Hope Krabill Benefit Auction Part 1

To say that yesterday was a big day might be the biggest understatement I have ever made.  My mind is spinning with yesterday's events, the sheer number of people there, the stories I heard, the evidence of people's love and generosity, and most of all, of the grace of God in the lives of his children. I feel completely inadequate to report the things I saw and heard, but inquiring minds out there want an update on the auction. I'll share more pictures and stories later.

Last week Hope confessed that when her long-time neighbors and friends, Gary and Trudy Gregory, first told her they were going to do the auction, her first thought was, “Oh no, it’s going to be so embarrassing – no one will donate anything and no one will come to buy anything!” Was she ever wrong!  Yesterday Gary told of having their first planning meeting at the Shedd Cafe with 25 people showing up to help, and that they were flooded not only with donations, but with people helping to do everything from store the items, transport items, help set up, help at the auction including clean-up crews. Volunteers were too numerous to count, but he estimated anywhere from 100-200.

The auction was a packed house the entire time. The food and baked goods were amazing and plentiful, even though the line was long to get them. I was in line next to Hope's 10-year-ld son Justin who had some dollar bills in hand ready to buy some food, and just as we got close to the front of the line, the poor kid got called away to join the family to sing before the oral auction got started.!

Hope’s family sang a song and invited the audience to sing along to “To God Be the Glory”, at Hope’s request. 

It's hard to estimate how many people were there, but my brothers tried to do a count and felt that there were 700-1,000 people there. The bidding on the items was amazing, and I was astounded that the "Tea with Hope" for six that my sister Jean donated went for $400 per person! (Fortunately the bidders didn't know that I'm going to be there to help and that I will likely spill tea or something on their good clothes!) We don't know the final total yet, but from what we saw and heard are confident it's over $65,000!

Hope and Brian would tell you that they are overwhelmed by the level of support they have received since Hope's fall seven weeks ago. While they seek to honor God in their daily lives, they are aware of their imperfections, and they feel completely unworthy of all the love and kindness that has been flooding over them. 

How beautiful it is to see God’s love and grace lavishly poured out on and through his children. His love and grace extend to all of us, and none of us have to earn it. 

To God be the Glory by Fanny Crosby

To God be the glory, great things he hath done!  
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son, 
who yielded his life an atonement for sin, 
and opened the lifegate that all may go in.

Refrain:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, 
let the earth hear his voice!  
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, 
let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thru Jesus the Son, 
and give him the glory, great things he hath done!

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, 
to every believer the promise of God; 
the vilest offender who truly believes, 
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done, 
and great our rejoicing thru Jesus the Son; 
but purer, and higher, and greater will be 
our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.