It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn.
It is always darkest before the dawn and this dawn was one of the darkest I’ve ever experienced. I hadn’t slept at all listening to the ferocious gusts of wind. Finally, I got up at 5 am to check the wind forecast as that day we’d planned for our beloved street fair, its 51st anniversary. The fair runs down the center of the village with over 200 vendors, including restaurants, artists, info booths, healthcare services, etc.
But the aftereffects of hurricane Ian were still raging about, and the forecast of 37 mph wind gusts unfortunately came true. We had waited until the last possible minute to give the go ahead, hoping the weather predictions were like the previous day, totally inaccurate. But fate held otherwise and at 5:45am we sent out the broadcast over all social media platforms that the event had to be cancelled for safety reasons. It was too dangerous to set up tents, as even with heavy weights, the very likelihood of one flying would cause injury to vendors, volunteers, and community attendees. And that would have been the end of this iconic fair.
A blanket of doom enveloped our staff and the entire town as word spread. After two years of Covid shutdowns, we once again could not resurrect the fair. We could handle rain, but not the gale force winds. Many vendors count on this event for three quarters of their income. It’s the largest fundraiser for many non-profits, including Kiwanis, who manages the event. We use all the proceeds for local children in need and during these difficult times; it is so needed. After not having it for two years, it hurt even more. It was a retching decision, that had to be made for the safety of everyone.
“Does anyone know where the love of God goes, when the wind turns the second to hours?”
How does one rise from the depths of despair, disappointment, and, yes, depression? I related to Psalm 88 for such a time as the sons of Korah.
Lord, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troubles
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
And then out of the blue came an email from The Mill Neck Apple Festival, a neighboring fair offered 30 spots to us, knowing as they did what it takes to put an event together. It was like a ray of light that opened into the darkness. It’s a festival with 20,000 people in attendance. Ours is 12,000. Their fee was 2.5 times what our fee is, but it is for two days. Ours is one. So, 30 vendors got a blessing for a fraction of the cost.
St Luke’s church in the village hosts their annual fair two weeks later and also offered spaces to the craft vendors and 20 more vendors took part.
Many other vendors take part in annual events over the other weekends and we posted these on our Facebook page.
“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
What did I learn from being in the pit? Be persistent in hope. Stay close to the Lord in prayer by being still and listening. Know that you can only do your best and sometimes that’s just putting one foot in front of the other. Be still and know that God is there. Know that the light will shine again on you in your hour of need. You are not alone.
