Concert at the Dump

One of the things different about living on a farm in the country is the way trash is handled. Instead of a weekly curbside pick-up enjoyed by those in subdivisions in urban areas, there is a weekly trip to the nearby trash and recycling center. There we unload our household garbage and yard debris into huge dumpsters which are carried to the county landfill when overflowing. We call the trash and recycling center "The Dump."

Today as I pulled up between two dumpsters, I turned off the ignition and heard someone singing. Curious, I sat still and listened. Someone with a strong voice was singing in the African American tradition the chorus, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine." I listened as he sang, "In my home, I'm gonna let it shine..." and, "In all the world, I'm gonna let it shine..." I sat mesmerized at the voice from the little shack some hundred feet away.

Finally, I slipped out of the truck and unloaded the trailer, working slowly as I listened. Since I am a regular, I stopped by the caretaker's shack before leaving to speak to the man with the voice and the ministry. After a round of cordial greetings, I asked, "Was that you singing, or was it the radio?" I think his cheeks reddened a bit and with a sheepish look, he responded by saying, "Yes, that was me. I'm here twelve hours a day so I bring my Bible and I read and sing and pray a lot." When he finished his word of witness, I just stood there in amazement. And then, as I was leaving, I told him what I had really stopped to say, "Thanks for the blessing." I never would have thought God was going to bring such a blessing at "The Dump."