Blest to Be a Blessing: Voice of Care works with a number of congregations and Disability ministries. Often these groups also participate in serving. For example being part of a “Trunk for Treats” event, and going to facilities to share the love of Jesus in a small chapel type service. In fact Andy, a 40 year old man with Intellectual Disabilities, is very caring, loves to sing, and is always offering to pray with people. Andy goes with the team to visit children living in a facility for medically fragile individuals. Andy, who has his own disability, also gives Spiritual Respite Care.
Coffee Jo: Jo hadn’t seen her friend Mary in a few weeks and decided to drop in and visit. When Jo arrived, around 10:00, she found that Mary was still in her house coat and hadn’t even showered for the day. Jo commented, “Mary you’re not ready for the day. Why don’t you go take your shower and get dressed and I’ll make a pot of coffee. Then we can sit and chat for a while.” Mary happily agreed. Jo didn’t know that Mary’s daughters and daughter-in-law, for over week, had been fighting with Mary to get her to do those very things. Mary reasoned she wasn’t going anywhere and wasn’t exerting herself so she didn’t have to listen to her daughters. Soon coffee with Jo became a regular event. It took the daughters out of the bossy role reversal and gave Mary a purpose for the day.
The Phone Call: A pastor in Michigan shares this account. He received a phone call from Marg. She was distraught to say the least. Her husband had just passed due to complications following a massive stroke. They’d had medical support during the week as he was confined to the bed most of the time. On Sundays Marg was on her own and of course they did not attend worship. Marg took care of him for years in this way. Now he had past and she was trying to make funeral arrangements. Surprisingly, Marg was told that since they had not been in church for over 4 years, so they were no longer members of that congregation. The church would not do the funeral service. The pastor who received the phone call was 20 miles away but assured Marg he would perform the funeral service. He came to find out that Marg and her husband had not been visited or received communion over the past 4 years. Dear friends this should not be. As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:26 “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”