A Memorable Trip To Hospital

Yesterday I went into hospital, however it was not for me this time. I had decided to go into York with my mum yesterday so that I could go to the HMV store there to trade in some of my old games, but before that she had a hospital visit she had to do. We were there visiting a member from my mums Church called Hazel. When we found where she was and went into the area she was in we almost couldn't see her.

Hazel is 92 years old and very frail, she is very soft spoken but very articulate, more importantly she is also very lonely. The reason she was curled up in a ball pretending to sleep is because during the normal visiting hours her friends and family are unable to come because of work. However this week my mum had turned up. When she realised who my mum was and that she had come to visit her she nearly started crying. I then introduced myself although I was a little unsure what to do next so I just stood and smiled at her whilst I listened to her as she told her story. She told us what her favourite foods were and that when she was young she used to play cricket and other various sports but the most surprising thing we learnt was that she used to be a solo glider pilot. When she had finished telling us her life story and when visiting time had finished we prayed for her and promised to return next week and bring communion with us so that we can share in it with her. When we left she was crying so my mum gave her a hug and then we had to leave.

It is important for me to remember this because when I went in all I saw was a frail old lady, but God knew her. Where I was surprised to hear about her exploits as a glider pilot God already knew and was pleased (maybe too weak a word I don't know). I believe in a personal God who is interested in people their stories even if He already knows them. One of the problems I have with some forms of evangelism is that we treat it as if its about getting people through the doors of our church and it becomes a game of counting the lost souls you've saved that week, month or year. In my opinion filling churches is overrated. I believe that to be Christlike means that we have to value the people which means sitting and listening to their stories and taking an active interest in their lives and their well being. Even if this means all we do is sit and listen and smile. I'm not saying we shouldn't share the Gospel with people only that we should rethink the way we live and express it.