A resident:  

We would like to introduce you to one of our best friends who is ninety three years old and has outlived her friends and family. She is happy to have visitors and welcomes us with a big smile. At our last outreach we were able to take stuffed teddy bears to the patients and our friend was so happy when one of the students handed her a small teddy bear.  Her face was lit with the same delight one sees on the face of a child at Christmas time. She named her bear, Sarah, smiling as she hugged and kissed her new friend. We were so thankful to be able to share God’s love to her in the shape of a small stuffed animal and when the visit is over, her teddy bear, Sarah, is there to keep her company so she doesn’t have to feel alone.  One of our instructors noticed some of the residents clothes were torn so the students got together and started bringing clothes to every outreach.  As they prayed for each patient they also looked to see if they had any practical needs.  The students have been dedicated in their search to find different ways to share God’s love.  Sometimes it was simply offering to write a letter for them as some of them were not able to write because of damage from a stroke.  

 Most of the residents at the nursing home are elderly, but there are younger patients, some in their thirties, who have had strokes and other debilitating injuries that leave them unable to physically take care for themselves.   Sometimes when we visit they ask "If God loves me like you say, then why did He let this happen to me," and we have to admit that we don’t know. There are times I’ve asked this same question, God, why do they have to suffer like this? Then I seem to hear in my spirit, I didn’t tell you that you would have all the answers, and that it would always be easy.  I asked you to go share the truth of my love and mercy with the lost, the lonely and the hurting.  Having personally received God’s love and salvation through Jesus Christ I’m grateful to be a small part of sharing His love, truth and salvation to others.

For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 K.J.V.