I was recently given the privilege of being a volunteer for a Singapore hospice agency. It was not a complicated role. All I had to do was go grocery shopping with a group of friends (always fun!) and help deliver the groceries to two families.
The information the hospice agency gave us was minimal; address, phone number, and the primary care giver. One family stood out because they had a special request; a specific type of milk powder. The request was generic. Given the multiple brands and flavors available, it was impossible to know what we could or should do if we wanted to fulfill their request. With one of our team taking the lead, one Chinese dialect to another with a mix of Singlish thrown in, we asked.
If there was a single action we took that night that touched the three residents of the small apartment’s heart, this was it! There was no disappointment at the reality that we had not been able to fulfill the request. There was no hint of frustration that anything had been forgotten.
It seems that in this case, a specific brand that is orange flavored works for the older woman fighting cancer. Her husband and brother’s eyes lit up as they understood our question. Using our mobile phone cameras, we had our answer for the next visit from hospice bringing much needed food stuff. In between, the story within the story we had no idea of the impact the question was going to have, of how in our conversation “they’ll know that your hand is in this, that you, God, have been at work.” (Psalm 109.27)
As I wake to take on another day, I find my patience is greater, my willingness to work with others stronger. It is hard to imagine a reason to be impatient, abrupt or rude. I close my eyes and see and feel their love of life and hear the call to live – for them and more importantly for myself. You and I have a story to tell – of compassion, community, and caring.
