When we all jump into work together, it’s amazing what can be accomplished.
In July 2016, Mike Gebes saw a neighbor’s field on fire and rushed to help, but the Milesville, South Dakota, farmer was caught by the flames himself, ending up with burns over 22 percent of his body. As Gebes recovered in the hospital, 270 acres of his wheat—worth tens of thousands of dollars—remained in his fields unharvested.
But his neighbor, Heath Morrison, saw the need and refused to sit idly by. After Morrison put the word out, a crowd of 70 friends and neighbors showed up—including seven combines, three grain carts, and eight semis—to harvest Mike’s crop. The South Dakota Farm Bureau grilled hamburgers and brats for the volunteers. “We all decided,” said Heath, “that since he left everything he had to do to go help his neighbors, we would leave what we needed to do to go help him.”
Normally, harvesting 270 acres would’ve taken Mike Gebes by himself a week or more, but his neighbors had it done in four hours. The local co-op gave Gebes free storage for his grain in their bins for a year. “Just thinking about that day,” said Morrison, “gives this country boy goosebumps.” When we all jump into work together, it’s amazing what can be accomplished.
In Matthew 9, Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” For 77 years, Ozark has been preparing more workers for the harvest field, and we appreciate your partnership. Thank you for seeing the need and refusing to sit idly by. Thank you for jumping in to help with the harvest. If you’re like me, you get goosebumps thinking about what God can accomplish as we work together. Join us in praying for a “bumper crop,” and please know that we are grateful for friends and neighbors like you!
Find out more about Ozark Christian College at occ.edu.
