"We don’t just move furniture. We move people,” says Daniel Baerg, head truck driver for the Southeastern California Conference (SECC) transportation department. He is a nine-year veteran at SECC with prior experience in commercial moving.

“When people are moving, they are very vulnerable,” adds Eric Reid, a full-time driver for three years. “Whether it's pastors, teachers, conference leaders or people who are retiring, we know they are often leaving friends and family behind.”

“I studied for the ministry in Cuba, and several of my brothers became pastors,” notes Dixon Gomez. He once ran his own trucking business and has been with SECC for eight years. “I see our job as keeping the church moving. We are part of the ministry team.”

A Thousand Thanks

As professional drivers, these men inspect their trucks daily — lights, turn signals, brakes, tires. In accordance with federal laws, they also keep meticulous logs of driving time and rest time. (The newest law stipulates that they drive no more than 11 hours in a 14-hour period and then take a 10-hour rest.)

Beyond that, as representatives of SECC and the Adventist Church, they frequently pray with their customers before they pick up one box.

“This often meets a spiritual and emotional need,” Baerg says. When possible, he also calls customers a week before the move to field questions. “If they’re willing, I pray for them on the phone, asking God to give them strength and peace.”

It makes an impact. “I get more thank-you notes in my office for the ministry of our movers than for any other department in the conference,” says Sandra Roberts, SECC executive secretary.

One client reported by e-mail: “The driver did a terrific job. He was friendly, professional and exhibited a degree of care in both the handling of our furniture and preservation of the apartment and the new house that far surpassed what we experienced with a commercial firm.”

Working for Adventist hospitals, drivers sometimes move individuals of other faiths. “I was moving a Mormon man from Utah to Loma Linda,” one driver recalled. “His mother, who was there as we loaded, finally said, ‘If all Adventists are like you my son will be an Adventist soon!’”

White-Glove Move

Adventist institutions often cite the SECC moving department for high-quality work, keeping to schedule and reasonable prices. Approximately 65 percent of the business is outside the conference, with 167,000 miles logged last year. In addition, local moving teams cover Southern California.

The office staff includes Tom Staples, treasurer; Tim Rawson, associate treasurer; and Kimberly Brown, moving coordinator. “They provide excellent support, good equipment, and put a high premium on our safety,” Baerg said.

Brown manages requests for moves, cost estimates and stacks of paperwork. “She and Tim keep in touch with us but don’t micromanage us,” as one driver put it.

“We like happy employees," Rawson said. "They do a better job. People really get a ‘white-glove’ job.”

“Last year we did $603,000 in business but had only $1,850 in damage claims—or less than one percent,” said Staples. “We are very grateful for the drivers’ professional work and the personal, spiritual interest they take in our customers.”