Sometimes God brings people into our lives for reasons far greater than we could ever imagine.
When Hurricane Helene swept through Mountain City, Tennessee, it took nearly everything from Linda, a single mother raising her 16-year-old daughter.
New to the area, Linda had begun building a life near the river. But when the floodwaters came, everything she had worked for was washed away. With no insurance and nowhere to turn, she found a small piece of land higher up the mountain and began the overwhelming task of rebuilding.
That’s when God brought World Compassion Network into her story.
During one of his first trips to Mountain City, WCN Disaster Relief Coordinator Tyler Snow and a volunteer team, working alongside Crossroads Ministry, met Linda and began helping with her home.
But something much greater than construction was happening.
Linda wasn’t a believer, yet through every board nailed, every helping hand, and every conversation, the team had an opportunity to share something that couldn’t be built with a hammer: the hope and love of Jesus Christ.
Each week, the local church where our teams stay hosts a community dinner. Neighbors gather, bring what food they can, share a meal, and hear a short devotional. Linda had never attended one of these dinners.
But that week, after our team had spent time working on her home, something wonderful happened.
Linda walked through the church doors.
What a joyful moment! A simple act of helping someone with their home had opened a door to friendship, fellowship, and the opportunity to hear God’s Word.
Since then, Tyler has continued leading teams to Mountain City, with 8 teams making a difference throughout the community. And amid all the projects, busy schedules, and long workdays, he still makes time to visit Linda.
Over time, numerous volunteers have had the privilege of meeting her, hearing her story, encouraging her, and praying with her.
We don’t know how Linda’s story will unfold, but we know God is at work. Sometimes what looks like an ordinary meeting is really a God-ordained opportunity.
