Where God Wants Me to Be

Dorinda

 

Dorinda Bogran and her family returned after Hurricane Katrina to their home in Abita Springs to find the yard littered with trees.  They needed help, but they could not afford to hire someone to remove the mass of debris.  They feared the trees would remain until they rotted away.  Dorinda, a member of Trinity Church, heard from others at church that people were coming to help.  She called the church and spoke to Ralph Erickson, a pastor managing construction projects for Crisis Response, who added her name to the long list of people in need.

Life went on.  School started October 1, the church activities reopened, Dorinda continued working as an office manager in downtown Covington, and the church learned how to make things work while housing hundreds of volunteers each week.  To Dorinda’s amazement and delight, a team from ReachGlobal Crisis Response came and cleared the entire yard in one day!

Dorinda liked her job, but she started experiencing “a holy disconnect”.   She felt strongly this was not where she was meant to be.  She prayed, “God, I only want to be where you want me to be.”  She knew what it was like to be out of step with His will, and she wanted clear direction.  She asked God to open and shut opportunity doors.  It was time for change, so she prepared her resume.

Dorinda drove to Trinity Church to pick up her son Vaughan from youth group.  Three hundred volunteers were in the sanctuary for orientation.  She listened as she waited and heard the need for long-term staff.  Dorinda asked Mary DeMarco what was involved with joining staff.  Mary said, “We are all missionaries.”  She went on to explain that this meant you had to raise your own support.  Immediately, objections popped into Dorinda’s mind.  She needed to earn money and help support her family.  She dismissed the idea.

On Wednesday nights, the church family was welcome to join teams for dinner before the church’s evening programs.  Mark Lewis came up beside Dorinda and said, “So, I hear you are interested in joining Crisis Response.”  Dorinda informed him that it was impossible.  Mark replied, “You know our God is all about doing the impossible.”  Dorinda conceded, “You’re right about that.” 

Dorinda agreed to meet Mark at the picnic tables outside Trinity Church to talk.  Knowing nothing about Dorinda’s training, Mark asked, “Tell me about yourself.”   Dorinda explained her training and experience as an office manager.  Mark shook his head and chuckled softly.  As they continued to talk, Mark laughed.  He explained that he had been praying with his wife Denise for 6 months for God to send an office manager to join Crisis Response staff.  That coincided with when Dorinda had started feeling her holy discontent.  He suggested they start the process and allow God to open and shut doors.

In December 2008, Dorinda began her job as Crisis Response office manager.  She loved “knowing for sure that this is where the Lord wants me to be.  That is a really good thing.”  She can deal with any problems she faces, because she knows she is in the center of God’s will for her life.  Watching God in action providing and answering specific prayer requests has been a privilege.  The continued presence of a Christian volunteer organization in the city raises good questions.  Residents recognize the green shirts and know these people are here to help.  Her biggest joy though has been seeing her husband find Jesus as his lord and savior.  Through her being on staff, “he saw real guys who loved Jesus and loved him as he was.”   Dorinda feels blessed serving with the staff and volunteers.

Maybe this is where God wants you to be too.  Pray for God’s leading.  Come on a vision trip and check out Crisis Response.  There are many positions available requiring a variety of skills.  Dorinda would love to see a finance team in place.  Go to http://go.efca.org/opportunities/ways-serve and filter for North America.  You will see many current opportunities to serve with Crisis response.

 

Staff at February meetings