The campus pastor, Dick Schroeder, informed me that the Salvation Army was looking for someone to operate the Transient House for the summer of 1982. They were offering free rent for a year in exchange for three months of work over the summer, helping people with overnight housing and whatever else that could be done for travelers stranded in Bozeman.
A member of the Salvation Army Board and the Captain of the local Salvation Army Church met with me. They explained what they were looking for and subsequently hired me for the position.
I would be living there for the summer helping and then the rest of the year I could live on my own without any work obligations nor rent. This was perfect for me financially as I was planning on going to school at Montana State University in the fall, and the free rent would help reduce my costs while attending school.
The house they were going to use was right next to the Salvation Army Church but had not been used for quite a while. The house was trashed and needed a major cleaning, painting, and various repairs. Quite the challenge to say the least.
Amazingly enough, with a little help from a few of my friends and donations from the community, we had the house ready to go in two weeks; cleaned, painted, and fully equipped with everything from dishes and food pantry items to mattresses and linens in order to accommodate a dozen overnighters.
The last night before we opened, I sat at the dining room table of the little three-bedroom house, truly grateful at how the Lord had provided all that was needed to open the next day. The Holy Spirit showed up at that moment in a powerful way with a discourse on God’s provision, relating to the forming of the universe out of nothing, to his provision for his calling to us. It was an eye opening and wonderful experience.
Before even knowing about the Salvation Army position, I had been planning to haul firewood for the summer and had already cut, hauled, and sold 20-cords. I had also put in a bid for a 200-cord lot up Portal Creek six miles north of Big Sky, Montana. I won the bid for a bit over $800, but by the time it came to work the bid I had accepted the Salvation Army position. I still needed a few supplies to work the bid and was wondering whether or not I should continue or let the bid go, forfeiting the $800.
A few days before the house opened the Salvation Army Captain came to me. He asked me if I would drive the Salvation Army truck route to pick up donations from the donation boxes around town as they were short a driver and were still in the process of hiring one. He needed me to substitute for a few days.
A couple of the supplies I needed to haul firewood were a bit pricey; I had spent most of my funds on the bid and getting my truck ready. The first was a pair of steel-toed boots and the second was a pair of heavy-duty shocks for my truck.
On the first day of substituting on the route, I found in the first donation box, a pair of what looked like brand-new steel-toed boots just my size without a scratch on them. Another donation box had a brand-new box with the exact heavy duty truck shocks I needed. This happened although I had not mentioned to anyone my needs before hand. Amazing!
I went to the Salvation Army Captain to explain my need and he let me purchase the boots and shocks. This to me was truly God’s provision, assuring me to continue with the firewood project.
We took in transients nightly at the house and let them out by early morning to go on their way, or to look for work. We had the cabinets stocked with assorted canned foods and even had a small vegetable garden in the back yard. I raised Black Dwarf Rabbits to sell as pets and the guests enjoyed spoiling them, especially the children.
Some worked for me up on the hill hauling firewood. I was able to pay them well for short term day labor and it was a win-win situation for us all.
Lori helped me a lot that summer. It was our first summer and although we both were pretty busy with work and all, it was a really great summer.
One thing that happened over the summer, time and time again, was that I would come across a tire lying beside the road in a ditch or of sorts. I would take it back to the house and sure enough, within minutes to a day or so, someone would show up, having tire problems and in need of that exact tire.
This happened many times over the summer. So much so that when I would show up with a tire at the house, someone would comment wondering who would be needing this tire and sure enough, someone would show up needing it. What a fun way for God to provide!
The Salvation Army would help people with gas, car repairs, temporary housing, food, etc. Many were so stressed out due to their circumstances that they mostly just needed someone to talk to and figure a path forward. By the end of the summer, we had just short of 1,000 overnight stays.
It was absolutely wonderful to be put in a place where we could help so many people, as well as being a very rewarding learning experience for myself.
Near the end of the summer, the Captain came to me and informed me that they had decided to close the transient house. It was due to a neighbor’s complaints, that the house would diminish her ability to sell her house and adversely affect her asking price.
They asked me to move out telling me they wanted no appearance that the house would open at a later time, thereby keeping the peace in the community. This left me looking for a place to live and no free rent for the winter. As I was expecting not to have to pay rent while going to school, I had paid out most of the funds I had earned hauling firewood and was just devastated, feeling totally cheated.
It was extremely difficult for me to see something that had provided so much benefit to so many in need to be closed, and myself now looking for a place to live. An ironic end to a summer of providing help to so many. I slipped into a major state of despair.
The last day the house was open, I caught these guys smoking pot in the back yard and asked them to leave, but they pleaded that as they only needed one more night, and would I let them stay. I agreed and they were the last overnight guests.
However, in the morning before they left, they went through all my personal things. They took some of my clothes, my electric guitar, amp, etc. I had just gone out for a few minutes and upon returning, caught them wearing my clothes and my guitar was in the trunk of their car. They hadn’t expected my return. I didn’t say anything though and just let them go. It was very sad to see.
Three days after the house closed, I was laying on my bed at three o’clock in the afternoon totally depressed over all that was occurring. I heard the front door open and was a bit shocked that someone would just come in without knocking.
The thought that it might have been a previous transient that didn’t know the house had closed crossed my mind but then I looked over and saw that a man was standing in the middle of the front bedroom across the bathroom from my room. It was clear to me this was a visitor from the Lord and that he wanted to talk. But I was just in such despair, not even wanting to get out of bed, that I asked him if he would just come back tomorrow. He nodded and left.
The next day came quickly and right about three o’clock in the afternoon, I realized he might actually come back, and I just didn’t know for sure I wanted to talk with him. I just felt the weight of failure that the house had closed, and I really didn’t want to talk to anyone.
Sure enough, seconds later, the front door opened again. I looked up and there he was, standing in the middle of the front bedroom again. It was time for me to talk with him.
I got up and immediately the Holy Spirit filled the room, like a wave coming across the room toward me. It was absolutely beautiful to experience, but my eyes started watering right away, and I put my hands up over my eyes so to see. I kept wiping my eyes as I walked, and he motioned me into the living room toward the couch to sit.
My Bible was laid out on the coffee table, open to the beginning of Matthew. He sat down on the floor cross-legged, and He asked me to read. I did so, but the tears kept flowing and I couldn’t see very well.
After a couple of paragraphs, I stopped reading, looked up and told him that I could not see very well due to the tears. I told him that I didn’t really understand what this was all about and asked him, “What should I do?”
He replied, “I will raise this up and I will raise that up. I will put this down and I will put that down, but what is important is that my gospel be preached.”
The depression lifted from me instantly, and as he saw I understood, he then stood up and walked out the front door. I sat there for just a couple of minutes realizing it was time to move on. The Lord provided me with an apartment, and I was moved in within just a few days.
I did not see him again for twelve years.
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