Death is life

I found out last week that a client we have helped for the last year has died. Ruth (fictitious name) was a woman in her 40’s tormented by alcoholism and the resulting health problems that come from years of drinking. When I met Ruth she was desperate for help in getting her medications. She was living in a half-way house and had a private Dr, but no money to get the medicines she needed to sustain her life.

I got her hooked into the Clinics prescription assistance program, and wouldn’t you know it, the paperwork got “lost”. I don’t blame her for being angry. She was used to having people let her down and not help her, and here we were, a “Christian” Clinic who also did not do what they promised.

As she was screaming at me over the telephone, my heart softened and ached for her. This was absolutely the Spirit of Jesus in me, for my usual response would have been to get firm with her, and if she didn’t stop yelling to hang up. I listened patiently until she was done, and then simply said, “I’m so sorry we messed up!” I told her I would do whatever was needed to make this right. First, I would get her the medications she needed immediately, and then re-file the paperwork for her medicines from the pharmaceutical company. All the while I was praying, “Lord, how & why did we mess up so for Ruth?”

I then got her address and personally delivered the medicines to her along with a note of apology and a small gift of a notepad & pen. Ruth called me the next day and said that she had not had an apology from anyone in many years and she was sorry she had acted so rudely. We talked and laughed together. What a moment of humility for me and a picture of the Spirit filling us with gentleness & forgiveness.

We continued to help Ruth over the next year get her medications & without any problems with the paperwork, thank the Lord!

She is now in heaven with Jesus, for she expressed to me that life is so hard for her, and she often stumbles, but it is Christ that is seeing her through. No more need for pills or paperwork Ruth & I look forward to seeing you in heaven!

-Gale Thomason, Director of Health Services