Greetings all!
Friendship at the Margins is a must read. Chris Heuertz, executive director, Word Made Flesh, and co-author Chris Pohl, challenges us to move away from objectifing people, they are not our “cause,” they are our “friends.” I appreciate their boldness. My experience has been that far too often we go into a situation to “save” people. Once “saved” we then move on to the next ”target.” At DM, it may sound odd, but part of our training includes discussion about the ministry of presence.
People don’t need to be “saved,” they need a friend, someone who will not come in for a few minutes, but instead move in, live with, eat with, and walk with them. This is particularly true of the frail institutionalized elder for who dignity, value, and self-worth, are mow distant memories. For the most part they have lost control of their lives, and their bowels.
Imagine one day being a successful professional and the next day someone cleaning you up. No dignity today. Self-esteem, forgotton. Our walk is not easy but it is fulfilling. Heuretz and Pohl then remind us that it is Jesus who we meet in the process. The frail institutionalized elder leads us straight to him.
I can attest that as over the years, more than a few times I walked away from a nursing home at the end of a long day, thinking that I was pretty certain that the women who just spoke to me, was indeed him incarnate.
Thank Chris and Chris, (if I may), for great insight!
1 comment:
Great blog post.
It really resonates with me at this time in my life, with my Grandmother having been completely bedridden, barely able to speak for the past four months.
She cannot give much in the typical sense, but what we do receive are some of the most precious gifts we have received during our lives, some true moments of seeing Jesus, seeing beyond.
Post a Comment