UPDATE REGARDING APRIL, MAY AND JUNE AND JULY

PRAY FOR A RESIDENT...LIZ
Liz, in case you forgot, is the woman who had been rather ostracized at the home where I first met her and then went to Madison for a uterine cancer operation.

I found out that she is in rehab at Nelson-Debes and went to visit her twice. Every time I have prayed with her, we hold hands, I pray and when I open my eyes she is staring at me. I believe that my praying to the Lord is very foreign to her, and indeed, perhaps prohibited. The last time, however, when I was finished praying, her head was bowed. I watch for those little things! They encourage me.

Next time I see her, I will zero in on a personal relationship with Christ. I believe it what she wants.

Have been visiting her once or twice weekly. She is chained by religion, but listens intently to what I say.

August 19 - Liz bows her head and prays with me each time I visit. Still talks about rosary and confession. She agrees with all that I say. I have looked into holding meetings there and she consistently asks me if anything is in the works. She really wants me to come.

MORNINGSTAR VILLAGE

I did not contact MSV at all during June, just waiting to see if they would call me and nail down some June dates. Yesterday, however, I emailed the Activities Gal and asked what the situation is for July. She wrote back with two dates, not my regular days. I replied telling her I could do one but not the other. I also asked if we could please go back to a definite 1st and 3rd Thursday or another regular set of dates per month. She says she will work on that. I was somewhat encouraged by the demeanor of her reply. It seems that she really does want us to come.

Supposedly,  as of August, we are back on the regular schedule.

Back on schedule. Relationship good.

DOCTOR JOHN

The good doctor has not come now for a month. I ran into him and invited him. He says he forgets, which may be the whole truth. We will get someone to fetch him next time.

I wonder if he is still at Heritage. I have not seen him at all.

JACK AND ALLIE

Jack...and Allie who is 101...come faithfully to the meetings. Jack is a puzzle. I need to get him aside and talk to him. He scoots out pretty fast after the meeting. Allie, after living 99 years without much of a clue about Jesus and what He has done for her, has lots of questions. She is in need of a personal Bible study. She is so cute! Dresses like a teen (not quite), tall and slender, has a southern accent and walks in with a walker. I want her to have complete assurance of her salvation. I reminded her last week of the prayer she prayed with me. That helped.

At Grand Victorian last Sunday, the activities director told me that Jack is in rehab, even though she had originally told me that he is not. I was glad. I knew that I could finally get the opportunity to talk to him. Tonight at prayer group, I asked them to pray for me because I was going to go see him afterward. When I got there, I was somewhat shocked. Jack, who was sitting up in a wheel chair and trying to eat, looked terrible. I stood for a while and chatted and then when I saw he was having great difficulty eating because of his shaking, I asked him if he wanted me to get someone to help him. He said no. I asked, "Do you want me to help you?" He answered, "Yes."

I pulled up a chair and he said, "You are such a nice person." Now, remember, I have had zero indication in regard to how Jack feels about anything. He has only said "goodbye" each week as he left the chapel. Now, barely able to talk, he tells me I am a nice person. So, I helped him eat and I asked a lot of questions about his life and his illness. He told me he has fallen 14 times in 15 days. That is a ticket out of the home! So, he said he's working very hard to get better, taking his medicine faithfully, and hoping that he can go back there.

Then he told me, "I don't want to end up out there," and he pointed outside. I understood what he meant. "Are you ready for that?" I asked. He said a fairly fervent "No."

So, I said, "Well, Jack, that's why I came here today. I wanted to talk about what's going to happen to you when it's all over and you breathe that last breath. "Oh," he said even more fervently, "don't worry about that. I'm going to heaven. That's all settled and taken care of." I questioned him and discovered that his faith is in Christ! We had a good talk about that and about his kids. He showed great concern for one of his boys and the grandchildren who he knows is not a Christian. The other son is an Episcopal priest. 

He clung to my hand tightly as we talked. He is extremely shaky from the Parkinson's but he does okay with his left hand. When I stood to pray with him, he held both of my hands in his and held them to his face. He was so affecte by my visit. It amazes me and when I leave, I deal with so many emotions. I feel insufficient and I pray, "God,  did I say the right things and did I do it the right way?"

Jack is failing. I don't see him rebounding and going back to where he was. He could surprise us all. I've been wrong before. But I left with a 95% assurance that his complete faith is in Christ Jesus for salvation. I will visit him again and go over the subject of God's forgiveness (which came up today). I am just so thankful that God arranged it so that I could finally talk to him!

Well, Jack is back at Grand Victorian! And in amazingly good spirits! For three years or so, he has said zilch to me beyond, "Thank you" on his way out. As I was playing the piano Sunday morning, I looked over at him and HE WAS SINGING! He has always followed the words but NEVER sang! Before the service he was interacting with the others waiting for things to start. He asked me, "How are you doing, young lady?" I can't explain it except perhaps my visit with him in rehab, my offer to help him eat, etc. affected him in a positive way. I am praising the Lord for His work done in the life of this elderly man!

MELODIE

No update except that a couple of phone calls from her evidenced despair. She is a helpless lady in many ways though she might help herself with those who are trying to help her by interacting with them more soundly. I will go to see her tomorrow.

Melodie is not doing well. She has legitimate problems. The home where she is has not been giving attention to the pain in her abdomen. She is deeply frustrated and in deep depression. However, she came to the last meeting, which was very casual around a table, and looked terrible and was struggling to fight her tears. I spent a little time with her but then went ahead with the meeting. As we sang the hymns and as I handed out bunches of old Bible  verse cards, I watched her and little by little she looked like the old Melodie. I gave her my phone number so she can call if she is having a hard day. She has not called me. Pray that her case worker will get on the stick! Pray that Melodie will truly trust God through these days.

Melodie finally went to the hospital and had her gall bladder out! That is TERRIFIC news! I went to see her in the hospital and she told me she was being transferred that day out of Forest City to Nelson-Debes. That, too, is TERRIFIC news. She is a dear saint. Talks SO slowly. I went later that day to see her and she was so surprised. I am very glad that she is out of that place. It was not the right place for her.

BRANCHING OUT?

I am contacting some other homes to ascertain their needs as far as Protestant services are concerned. I got a positive response from Nelson-Debes, although I am still waiting to hear back from them. It is a NEEDY place...and quite large! I will ask, too, for permission to visit the rooms. Would you pray about that?

NEW REQUEST

A Jewish lady, June, has been coming to the meetings at Brookdale. I think I told you about her. She comes every week and afterwards always tells me, "I'm Jewish, though I don't go to Temple. My parents never went either. But I enjoyed this. You are a good preacher!" :) Up until last week, I have  not ventured into a talk with her about Jesus the Messiah. This week, we had another new lady and I didn't find out until afterward that she, too, is Jewish; and they are friends, I think since they lived at Brookdale.

Anyway, I had it in my heart all week that I would talk to her about Jesus after the meeting. I did that but it wasn't the best encounter I ever had. June does not believe that Jesus is the Messiah, although I am quite certain that she really doesn't know why. I found out that she is confused, although it rather surprised me. She told Marilyn, the other new lady, that I am the one who helps her all the time and will not take any pay for it! Honestly, June does not appear to be confused. I was surprised. I also talked with Marilyn who flatly told me that Jesus was a good man that did many good things, "but that's all."

So, pray for them that God will open their eyes. They certainly heard the truth about Jesus Christ last week. June seems to be listening intently; Marilyn listened with skepticism on her face.

They were not at the last meeting. One of them is a little disoriented and may have missed the announcement on the board.