The Roths

Bob and Debbie Roth, residents of Chesapeake, Virginia, came to the recent Hope Force Training (HFI) in Oakton, hoping to learn how to better engage their church in disaster response. The day after the training finished, Bob led a team to join the Hope Force team in Atlantic City, New Jersey to help Hurricane Sandy flood survivors. Bob and Debbie are actively involved with the homeless population in their home community.

HFI Training Coordinator Sue Duby spoke with the Roths and they took a few moments to reflect on both experiences.

How did the HFI Training impact you?

?After spending about six years in a hands-on ministry with a homeless population where we learned as we went, it was exhilarating and spiritually refreshing to be taken down a new and proven path for ministering to those in need. The training gave us new ideas we could use in more effectively touching the lives of people.

What were some key things learned that you know will help in future deployments or your current relationships/activities?

We have found at different times in doing ministry that no matter how hard you try or how much you think you know, you find yourself at times living out a particular experience without the help of Holy Spirit. The presentation given to the class by Dave Buehring, using Phillip and Peter as examples of obediently following the Holy Spirit's leading, was impacting and brought to our remembrance of how we need to remain focused; ?listening on the way?, ?listening while we pray?, and ?immediately obeying?. Learning to listen, to hear and setting your heart to obey brings about trust. When our obedience and our gifts collide, we have to be assured that God is going to do something powerful and glorious.

As often as we have seen people fall or be headlong plunged into various stages of grief due to unforeseen circumstances, understanding the many steps in the loss/ hurt and loss adjustments of the grief process has provided a far better understanding of how to be more effective in helping those who find themselves spinning out of control in the vortex of tragedy. Employing the principles of responding effectively to an individual's crisis helps the individual to return to a post-crisis state far quicker, allowing their life to resume.

God made these principles real to our heart as they were being presented to us. While taking notes during the presentation, we received a call informing us that a lady we had been working with in our ministry, formerly homeless, was found dead -- a victim of drug overdose. She left a husband and a 10-month old daughter and was four months pregnant. Those at the training conference quickly stepped into a time of consolation and prayer for us to help us.

How were you surprised by God in Atlantic City?

In working with the homeless in our own city, it?s a very ?hands-on? kind of service. We spent most of our time in one-on-one conversations with the people.

Working in Atlantic City in the recovery phase, I had to adjust to minimal contact with homeowners while we worked. After seeing the huge amount of work that had to be accomplished in the homes damaged by Sandy, I realized we had a divine opportunity to serve in a fresh way. It suddenly became a huge, exhilarating journey into a new phase of God's plan for my life. It was awesome!!

I hauled trash from around the city, ripped out walls, shoveled trash from inside homes, moved furniture, painted floors, helped move two flat bed trailers and helped clean a parking lot.

I was satisfied when I left, that I had given all I had to give ? WOW!

How was your team impacted by your time in Atlantic City?

I believe that all of our team was impacted. Two men are beating the door down to go back to Atlantic City even if it?s for a quick two-day turn around. Two of us want to expand our horizon with HFI and take on a trip to Haiti. So I'd say a lasting impact has been made. God is wonderful!

There is no way that the efforts of the HFI (ACLTRG) staff in Atlantic City can go unmentioned. In a hard environment, serving people who have not only lost most (if not all) of their possessions -- their love, dedication and obedience to the servitude of Christ seemed endless and totally sincere, without thought of gain or recognition. Watching them serve Jesus, we only saw smiles of pure contentment.