Well Brad,
You asked me to share, so I will. This week, our church is
ministering to a family in real need. They used to attend our
church, but left when their daughters hit puberty because we don't
have much in the way of ministry for youth. The mother had a breast
removed this past March. She had tried to return to work, but it has
been discovered that she is allergic to the medication that she was
on, so she is waiting to find another medication that she can
tolerate. Her job is important because she carries the insurance for
the family. Her husband has twisted bowel syndrome, which means
that, every once and a while, his intestines just knot up and he has
to lay in the hospital, on pain killers, until they straighten
themselves out. He can't eat much in those situations eithre, for
obvious reasons. When he is working, he delivers beverages to local
stores in the smaller towns around Bangor. Near the end of last
month, he was making a delivery to a small country store. He had
cases of beer and wine stacked up on a hand cart. Someone at the
store had carelessly left the trap door to the celler open and, as
Steve was backing up, he didn't see this and fell into the celler, on
to the concrete floor with all of the beverages falling on top of
him. He has massive injuries. This couple's two daughters are
learning disabled and, on top of that, the younger one is deaf. The
younger daughter was hospitalized last week with what may have been
blood poisoning. Her leg was swollen and hard, with red streaks, so
it had to be drained and so forth. Both parents are out of work,
for now and it just goes on.
Anyway, even though they have left our church, we have kept tabs on
this needy family, because it is the right thing to do. We took up a
collection for them yesterday. Some people have offered to purchase
grocery store gift certificates, and I've organized for some dinners
to start, until we learn what else they need. This is truly the fun
part of ministry, trying to help others in need. I had made prayer
shawls for the mother and two girls earlier this year to reach out
and Greg is going to talk to the pastor of the church that they are
attending now to coordinate efforts. We don't want any walls.
I know that I tell you guys these stories from time to time. This
is what church is to me, reaching out as Christ's hands and feet to
those in need. When you think about it, pray for the Barker
family. They can use it.
God bless,
Kathy
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