Once upon a time we lived in Tokyo and a few blocks from our apartment resided a piece of public sculpture we called, “The Machine.” Have you ever seen a Rube Goldberg creation or played the board game Mousetrap? That’s your starting point. The Machine was housed inside a clear plexi-glass case nearly one story high. Inside, multiple metal balls rolled through an elaborate maze that utilized conveyor belts, ramps, and even bells to remind passers- by that we are all pieces in a larger mechanism.
It was fascinating and you could easily spend 20 minutes watching the entire sequence from beginning to end. That single piece of art provides a good reminder of how many small events work together to form a larger whole such as a day, a meal, a job or a life.
One July morning I watched Elevation Church members work together with partner families to raise the walls of a Habitat home and I experienced dèjá vu. For an instant I was transported to The Machine - then returned to observe the inner workings of Habitat construction. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.”
My brother once took my parents’ alarm clock apart – because he wanted to see what was inside. Once he had seen the clock’s innermost mechanisms he put it back together. He reassembled the pieces and the clock looked fine. (It never worked again.) It takes skill and effort to transform the inner workings of a clock from wheels and springs into a timepiece. And it takes skill and effort to transform piles of boards, buckets of nails, and stacks of siding into a home.
This week partner families, Habitat staff, and faith and community members will convene to celebrate Sonya Davis’ dedication ceremony. Sonya will receive the keys to her new home and her new life - the Building on Faith House.
Multiple congregations answered the call and provided volunteers and/or funding to take the Building on Faith project from mere concept to reality. First Presbyterian Concord, Elevation Church, Harrisburg UMC, Harrisburg UMC Women, Journey UMC, Mt. Hermon Lutheran Church, Epworth UMC, St. James Catholic, First Baptist Kannapolis, All Saints Episcopal, Poplar Tent Presbyterian, Harvest Community Church, Calvary Lutheran, City Revival Church, He’s Alive Church, Rocky River Presbyterian, Thrivent Financial for Christains, and others gave faithfully and cheerfully to the concept that decent shelter is a matter of conscience and action for all of us. Here’s reality - today there is an actual house on Broad Ave.
The Machine’s name is Magic Clock and it’s not uncommon for viewers to feel a little awe as they watch it move through its complex workings. Volunteers and donors worked together through complex workings to construct a home according to His purpose. It’s not an exaggeration to say it feels magical.
As we enter the season of light, let the joy and magic from the birth of Jesus surround us all. Feel, see, experience the miracle of faith that transforms a humble stable into a palace and transformed an idea into a safe abode for the Davis family.
“Oh come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant. Come ye, oh come ye to Bethleham."
Be a part of our next build at Habitat Cabarrus. Donate to our end-of-year campaign today.
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