe is an Englischer who writes for the local paper. Jacob has recently arrived in town and stays on as a hired hand at her uncle’s. And Ruth is her grandmother, a woman of deep faith and a compassionate spirit.
Then one morning Anna wakes and finds herself healed. How did it happen? Why did it happen? And what is she to do now? Her life is again turned upside down as the world’s attention is drawn to this young Amish girl who has experienced the unexplainable.
Brian’s Choice
(ebook-only novella prequel)
Brian’s Choice is an e-only novella prequel to the brand-new Plain and Simple Miracles collection from popular author Vannetta Chapman (A Promise for Miriam). These stories of love and family and Amish community in Oklahoma tell of the miracles that can happen when lives are lived in service to God and to one another.
Brian Walker has it all—a trust fund, the job of his dreams, and a beautiful woman at his side. But all of that changes in one tragic moment. Six months later he finds himself in the small town of Cody’s Creek, Oklahoma, and eventually becomes a member of the Amish community located there.
Brian feels God’s hand directing his path, and he begins to hope that perhaps his past is behind him for good. However, nothing prepares him for the day his bishop asks him a question.
Brian’s choice changes everything.
A story about the miracle of faith, the solace of love, and our ability to forgive and be forgiven.
Fall in Love with the Amish of Pebble Creek!
A Promise for Miriam, A Home for Lydia, and A Wedding for Julia introduce the Amish community of Pebble Creek, Wisconsin, and the kind, caring people there. As they face challenges to their community from the English world, they come together to reach out to their non-Amish neighbors while still preserving their cherished Plain ways.
Enjoy These Free Short Story E-Romances
Download Them Today from Your Favorite Digital Retailer!
These two short story e-romances are an exclusive bonus from the Pebble Creek Amish by Vannetta Chapman. Fans of the series will enjoy this chance to briefly revisit Pebble Creek, and new readers will be introduced to an Amish community that is more deeply explored in the three full novels.
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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER
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To learn more about Harvest House books and to read sample chapters, visit our website:
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