Our sermon this past week was based on Luke 6: 27-36. Jesus teaches “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.” This is the essence of Help’s mission; provide no-cost loans to anyone who is in need. In other words, Love with no strings attached. Here are some ways we saw that happening over the last few months.
Recently Regina was teaching at the LPN program at Valley Technical Center when a student shared heart-breaking stories about her family. The task being taught was how to catheterize a patient using a sterile technique. There are instances when sterility has been broken and a new catheter is needed. The adult student looked quite concerned and shared that her brother has been using the same catheter for over two years. She continued to share that he lives in West Virginia and battling an addiction to drugs. She told Regina, “He pretty much lives in a shed, as he has burned too many bridges. No matter how much we have tried to get him help, he continues to go back to the drugs. I lost another brother to suicide from a drug overdose. He lived in West Virginia too. Drugs are so bad over there.”
This provided an opportunity to share with the entire class that HELP has disposable items like catheters, tracheostomies, wound care supplies, and feeding supplements. These items are for ANYONE in need, no matter where they live or the situation. Regina gathered the items that would help this student’s brother and took them the next day. The student was almost in tears expressing thanks over and over. She would be seeing him the coming weekend. You never know the battles some families are going through and how one act of Love and kindness might just extend the right amount of grace that could make a difference.
Another LOVE connection is the group Knitted Knockers. This organization makes special handmade breast prostheses for women who have undergone mastectomies or other breast surgeries. A couple of years ago the organization sent a wide variety of prostheses to HELP, along with handmade bags to carry drains after surgery. These items weren’t big “movers” at HELP. Stefanie’s new job at Augusta Health is a case manager for Every Woman’s Life. This program allows low-income women without insurance to obtain breast and cervical services free of charge. This role has allowed her to develop connections with healthcare providers in the Cancer Center. They shared that a local group previously provided breast prostheses, drainage bags, and hats, but were no longer able to fill that need primarily due to COVID.
Stefanie was able to network with the Cancer Center to gift those much-needed items. They were overjoyed to have all the supplies. So much so, the Breast Cancer navigator wouldn’t let Stefanie keep one of the drainage bags as a pattern because she already had patients that needed the bags right away. Kathleen Rose from St. James is organizing a group of women to make additional bags and crochet the Knitted Knockers. God always finds a way to open doors and spread more Love to those in need.
Another act of incredible Love and kindness was extended to Help. Many thanks go out to the Thacker family! They graciously and lovingly donated the entire proceeds from Sam Thacker’s household goods sale to the HELP facility. We know there was a tremendous amount of work from the family to organize and pull off on such a windy cold day. Thanks to all who supported it as it generated just shy of $2000.00.
Most of all, we want you to know that we appreciate and Love each one of you for all the ways you support this mission. God is working through you to allow the HELP facility to continue to spread Love every day the doors are open. We couldn’t be prouder of the big hearts of those who volunteer and show how our little community of Churchville can spread Love in so many different directions.
Regina and Stefanie