Help from the Aged

I head back down to Wales and my final semester at WEST on Monday, but I was reminded that before I went I needed to visit an old lady in her 90’s from my home church who is now confined to a care home. She can no longer get out to church, her mobility is greatly reduced, she has to live with many of the problems and difficulties that come with old age. You might argue that she would have every reason to be pretty downbeat about life. She’s not. She’s easily one of the most encouraging Christians I know. She wanted to know all my latest news, and when she said she’d pray concerning each and every thing I told her about I have absolutely no doubt that she will. She then proceeded to give me a whole list of reasons why she’s thankful to God. Thankful for the health she has, thankful for her carers in the home, thankful for everyone who ever makes time to visit her, thankful for her Saviour, and for whatever small opportunities she has to serve him still.

She showed me a booklet that she’s been given by the manageress at the home. The booklet is full of blank pages with titles at the top such as “Childhood”, “Education”, “Marriage”, and “Religion”. The idea is that each of the residents fill in their booklet as fully as they can. New carers at the home are then given each resident’s self-completed booklet to read. It gives the new carers the opportunity to find out about the people they are caring for, I think it’s a fantastic idea. My friend was keen that I should look at what she’d written, particularly under “Religion”. In her shaky hand she’d written out her testimony to the fact that she’d come to know Jesus as her Lord and Saviour some fifty or so years earlier. Her greatest concern was that any employee at the home who picked up her booklet would read of what Jesus had done for her, and could do for them. She also knits various items for any carers who have baby children or grandchildren. All because she cares for those who care for her. What an example.

I guess most of you reading this are of the same generation as myself, the generation of facebook, twitter, blogs, youtube, of modern technology and the exciting worldwide online community. We can sometimes forget all about the older generation who know nothing much of any of these things. I’m all too guilty of it myself, but I’m so glad I went to that old people’s home this morning. I don’t think I’ll ever emulate my friends knitting prowess, but by God’s grace I hope I will emulate her radiant love for Jesus, now and in my old age.


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