“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, was in prison and you came to visit me.” MATTHEW 25:35-36 (niv)
It is always interesting spending time at the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Institute. Each time I come I look for people to talk with because I want to get to know their stories. As I look around this vast place I could see many people of all ethnicities. As one person I spoke with said-" people he has met come here without the 'attitude' you see outside this place. Those who come are rushing to their doctor's appointment and other treatments, or to get answers why they have their fatigue or malaise. As I got on the elevator, I met an American couple of Somalian background We talked about the near perfect day with temperatures being in the 80's and how this is a great place to be treated. I met another African American gentleman named Bart who had been bringing his father-in-law to his chemotherapy treatments. He was in the waiting area 'waiting' for his father-in-law to finish up.
As we talked, I found out that his own father was a Pastor. He shared with me the interesting people he has met since he first began bringing his father-law. We talked about how the human spirit has the incredible capacity to heal from a health crisis-and come out stronger in the end. I shared about the story of losing our daughter and toward the end of our journey watching our surviving child grow stronger in his faith while using his musical gifts on a worship team.
He acknowledges with a simple " yes, we were fearfully and wonderfully made." He described a niece who was initially afraid of her granddad because of the changes she saw as he went through the cancer treatments, but then he said his niece has developed a deeper compassion for those who suffer. He noticed that no one comes in here with an 'attitude'. Everyone regardless of their ethnicity comes here to be helped and to be healed from their afflictions.
I learned that people who are in a health crisis are most open to knowing the living and breathing Savior. By simply listening and asking the right questions, and sharing your own life story you can bring their story out.- so that they see in you a living and breathing Savior who assures them that 'God isn't dead, but very much alive to anyone who desires to know Him.
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