At various times in our lives, many of us find ourselves searching.
Sometimes... Intently.
"When I found out I that had cancer, they told my family to go ahead and start planning my funeral."
Diagnosed with stage 4 head and neck cancer three years ago, then let go from his propane delivery job...
"It's a nightmare you can't wake up out of."
Greg Thomas began passing the hours on long walks from his home, alone with his dog and his thoughts on a gravel road that lead him here.
Though greg would have loved to go inside, the doors on the old catholic church were locked tight...
"I tried it more than once."
Built in 1868 by Czech settlers, the church had not been home to a congregation in more than a century.
The foundation was crumbling, the paint peeling, but it was here, Greg Thomas, crumbling himself, came to pray.
Till one day the stranger on the steps walked next door.
"He went to the neighbor and said he wanted to paint the church and who does he talk to so the neighbor sent him to talk to me."
As treasurer of the foundation that keeps up the church cemetery, Don Rynda could barely believe it.
Before Greg started work three years back, Don had feared the church's days were numbered.
"It was a godsend, yes. No doubt about that."
140 years worth of paint, 15 layers thick in places, came peeling off as greg worked through the lingering effects of the cancer treatments that robbed him of his energy, his saliva glands and even his teeth.
"I've been on a feeding tube now for three years and this is how I feed myself with a tube and a syringe."
And this is how Greg feeds himself too.
"That was the first thing I wanted to try when I walked in here is to see if the bell still worked..."
Once inside, Greg found intact, an 1860's interior...
"It was overwhelming. We desperately need a roof."
A dust covered museum in need of his care.
"It's going to be beautiful."
Greg has no family ties to the church, but to those who do, Greg has been a blessing... Heaven sent.
"One of the beads on my rosary is reserved for him."
If you, like Blanche Zellmer, believe in the power of prayer, this next part will come as no shock.
"You can't help but not think otherwise."
The old church is newly clothed in white...
And Greg's cancer is now in remission.
"This is my way of saying thank you."
He can pray, inside now, whenever he wants, but there's something about this concrete pew.
"There's been a lot of tears shed on these steps and they've been tears of joy, tears of pain, but tears of blessings too."
Greg is restoring the old church that's true.
But it's hard to discern who's saving who.
"And that's the, that's the heart of it."
TXT 24
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