Salvation Army Volunteer's Prayers Answered
Volunteers with The Salvation Army don’t generally expect to ever be on the receiving end of help, but for one volunteer with the Eagle Creek Corps Community Center, an extraordinary turn of events changed his life and proved that this isn't always the case.
For the past eight years, Richard Nevitt has volunteered as a bell ringer during the annual Red Kettle campaign. Shoppers would often find Richard outside the Walmart in Danville, where he would ring after getting off from his regular 9-to-5 job.
“I like to say bell ringing is my Christmas present to myself,” Richard shared. “I could just write a check, but I like to do things. Volunteering with The Salvation Army gives me a sense of warmth because I know they are helping others in need.”
Without fail, Richard had always honored his commitment to bell ringing—until last fall. Health concerns, including a newly diagnosed, serious heart condition called atrial fibrillation (AFib), forced him to prioritize medical attention over his volunteer duties, meaning fewer hours at the Red Kettle.
“I saw Richard twice a week picking up kettles,” explained Major Shannon Martinez of The Salvation Army Eagle Creek. “He would update me on his health issues, and I could tell he was nervous and anxious about his new heart ailment.”
In the weeks leading up to Richard’s heart appointment he participated in prayer circles at The Salvation Army Eagle Creek. Richard and Major Shannon would also pray together, leading him spiritually closer to God and to ask for His help.
When Richard arrived at the hospital for his appointment, he anticipated the doctor would tell him that treatment would be necessary. Instead, the unexpected happened. Richard’s doctors revealed that his heart’s rhythm had miraculously returned to normal. He broke the good news to Major Shannon later that day.
“It didn’t dawn on me until afterward that my prayers with Major Shannon had anything to do with it,” said Richard. “Doctors said I was lucky, saying I had somehow fixed myself, but I knew better. I didn’t do that.”
When Richard had the chance to thank Major Shannon for her prayers, she humbly redirected his gratitude. As she later explained, "God's profound love touched Richard, and he simply needed to feel His love. It was all because God loves him dearly."