This post by Dennis
So, my favorite phrase from the country song, “Help Somebody” is “If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans”, and that is so true for me so far on this amazing journey that God has allowed me to be a part of. I had a pre-conceived notion that I was (only) going to entertain children while their parents were being seen by the medical team and that I would have little to no emotional ties to the process. Boy, was I wrong as I was asked to go on a home visit with another member of our team from Arkansas and a couple of awesome medical professionals. We visited the home of a patient that was too sick to travel to the clinic. When we arrived the situation was worse than I could have imagined as the patient lived in a two-room dwelling that had a very strong smell of urine. The patient was bed ridden in the second room that had one bare light bulb that hung from the ceiling near the center of the room. He was un-bathed and smelled of urine as well, but the very first thing that I noticed was that the gentleman (even in his current situation) had his open Bible directly beside him in the bed.
What happens next is nothing short of a Mark 1:40-41 moment when Jesus encounters a Leper and the Leper asks Jesus if He is willing to make him clean, Jesus not only makes the man clean He takes it further by reaching out and touching the Leper, which was unheard of during that time. When our team Nurse Practitioner was ascertaining as to what problems the patient was having, she showed so much care and compassion that I immediately related what I was witnessing to the Jesus and Leper story. This is a man that has been ignored by his friends and family, but she took such great care in removing the blankets from the man, pulling up his pant legs to see his knees that he complained about, and then so carefully applied some medication to both knees. The gentleness and compassion were so well received from the patient that my eyes welled up with tears while my heart filled with joy. When the visit was complete, we prayed over the patient and family and God’s presence filled the room and everyone was moved. I tried to implement my plan, but God chose to show me his plan for me on this journey and I am forever grateful for the revelation to my heart.
Praying that you will see many times such as these.
When I heard about this experience it made my heart fill with immense joy! This sweet man was supposed to die months ago. I am so grateful he could see and feel the love of Jesus through the sweet touch, compassion, and kindness extended through you all! It really is a sacred space to be able to do this! Thanking God for this experience and also thank you for loving this man like Jesus would! His mother Berta is near and dear to my heart and I know this meant the world to her too!