Part of the Family

Yesterday I received a call from my friend, Joe. Joe is our Community Outreach Minister. He has involved so many people from our community into our church life - people who previously had been overlooked. I have been so blessed to get to work with him in just a little way in this. Joe called to tell me that one of our sisters has been taken off life support (she had suffered a stroke a few weeks ago), and he was asking where he could get help with burial needs. This sister has nothing of worldly goods. She and her husband are simple people. But no matter - whenever I saw her, she always had a big smile and a hug and a compliment for me. She never passed me by without speaking to me. And I am going to miss her.

I must confess I have not been personally involved in the lives of many of this economic status before. None of the churches I have attended have been, either. But, I told Joe, he must ask the church to help bury this sister. We must take care of our own. She would do whatever she could for one of us. And we can do no less for her. I do not know how much longer her heart will continue to beat. Joe told me she has a strong heart. I think we saw that in her. I hope that I can be in town when the time comes to pay tribute to her. The living need to know that Linda had friends who will miss her. And that church friends take care of you, even when you die. Because you're family.