Modern Day Samaritan Woman
Update!!! Coming to Terms with
placing Mom in a Home.
Then I shared how she was evicted within 24 hours
after I queried her bruises. You can read that story here.
Now I would like to share how God stepped into
desperate circumstances and rescued us!!!
Our God is an Awesome God!!
Since the two previous blog posts several things
have occurred that have not only restored my faith in mankind, but have also
reminded me in the most amazing manner that God is still very much in charge
and still very much involved in the daily activities and concerns of His
children.
Summary of events since mom’s eviction:
I collected mom from the facility on the 11th
of November 2015, and took her home, where she remained with my brother and
sister-in-law, while I searched for a new facility for her. The search was
urgent, and since we all work, time was of the essence. In the interim however,
she became increasingly difficult to manage at home, restless and irritable
because she was moved so often and completely out of her steady routine.
However, on the 13th of November 2015, after she bit her young eight
year old grand-daughter, because she wanted the doll she was playing with, we
took her to the local hospital, in the hopes that they would be able to assist
us.
She was immediately admitted, due to a lung
infection that we were unaware of and treated on antibiotics for six (6) days.
This gave us the opportunity to look around for a home. A small breather, but
still we knew the search was urgent.
However, despite finding several different homes
for the aged available, all of them require the necessary funds in order to
admit her and since the funds I had were already paid to the previous home for
November, my hands were tied. I simply had none. The social worker that I had
approached for assistance also searched for a place for mom and couldn’t find
one that would take mom without payment. I had reached a catch – 22 situation
in which I could find homes, but couldn’t pay.
Meanwhile mom was going to be discharged from the
hospital any day and we had to find something fast.
Have you ever felt so desperate that the pressure
builds up within you and you feel as if you are going to explode into a
thousand pieces? Your teeth almost constantly clenched against the stress that
your jaw feels sore.
Perhaps even now while you reading this you are
feeling exactly like this.
The pressure doesn’t let up because you must
provide something and yet no matter how many phone calls, e-mails or pleas you
make there just aren’t any solutions. Your body physically aches with the
stress and mental anguish. Night times become a wrestling match with your bedding
while you toss and turn and try come up with new ideas. Day times are spent
between trying to fulfil your obligations and making endless phone calls and
internet searches for assistance. In between you toss up random desperate “Oh
Lord” cries, because you know He is the only One who can provide a solution,
yet you seem incapable of even articulating a decent prayer request, far less
actually praying it.
David also understood this kind of pressure. He
cried out to God much like we still do…
Psalm 142:3-7
“As I sink
in despair, my spirit ebbing away, you know how I’m feeling, Know the
danger I’m in, the traps hidden in my path. Look right, look left— there’s not a soul who cares what
happens! I’m up against it, with no exit— bereft, left alone. I cry out, God, call
out: ‘You’re my last chance, my only hope for life!’ Oh listen, please
listen; I’ve never been this low. Rescue
me from those who are hunting me down; I’m no match for them. Get me out of
this dungeon so I can thank you in public. Your people will form a circle
around me and you’ll bring me showers of blessing!” (The Message) Emphasis my own
(I have hope for you!!! Real tangible hope!!!
Just read on…)
On
Monday afternoon, 16th of November 2015, just when I had reached the
point of “almost” giving up, despite this not really being an option,
since mom is my responsibility and I HAD
to find a solution…I received a phone call from an acquaintance, requesting my
bank details because he said that God was pressing on his heart to give me
money for mom…
I
was quite stunned and speechless, but I gave him my bank details and shortly
afterwards, he paid a huge amount of money into my bank.
WOW!!!
WOW!!! WOW!!!
Who
does that? For a stranger? In this day and age? And in the middle of month?
Seriously I cannot even begin to describe the relief, the amazement, and I admit
I cried for hours…It was the most beautiful gesture and at exactly the right
time.
God
had already provided for mom at the beginning of the month and again, right in
the middle of the month, He provided all over again… His first provision was
stolen, but He owns all resources…He simply provided again. Where I couldn’t,
He could and He did.
How
Great is our God!!!
Needless
to say, I spent that night in serious prayer. Now that I had the much needed,
very welcome funds I didn’t want one cent of this money to be wasted. Every
single cent belonged to God and I asked Him for the wisdom to know where to
place mom. I tossed and turned again all night, but not in worry this time.
This time it was thanksgiving and wonder…I knew that I had to still make the
necessary phone calls but I also was so certain that He would show me exactly
where He had planned for mom to be.
Within
24 hours I had my answer. On the 17th of November 2015, a simple
message from a friend on Face Book to try a telephone number provided was all
it took. I called the number late in the afternoon and when I spoke to the
person who answered the phone, I immediately knew that I had found the place
that would provide for mom.
When
I asked how much I would need to pay in order to have her admitted directly
upon discharge from the hospital, the amount they requested was precisely to
the cent the amount that had been paid into my bank account. God had provided
exactly the right amount.
There
are no words to properly explain how desperate the situation was and no words
to explain how in a matter of just 24 hours, when I was truly at my lowest, God
turned the whole situation that was meant for evil, into good.
On Friday, 20th of November 2015,
mom was discharged from the hospital and moved into her new home. She immediately
loved her room, the staff and other residents made her so very welcome, and by
Saturday when I visited her again, she was quite settled in.
Have
I mentioned how Great God is???
James 1:2-4
“[ Faith
Under Pressure ] Consider it a sheer gift, friends,
when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.
You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the
open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything
prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not
deficient in any way.” (The Message) Emphasis my own
This
whole experience reminded me of a time many years ago when my son decided to
start his own ant colony in an aquarium. He collected his sand and foliage and
constructed things within his aquarium until the optimum conditions were met
and then he introduced his ants to the aquarium. Day by day he provided the
right amount of water and humus, funguses and whatever else was required by
ants in order for them to thrive. They in turn dug their tunnels and chambers
and every day when the worker ants emerged to forage they found the things they
needed and carried, dragged the various items back into their tunnels and
chambers.
The
ants were unaware of their benefactor who daily tended to their requirements;
but this did not mean that he (my son) was not indeed present and providing. At
the time we spoke about the similarity of the relationship between God and
mankind. God provides on a daily basis, and despite us being unaware of His
provision, He is never the less providing just what we need.
There
were times of calamity when tunnels that were dug precariously or too near the
surface would collapse and the ants would pour out from other tunnels in order
to escape. My son would grieve the losses encountered but would very carefully
assist the ants by stabilizing the sand and/or foliage, and before long things
would be as before. Similarly, calamity will occasionally occur on earth and in
our personal lives, and although these things are sometimes blamed on God, they
are more accurately acts of men, making bad choices or decisions that culminate
in the tragedy.
He
is ever faithful. Taking care of His creation.
As I mentioned in my first blog when I placed my mom in the home “my hope lies in the fact that my Creator
lives and He still has the whole world in His hands …He reaches Mom when I
can’t. He protects her when I’m not there. He comforts her with His presence
when she is lonely and afraid…He will provide the answers. He truly is an
Awesome God!!! We are never alone!!!
*Hugs* till next time.
Ariéte
