Pallet Racks (Dave Russell)

I had an experience on the most resent mission trip that solidified for me our often confused idea of ourselves in Vine. I visited the new warehouse in Guatemala City for the first time and became somewhat overwhelmed. The place was brand new, secure and orderly. And it was clean -- no dust. We have a real loading dock and a truck ramp. We have an actual office and a secure, separate room for pharmaceuticals. It felt sort of like a new suit. I loved it, but it is so, well, “unVine”, if you know what I mean.
I looked up at our architecturally stylish roof/ceiling and asked almost audibly, “How can we have this? We have no money!” It is totally implausible that we would be in this kind of space. Bruce White would kill for this space.
I was standing in the office with Dennis, looking out into the warehouse when I noticed them. There they stood as testimony to God’s grace and provision. They were there as a monument to fourteen years of something vital and enduring -- something totally implausible: the very existence of Vine International. Rows of green pallet racks rose sure and strong from our new floor -- ebenezers of God’s faithfulness.
Those racks were built by friends of mine in our Mezate warehouse. I remember how Tim Carty told me with tears how “To the glory of God” was welded in to one of them. I remember sorting, categorizing and stacking those shelves for the first time with Woody in that awful dust trap of a warehouse! It was my first and last time to be dehydrated, every muscle and joint screaming with pain.
When our time in Mezatenango was over, we wondered if we should move the pallet racks to Xela, since they were so heavy and unwieldy. But move them we did into better quarters and cooler, cleaner conditions. Then we moved to Guatemala City for the sake of convenience and expansion and the racks went with us again.
I gazed at those racks and sobbed. Fifteen years of implausible expansion, growth and blessing flowing onto and off of pallet racks to those serving the poor in the name of Christ through medicine. We have become a Home Depot of sorts for God’s servants in Guatemala -- about 100 different projects, as a matter of fact. Dennis and Doris should be wearing little orange aprons! And the great thing about us that there is no checkout counter. “Es gratis para ti, mi hermano!” “It is free of charge to you, my brother!” “Go, heal the sick. Love well. Comfort the oppressed. Live the gospel. Earn the right to speak truth. Jesus has planted us for you. We are His gift to you because you remember the poor.”
To the glory of God, indeed.