Beauty In Jamestown Part 4

Here is another installment in the Beauty In Jamestown series.  It has been 2 months since our trip.  I think after this post I will have one more and then will be done.

One afternoon our team went to Tanglewood Manor.  When we arrived they had us down for another day, but luckily it didn’t matter.  That seems common of missions trips.  Your have to remain flexible on missions trips, because despite your best laid plans, something isn’t going to go how you thought it would.

We went out to the patio and there was a group of about 25 elderly people playing bingo.  We all sat at different tables, and then people on the team took turns calling the letters and numbers.

After we finished playing a few rounds of bingo, we had them encourage the staff member that was working with them.  Then we had them encourage one another.  It was great to see them light up as they spoke encouraging positive words about one another.  After that we spent some time mingling with them.

I asked the staff worker if there was anyone in particular that I should go visit.  She immediately told me Goldie doesn’t get many visitors.  So Hannah one of the team members and I headed to Goldie’s room.  Goldie was sleeping in her recliner when we got there but I knocked on her door and said hello.  Goldie was having a hard time hearing us, so we spoke loudly.  She was using oxygen to breathe.  She told us she was 103!  She said that all of her family and friends had passed away and no one comes and visits her anymore and that it’s like living in a different world because no one she knew is alive.  She began to tear up and said she didn’t want to be here anymore and didn’t know why God still had her on the earth.

We asked her if we could pray for her, she said yes, and we did.  We asked God to speak to Goldie about what God’s purpose was for her still.

Then I asked her if she had any words of wisdom for us younger folk.  She did.  She said one word.  Moderation.

That’s a good one.  Especially for our generation.

I think out of all the ministry we did and I’ve done, I always enjoy visiting old folks homes.  I remember visiting an old folks home with a team in Latvia.  Amazing people, who have done amazing things, who have been faithful, and worked hard, and are now forgotten by society.  One guy that I talked to kept telling me that he was only going to be in here for a little while because his son said he’d be back to get him.  I didn’t tell him that I didn’t think that was true.

I need to schedule some visits to the old folks homes out here.  At least once a month.  Keep me accountable to that.