Celebration Dinner

“Not to be corny,” she said, “but it felt a little bit like heaven.”

I wanted to say thanks to everybody who attended the Celebration Dinner we had Sunday night at the office. Everybody was there, from our supporters to our workers, people from different walks of life, different social-economic statuses, and different races: many who had never once met each other before instantly becoming friends.

One of my favorite parts of the night—and I may not get this exactly right—was when one of our workers who works for the city clearing out ditches was talking to one of our supporters who is a very successful business man, and our worker announced to everybody there, “I’ve got a great job!” I think all of us felt a little jealous.

We prayed, we ate, we talked about where IES is and where we are going. Everybody has been so supportive. Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Gillis, who provided the food and drinks. People left, I felt, with a sense of hope, unity, and mission.

“Success is relative,” T.S. Eliot says. “It’s what we can make of the mess we have made of things.” For IES, success has certainly been relative. Relative to our resources as a company, relative to where our workers are and what success looks like for them. And we’ve certainly made a mess of things at times.

But I’d have to say that last night was something more. I’d say we all stumbled through the door upon something rare that we didn’t expect, a moment when all that mess shapes up into something that’s altogether, undeniably, perfect.

Thanks for coming everyone.