compassion
On the Road
O
ver the low rumble of the truck engine, Wesley Howard explains some of the keys to piloting a tractor-trailer. “You always have to be watching. And not just watching the cars right around you, but the cars way off in the distance. You have to be able to anticipate and plan for anything that might happen down the road.”
the financial significance of these gifts is the impact they were able to make on the region. Operation Sharing distributed these goods to more than 1,300 partner organizations in all 13 Appalachian states, Missouri, and Arkansas, who in turn dispensed these essential items to more than 1.5 million individuals. Operation Sharing drivers like Howard play a vital role in this process.
For Howard, driving a truck for CAP’s Operation Sharing Program is second nature. Much of his life has been spent on the road, running his own trucks for more than 20 years before coming to CAP in 2010. Like all CAP employees, Howard was drawn to the organization because of the aid and resources it provides for people and communities in need. “I enjoy the work we do and the reason we do it.”
On this cool October morning, Howard’s destination is Abundance of Rain Ministries in Salt Lick, Ky., one of the many partner organizations ensuring that trailer-loads of essential goods make it into the hands of the people with the greatest need. As he skillfully maneuvers his rig into position on the gravel lot next to a small warehouse, a team of Abundance of Rain volunteers assembles at the mouth of the loading dock. The moment the trailer doors swing open and the loading ramp is secured, the team springs into action with their small forklift. Each pallet is inventoried and unloaded into its designated section in the warehouse – organization is essential, because these goods will soon be moved again to the distribution headquarters a half mile down the road.
“When you see the need, you have to act.”
Howard’s drive from Corbin, Ky. to Bath County is a frequent one; it’s a route he travels every few weeks. The trailer is completely packed with household essentials, non-perishable food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and other odds and ends – all gifts from corporate partners who have generously donated their excess goods to the people of Appalachia. In the past year, corporate gifts-in-kind to CAP were valued at more than $73 million. More impressive than 24
christianapp.org/MtSpiritGive | FALL / WINTER 2016
The gentleman operating the forklift while calling out directions to the other volunteers is Pastor Wayne Gifford, founder of this community ministry. Abundance of Rain Ministries is a massive operation
