When It Rains, It Pours

​We’ve all heard the saying “when it rains, it pours” and we have probably felt that way on more than one occasion. Usually, this phrase comes with negative connotations. Being the daughter of a farmer, I am well aware that nothing ruins a wonderful fall day like rain, especially when the raining turns into pouring...

This last week was Zion’s annual Trunk-or-Treat event and we’ve run into some situations, in recent years, that have been less than ideal. I remember when Trunk-or-Treat was synonymous with temperate and very comfortable weather, and most importantly, it was dry! We’ve seen a shift in recent years however. Clear nights have given way to clouds, and with the clouds come the rain.

Early this week, our eyes were on the radar, hoping (and maybe even praying) that the weather would cooperate. The back-up plan was in place but, like the best of them…they usually don’t go as planned. As Friday approached it was looking as if we may just be able to stay dry. Even the forecast on noon on Friday gave us hope that we would be able to squeak by without rain. 6 PM came and that’s when it happened…

It started to rain! I’m not talking physically (although that did eventually happen too). I’m talking figuratively. It was 6 PM and the trunks started setting up. Family, friends, siblings, alumni, congregation members – you name it, it could be found in our parking lot and it was a beautiful thing! And I’m not talking about 10 trunks or even 20 trunks, but close to 30 trunks showed up started setting up!

Then it started to pour! People from all around the county came, umbrellas in hand, to walk the parking lot and support Zion and a small-town community of kids. We were nervous because, let’s face it, we don’t have the largest facility in the world. We were really hoping we could do it outside. We were worried that, if it were to rain, no one would show up. But we were wrong. You showed up, and you showed up BIG!

​Thank you. Thank you to everyone who came out in support of Zion and our kids. Thank you for providing your trunks. Thank you for bringing the kids out and sharing this experience with us. Thank you for hanging flyers and spreading the word. Thank you from the bottom of our collective heart.