The call to serve
NOTE: This blog post was originally published in 2016. It was close to a decade ago that I knew I was ready to start using my camera and a keyboard as a means to do work that felt right in my soul. It took me a while to figure out how I would do this. But one memorable weekend in Texas I met some people that started showing me the way. As I look back on this story and photos, I’m struck by how much this all still means to me.
—————————
I have spent a lot of time contemplating my purpose on this planet. And though the question “why am I here?” remains unanswered, I know that some portion of my path thus far has been about service to others.
I’m fascinated by people who know their calling in life. Did they know at a young age or did their path wind and unfold to the intersection where their role to serve became more clear? Regardless of the why or how, I know for sure that there are people that are making a difference in this world, serving in extraordinary ways, and I often feel that their stories are the ones that should be in our daily news headlines.
This summer I took a trip to east Texas to visit my sister. On a hot and sunny day in July, we drove along Highway 69 in Huntington and a bright yellow fire engine in my passenger side view caught my eye. “Pull over sis, I see an interesting photograph,” I said.
Shana and I pulled into what appeared to be an abandoned lot of fire engines and I swiftly pulled the lens cap from my camera and started shooting photos. About five minutes into this adventure, a lone voice called out from behind one of the big rigs. A handsome, young man asked if he could help us. That was Darrell Robertson, a volunteer firefighter and former soldier. The trucks that I was photographing were part of the Ora Volunteer Fire Department – a rural operation that serves 3,000 people in an 80 mile radius in rural Angelina county. Ora has no official fire station to store equipment and command calls – instead an empty lot and a unique residence in which a great deal of magic happens.
As Texans often do, he greeted us with great enthusiasm and introduced us to two other important members of the Ora Department – the leader of their emergency medical services and their fire chief.
Bonnie Harper, James Hope and Darrell Robertson were three perfect strangers to me before that day in July. But after visiting with them and listening to their heroic stories of service, I realized that I wanted to introduce them to the world.
Each of them were called to serve others for different reasons and under different circumstances, but with similar intentions. They are brave individuals who respect one another, the profession of firefighting and the great mystery of life.
Bonnie Harper
People call her “Mom” for a good reason. She’s nurturing yet commanding, beautiful yet worn and rough and refined all at the same time. You can see the years of life on her hands and her throaty voice sings the song of tobacco. Bonnie is the grandmother that makes you feel so loved and the neighbor who bakes you cookies each Christmas. Bonnie greeted us on the side of the road in front of her house. Four or five emergency vehicles of different varieties line the driveway – this is Ora Fire Department headquarters. We sat down in plastic chairs around a fold-up table and I asked her to tell us about the Ora Fire Department. She described how she took on the role of leading emergency medical services for the department. After raising children, she decided to enroll in an EMT school at the age of 45. She left her home in Ohio and moved to Texas and her path led her to this tiny town to serve alongside her former husband as leaders of the Ora Fire Department. Her husband, Gil Harper was the fire chief. Bonnie and Gil were like parents to many of the Ora volunteers over the years. And since Gil’s death a few years back, her maternal role is just as important as it was. Bonnie’s house is home base for this fire company. Day in and day out, there are emergency calls that are routed from Bonnie’s premises and residents of this county are served with intense passion and commitment. Don't let her unassuming demeanor and quiet beauty surprise you. Come to find out, this woman of strength and courage was a former long haul commercial truck driver.
James Hope
It’s no coincidence that James’ last name is Hope. The Louisiana native is filled with hope for the future and for the good in all people. His strong accent and witty sense of humor disarm you right away, and his quick conversational descent into anecdotes of the job make you want to pull up a chair, pour a cup of coffee and listen in for awhile. His stature is small, but his energy level is high. James told me story after story, some were hilarious and others were tragic. But they all had one thing in common: James’ passion for impacting others’ lives. It’s evident that the path he paved in life is one that he is excited to wake up to every morning. Somewhere under the jokes and the laughter appears to be pain and sadness from the past, but his hopeful nature, along with the commitment to serve prevails. If you live in these piney East Texas woods, this is the man you want there in your emergency.
Darrell Robertson
The tattoos inked vertically on Darrell’s right arm were the first thing that caught my eye when I met this former soldier who served in Iraq. Handsome and strong, he fits the classic image of a firefighter. Darrell described the circumstances through which his prominent tattoo graced his arm. A close high school friend found herself in trouble with an abusive boyfriend, and Darrell forcefully intervened that day in defense of his friend. That ferocious display of compassion landed him the nickname D.Rail. But behind that “tough guy” appearance is a compassionate young man who finds great satisfaction in serving others. Darrell served nine and a half years in Iraq hunting down IEDs, clearing routes and fixing military equipment. It makes sense why Darrell found his way to the fire service. Soldiers and firefighters are similar in that they are routinely placed in harms way. However, they are keenly aware of the opportunity cost of the work that has the great potential to yield saved lives.
What struck me about Bonnie, James and Darrell was their solidarity around the call to serve. They each have their own unique stories of what led them to this work, but their bond over a common goal was wholeheartedly inspiring. It makes me wonder if we all have a tribe in which we can be our authentic selves and at the same time work together to do miraculous things for others.
These genuine individuals are part of a larger force of volunteers. Ora Fire Department is made up of 28 men and women that run calls daily on scarce resources, including a mere $800 per month from Angelina County.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, of the roughly 1.7 million firefighters in the U.S., 69 percent are volunteer firefighters.
If you live in an area that is served by a volunteer fire department, consider a financial contribution or even a thank you note. We never know when we’ll need a helping hand.
