I started volunteering for a local hospice last week. As far as picking an organization to volunteer with goes, it was a pretty obvious choice because like I said my family has been involved with them for the last 15 years. In terms of "why now?" it was also pretty obvious. At the turn of the year I realized that I was becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack or complication of serving at my church. I am all about practical ministry. I believe 100% in the power of prayer but I also believe in the old adage of "preach the gospel at all times; use words when necessary." The church we were at made that hard. There were few opportunities to love on people in a practical manner and what there was required training and long term time commitments. Mind you hospice does too. I went through a 6 week course and will do another 5 week one as soon as it's offered. I also had a criminal record check. But that was it, no committees, no selection process; just go and care for people.
So last Saturday I had my first volunteer shift at the hospice wing of a local hospital. As it was my first shift I got to shadow a couple of experienced volunteers. The first lady was an about to retire kindergarten teacher. I gave her my Easter Bunny purse. I had picked it up the day before at my favorite thrift shop for $1.79 knowing that hospice people would love it and also knowing that if anybody admired it I would give it to them (not the first time I've done that.) Sure enough the teacher admired it and I gave it to her, shuffling the stuff that was in it to a zip lock bag. She laughed and told me about the time when a fellow teacher admired her Valentine's Day skirt and asked to borrow it. The teacher took it off and gave it to her at the end of the day. She wore her under slip and raincoat home.
The second volunteer I shadowed was probably one of the kindest people I've met in a long time. She just loved on the patients. Love oozed from her. One of the patients was a grandpa and at some point in our shift one of his daughters and granddaughters, and family dog came for a visit. Yes pets of all sorts are welcome in hospice. The workers even find loving homes for them once their owners pass. The grand daughter was about 12 maybe? Too old for the toy room down the hall. She was bored, as I'm sure most people visiting hospice, or even hospital patients are. After you've given the latest news there really isn't much to say or do. Now I'm reading "The American Book of Living and Dying" which I'm sure will argue that there's lots to do with the dying; they are teachers after all. But for the most part.......... Basically you're waiting. In hospitals you're waiting for the patient to get better and get out of there. In hospices you're waiting for the end of life to come. Waiting is exhausting. Mentally and physically taxing.
The volunteer I was with offered to make the girl a milkshake. A small well stocked kitchen with ice cream and a blender would make it possible. The little girl shyly refused but it's a gesture that I don't think I'll ever forget. Love is making a child a milkshake while she sits by her grandfather's bedside. There are no rules, no policy's and procedures, no permission needed. Just love on a child who's probably feeling out of place and scared. Just love.
It reminded me of "the" Tony Campolo story. You know the one where he threw a birthday party for a hooker? Don't know it? You're amongst the few then. Seems back in the day I had a pastor that must have been especially fond of Compolo because twice over the course of a few years he told the birthday party for a hooker story. After hearing him tell it the second time I left for a youth conference where Tony Campolo just happened to be speaking. And what story do you suppose he told? Yep, the birthday party for a hooker story.
So the story goes like this. Tony, who's a well known (especially to pastors from Saskatchewan) Christian speaker found himself at a divey restaurant in Honolulu at 3:30 in the morning one day. In walks a bunch of hookers and he here's one named Agnes (I'll pause while some of you smile at that because I AM NOT making that up) say that it's her birthday the next day. Well Tony decided right then and there to throw her a birthday party the next day. Sure enough he shows up with cake and streamers the whole bit. The hooker is of course moved and Tony of course prays for her.
When he's finished, Harry (the restaurant owner) leans over, and with a trace of hostility in his voice, he says, "Hey, you never told me you was a preacher. What kind of church do you belong to anyway?"
In one of those moments when just the right words came, Tony answers him quietly, "I belong to a church that throws birthday parties for prostitutes at 3:30 in the morning."
Harry thinks for a moment, and in a mocking way says, "No you don't. There ain't no church like that. If there was, I'd join it. Yep, I'd join a church like that."
http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Bible/Agnes.htm
I've been through a lot lately. Stuff that makes me question God, his wisdom, his character. But one thing I do know is that if Jesus were here he'd throw a birthday party for a hooker and make a 12 year old a chocolate milk shake.
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