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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Volunteer (11/23/06)
My partner, Tom, and I walked into the hospital room and found a gentleman lying on the bed with a baseball hat on his head. My partner introduced us as volunteer chaplains with the Community of Hope program there at the hospital and asked if it was okay for us to come in to visit for a few minutes. The patient said “It is okay but I am Catholic.” Tom said, “That is okay because God sends all kinds of people to care for us when we need them.”
Tom went on to say, “I see you have your cap on. Are you getting ready to leave?” The patient said, “No, it is cold in here and I’m trying to keep my head warm.”
We continued our visit by inquiring about how long he had been there, if he thought he was getting good care, and if there were any things he would like to talk to us about. He told us about how he didn’t have any family close by in the area and he was scared about the treatment they said he needed. At this point, I was surprised to see him remove his cap. It appeared that he was getting more comfortable with us.
We talked about the treatment his doctor was recommending and we happened to know other patients who had the same treatment by the same doctor and we told him about them. Their treatment and recovery went exactly as the doctor had said it would. He had already contacted family members so there was nothing more we could do about that. We then asked, “Would you like us to pray with you?” He said, “I sure would!” After the prayer, we started for the door and the patient was returning his cap to his head again as he thanked us for coming by. We told him we would see him again next week if he was still there.
There are many ways we can help those around us. I understand that there are thousands of volunteer programs worldwide. There is nothing more worthwhile than to help another person. Volunteering doesn’t have to be in a formal organized setting. It can be as simple as helping the person next door. In the Bible in Luke 6:38 we read these words, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For the measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
If you give a blessing, you will get a blessing. Volunteering is one way to give blessings. You will not forget the feeling it gives you. It will change your life.
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This article has been read 1055 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Helen Paynter
11/30/06
Good message. I wonder if it would have been a little easier to read if you broke it up with some white space between paragraphs, and with a new paragraph for different speakers. I liked the enacted metaphor of the cap.
julie wood
11/30/06
I really enjoyed the specific description of this man with the cap on his head--he sounded interesting!

Would have found the story easier to read if there were spaces between the paragraphs. Also would like to see a lot more direct dialogue between the man and his visitors. That would bring him and the others even more to life!
Joanne Sher 
12/01/06
I enjoyed especially the first part of this. I would love for you to have expanded on that more, and "taught the lesson" more through the story than outright, but that is just my opinion. Your description of the man in the cap was wonderful. Keep writing!
Donna Powers
12/02/06
What a wonderful ministry! It's wonderful to go where God leads you. This is a heartwarming story. Nice work.
James Clem
12/04/06
Very good!
You selected a verse which makes this a first-rate devotional.
Everyone else has already mentioned the white space, so no need to do so again. But especially so, with the verse to make it stand out better.
Dennis Fletcher
12/04/06
Nice story, well written. No need to mentione the white spaces, I used to get those comments a lot, finally listened.

Good job.