This little light of mine Transport for Christ truckers shine bright in Festival of Lights
This little light of mine. I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine. I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine. I'm gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Close to 150 truck drivers from all over the United States took that favorite children's song very literally on Friday, June 14.
Transport for Christ (TFC), a ministry to the trucking industry since 1951, held its 23rd annual Truck Show and Benefit Auction June 14 and 15, and with it came an extravagant display of lights like few other light shows.
Instead of fireworks shooting off into the night sky, or some fancy laser show, these truckers used their truck lights to astound the ever-growing number of people who gather roadside to watch this spectacle.
Friday night's events began at 5:30 p.m. at the Kidron Auction grounds in Kidron, where the truck drivers who brought their rigs in from near and far enjoyed delicious pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs and homemade ice cream.
It was then time for the popular Parade of Lights to begin, although it is always tough to figure out exactly when the best time is to start this conga line of semi trucks.
Trucks led by the Transport for Christ Mobile Chapel made quite a convoy through Amish Country, meandering from Kidron through Mt. Hope and Berlin, finally to return to Mt. Hope.
After arriving back at Mt. Hope, everyone kicked back and listened to the mellow sounds of Holmes County Bluegrass at the facilities of Wayne-Dalton, around approximately 11:20 p.m.
"It just keeps getting bigger and better," said Gary Nussbaum, a TFC pastor who was in the lead truck for the show. "We started doing this to provide a way for drivers to give back to the community, and as a way to create some awareness of what we are all about, and when we moved it to Wayne and Holmes counties, it really got a huge boost."
The drivers put on quite a show on Friday night, and it was rise and shine time the next day, as Saturday's activities began at 7 a.m. at the Wayne-Dalton facilities in Mt. Hope with a pancake and sausage breakfast. Owen Miller and band provided country gospel music from 10-11 a.m.
Plenty of conversation took place before the noon hour, where a barbecue chicken, hamburger, hot dog and homemade ice cream lunch ushered in the benefit auction.
The two-day event raised $10,500 for the ministry, and the proceeds will go toward helping to fund the local Lodi chapel, as well as to develop new ministry sites.
The Lodi chapel is only one of 28 chapel ministry trucks which plant themselves in truck plazas throughout the United States, with six additional across Canada plus two in Russia and there is even one in Zambia, Africa.
The 139 trucks was well up from last year's 91 truck convoy, which at that time had been well over what they had seen before.
The tour took nearly two hours, and featured horns blaring, plenty of waving from drivers and their families, and when darkness fell, a myriad of truck lights, which glowed in the darkness, lighting up the night sky.
That in itself is a true symbol of what Transport For Christ (TFC) is all about... shining their light.
The organization's mission is to lead truck drivers as well as the trucking community to Christ and to help them grow in their faith, but those involved do so much more than just that.
According to Nussbaum, "Truck drivers are often away from their families and communities for long periods of time, and they often need to connect with someone who cares," said Nussbaum. "Whether it is counseling, stress relief or just sitting down to chat for awhile one on one, we offer a place to connect."
Which is why these drivers giving back in this unique parade of lights is important to them, as well as fun for families to watch.
Along the trek there were plenty of children, arms raised, pumping furiously in the universal 'blare your horn' symbol.
"It's truckers being part of their community," said Nussbaum of the parade. "We're blessed to be in a very caring, giving community. Transport for Christ has touched a lot of lives, and this has been a fun way to give back to the people who support us."
Support that continues to touch the lives of truck drivers around the world.
Like the song says, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.