There are many reasons why people volunteer at their favorite non-profit. They might be good with their hands, so they help build homes. They might like animals, so they spend time at the animal shelter.

  For Gail Harbeck, it’s a matter of faith.

“A couple of years ago, I heard Jared Jones, the new rector at Holy Cross Episcopal Church, say, ‘If you wait until you are on your deathbed to have a relationship with Jesus, you have waited too long.’” Gail says, “What I heard in my ears went to my heart, and I became a believer in Jesus.  This changed my life.”

Throughout the Bible, scriptures talk about serving others.

Galatians 5:13  states: “Serve one another humbly in love.”

Mark 10:45 states: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.”

  Still, her journey to Christ and to volunteerism took a lifetime.

She moved to Central Florida in 1980 and spent her career as a teacher in Volusia County at Deland Junior High/Middle School and later at Pine Ridge High School.

“As you know, teaching is not a high-paying job, so I always called it a volunteer job,” Gail says. “I felt I had done my volunteer stint and just didn’t want to do any more.”

  She retired in 2004, but only recently felt the calling of Christ. And she felt Christ calling her to serve.

So, when Gail returned from her summer home in Wyoming, she went into the church and asked where she could volunteer.

Chris Ham, the president of Rescue Outreach Mission, had just spoken at the church and the church referred her to the shelter.

It was a match. She’s volunteered at the shelter twice a week, every week, ever since. She does whatever is needed, from picking salad to washing cupboard shelves to preparing lunches.

  “Rescue Outreach Mission is such a wonderful organization,” Gail says. “They help people who are wandering with no idea of where they are going and give them a purpose and a direction.  I love that about them.”

  Of course, some guests truly stand out. For instance, Alina came to the shelter when she was struggling. She was a hard worker, often volunteering in the kitchen with Gail, and they struck up a bond.  Gail keeps in touch with her even though Alina is now on her own, checking in with her before the recent cold snap to make sure she has a jacket.

  Gail encourages everyone not wait until late in life to volunteer.

“If you are a Christian, it’s what you do as a Christian. If you are a good person, it’s the thing you do as a good person,” she says. “Serving, volunteering, is a win-win situation for all involved. “