For Such a Time as This

Scott Ruskan, from Oxford Township in Warren County, New Jersey, graduated in 2021 from Rider University, earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a minor in Homeland Security Policy. He soon made the decision to join the US Coast Guard. Six months ago, Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan, 26-years old, completed training to be a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Stationed in Corpus Christi, his first mission came on July 4, 2025, during the floods in Kerr County, Texas. His mission was to help rescue the girls, counselors, and staff who were trapped at Camp Mystic. With roads out, and the river too high for boat rescues, the best option was to airlift people to safety. Being the only Coast Guard member on the ground, Petty Officer Ruskan was tasked with gathering the campers and adults and getting them as safely and quickly to the soccer and archery fields to load into the Texas Air National Guard aircraft to fly to safety. He carried some of the campers, since they had cut their feet or were having difficulty walking on the wet rocks. Petty Officer 3rd Class Ruskan has been credited with the rescue of 165 people from Camp Mystic. He stated that “he relied heavily on the high-level training he received as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer to bring victims to safety.” Ruskan was also quick to give credit to the counselors, workers, and girls for their cooperation.

On July 5, 2025, Jonathan McComb, 45, joined up with 50 members of TEXSAR, a search-and-rescue volunteer group based in Central Texas, in hopes of finding people swept up in the flooded waters. He was in an inflatable or hiking the shores of the Guadalupe River, from sunrise to sunset, looking for victims of the flood. It was physically demanding as he and hundreds of other volunteers combed through the trees, branches, and debris along the river. Ironically, McComb was in the flood that occurred in Wimberley, Texas, in 2015. He and his wife, Laura, 6-year-old son Andrew, and daughter, Leighton, 4, were vacationing with another family for Memorial Day weekend. During the storm, their house was swept into the Blanco River, hit the bridge, and came apart. Jonathan lost his grasp on his family. When he went under the water, he hit his head. he called out to God for help. Jonathan remembers thinking, “All right. I’m going to get out of here and I’ll tell your story and help others.” McComb was able to climb out of the river about 11 miles downstream. While recovering in the hospital, Jonathan was told that TEXSAR was looking for his family. He was the only one of the nine to survive. His daughter’s body was never recovered. Jonathan’s involvement with TEXSAR is “the fulfillment of a pact he struck with God while clinging to life in the raging Blanco River a decade ago.” McComb’s commented, “This one hits a little bit more at home. I can see the hurt and pain in the families. I know what they’re feeling.”

 

May we also be prepared and ready to serve, when the need arises.

 

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

Compassionate Actions

While attending nursing school, Candy Jones worked at the local diner. Every morning, you could set your watch by Mr. Thompson’s 6:15 arrival. He wore the same faded blue jacket, would sit at the table by the window, order black coffee and a piece of toast, and stare out the window. One day Candy surprised Mr. Thompson with a piece of pie. After assuring Candy that he could pay, she told him it was leftover from the previous day and just don’t mention it to the boss. For the first time, she saw the elderly man smile and chuckle. That started the days of conversation. Mr. Thompson told about repairing radios. He also confided in Candy that he and his wife, Edna, would come to the diner every Friday, before she was in the nursing home. On his birthday, the waitress had the cook make a stack of pancakes. The mailman, a trucker, and others eating at the diner joined in singing and wishing Mr. Thompson a “Happy Birthday!” He said, “Nobody’s done that since Edna…” The next morning, there was a tip and note under Mr. Thompson’s coffee cup which read, “Thank you for remembering. Edna would have liked you.” From that day on, the mailman, regular customers, and workers at the diner made sure to greet, encourage, and take turns talking with Mr. Thompson. One customer responded, “This isn’t a fairy tale. Just a lonely man who needed to feel seen and a bunch of strangers reminded that small acts can shake loose the coldest solitude.”

At the beginning of summer, a sign was posted on the door at a 7-11 in Allen, Texas.

                           

                           We understand that schools

                                        are closed and that some families

                                        rely on School LUNCHES!!

                                        So from Monday – Friday

                                                (11 am – 12 pm)

                                        kids 18 and younger can have

                                        a slice of pizza, a banana with

                                        a Big Gulp ON US!

                                                    

                                                         7 ELEVEN

                                                             32870

 

                                               McDermott & Watters

                                                              Allen

 

May we, too, see the needs around us and be willing to do something about them.

 

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

 

Heart Givers

 

For forty years, Frank Thompson built houses. Since retirement, he was looking for ways to use his time, be productive, and make a difference. As Frank drove around town, he began noticing needs. He decided to load up his truck with lumber and supplies, on Saturdays, and begin making repairs. Mrs. Delaney, 82, had trouble getting her oxygen tank up and down her front steps. A ramp was built in two days. When she rolled her wheelchair up and down the ramp, Mrs. Delaney told Frank, “Feels like I’ve got my life back.” He also gave his time and supplies to build ramps for a disabled toddler and a retired veteran. The costs of the supplies began to add up. As Frank returned to his truck one afternoon, he found a note from the owner of the local hardware store attached to his truck which read, “Take what you need. Charge it to me.” His next ramp was built for 10-year-old Paul, who was using a walker after a car accident. Paul had been drawing ramps in his notebook. As Frank aged, arthritis began to set in, but Thompson continued to build.  He taught Paul’s dad, Marcus, how to design and build ramps. He commented, “It’s not just wood. It’s saying, you belong here.” In 2023, Frank died in his sleep. For a few weeks, Frank’s truck stayed parked on the lot. One day Marcus added a new sign to the side of the truck: “Level Ground. Ramp Building Continues.” He reminded the community that “A ramp isn’t just wood. It’s the difference between being stuck and being free.”

Wyatt Erber, 8-years-old, eagerly entered the scavenger hunt sponsored by the First Clover Leaf Bank in Edwardsville, Illinois. With the prize of $1,000, most kids would have made a dream list of toys, bicycle, skateboard, phone, or other items to purchase, but Wyatt had another goal for wanting to win the money. Their neighbor, Trisha Keilty, recently found out that her 2-year-old daughter, Cara, had leukemia. Wyatt wanted to win the prize so he could help pay for chemotherapy to help Cara get better. After winning the scavenger hunt, Wyatt excitedly gave the money to Mrs. Keilty to help pay for Cara’s treatments. As word spread of his gift, a local charity matched his donation. After reading about Wyatt's generosity, a man from Canada mailed him a check for $100.

 

When opportunities arise, may our hearts, too, be ready to give.

 

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12