The snake in ministry

Last week, Les and I had planned to help out at Josephs' Coat, a new clothing ministry that is being organized.  Before Joseph's Coat was even opened in the original location, it was blessed with so many donations that we ran out of room!  So we've been moving bags and boxes and racks of clothing from one location to the other.

Our pastor's wife, Brenda was loading up clothes and was very surprised to find, hiding under bags of clothes, a bull snake! He jumped at her and hissed and attacked and she spent quite a bit of time up on a hope chest waiting till her husband could come rescue her!

Of course that was the day Les and I had planned to help.  And of course we didn't think to get a hoe or anything from the house before we went, so we elected to haul some clothing racks from church first.  We hoped that by the time we were finished with that, the snake would be found and eradicated!

Brenda (the snake discoverer) and Veronica (phone caller while Brenda was trapped) went back with us to the old building after the racks were delivered, but sadly, no one had come to get the snake.  Luckily, Brenda did think to bring a hoe so at least we were equipped with a weapon.  I also found the bucket you can see in the picture below to trap the enormous serpent in.  I just hoped it was big enough!

Les snagged the clothes bags one by one with the hoe and dragged them toward the door.  There were numerous holes in the bags by the time he was finished with them!  Finally, the snake reappeared towards the end of the clothes dragging.....

Yes, he was quite fierce.  And mad.  And afraid.  

But my, he was a fighter! He moved so quickly and kept wrapping himself around the legs of the clothes racks and we like to never got him pinned down with that hoe!  And then he writhed and wiggled and tried his best to flatten himself out enough to escape!

After much screaming and jumping and sweating and shrieking and did I say jumping, Les and I finally managed to subdue (mutilate and half kill) him enough to get him in the bucket.  Veronica wouldn't come in the room and Brenda was the official shrieker.  I was the official 'pinner with the hoe' and Les was the cheerleader......  Ministry--everyone has their gifts and talents!

At last the snake was brought out into the open--the driveway.

He was pretty dead-ish by the time he saw the light of day.  Curiously enough, the enormous serpent was also much smaller outside.  Les proceeded to hack and chop until he was for sure dead, then hauled the vicious viper to the ditch.

It was pretty exciting!

If you've ever done any church work, you know that Satan can throw a snake into anything.  The snake is usually of the human variety, but sometimes it is just the temptations or desires we have as humans. But whatever the type of snake, it often makes serving God more difficult.  The snake makes you want to run the other way and not look back!  

The trick is--remember to bring a weapon (God's word) into the presence of any vipers you might be facing.  A few good friends to cheer you on the in the struggle are good to have on hand.  Even if the cheerleaders are afraid and won't even enter the room with you, at least you know you have some support!