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It is a story about the friends of Herman Ostry, who lived near Bruno, Nebraska, and what did for him. From what I was told, a number of years ago Herman purchased a piece of property and put up a barn. Thins went well until the nearby creek flooded and put the floor of Herman’s new barn under 29 inches of water. 29 inches of water on your barn floor is not a good thing.

Inspecting the mess, Herman joked to his family that if they only had enough people, they could lift the barn and carry it to dryer footings. Herman’s son, Mike took him seriously. Using his calculator, Mike estimated the barn’s weight at 19,000 lbs. Further, he guestimated that in order to move the barn they would need 344 people who could life 55 lbs. 344 people seemed a doable number.

Mike moved forward in faith and devised a web of steel tubing which he nailed, bolted and welded to the inside and outside of the barn. On June 30th Herman had his 344 volunteers. 344 people ready to lift that barn and move it. Herman shouted, “one, two, three…lift” To everyone’s astonishment, the barn when up. Then, moving as one, they with shuffling steps, took the barn 143 feet uphill. Three minutes later placed it on its new foundation. A few people, committed to a cause went forward in faith and made a change.

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