My husband and I decided to celebrate Mother’s Day with our seventy-six-year old cousin Sara who currently lives in a nursing home. Her husband is gone and her only daughter’s whereabouts is unknown. We planned to give Sara a gift, spend a little time with her, and leave. However, little did we know that God had a different plan that involved more than we could have ever thought or imagined. This was not going to be an ordinary Mother’s Day. What happened in the nursing home that day was unforgettable!
We arrived to see Sara early in the afternoon. Her room was now in the back wing. The brown double doors to the back wing, to our surprise, were locked. An aide buzzed us in and we then walked down the narrow hallway. At the end of the hallway, we saw Sara in the sitting area. There were only four other elderly women with her, and we joined them.
Sara was sitting in a beige armchair and her slender frame tilted to the side. Her bent elbow rested on the arm of her chair and her chin rested in her hand. We didn’t know if she was asleep or deep in thought, so I walked over to her, hugged her, and said, “Hello, Sara, Happy Mother’s Day!” My husband also greeted her and she looked up at us with a big smile.
I glanced at the other elderly women in the sitting room. They were not talking to each other nor were there any kind of interactions between them. No seat was available next to Sara’s, so I saw down on a loveseat next to a petite woman with short salt and pepper hair. She turned, looked at me, and smiled, “Hello,” I said. She began talking excessively. Her conversation was incoherent at times.
Another woman was sitting in a chair fast asleep. Next to her sat a thin woman. Her eyes were closed, and I thought she was sleeping. Her white hair looked like a halo around her head. The last woman sat in a wheelchair. She looked at us with her dark eyes, smiled, held out her hands, and said in a booming voice, “Will somebody give me some soap so I can wash my hands. They will not let me wash my hands.” My heart filled with compassion. I wanted to do something special for Mother’s Day for each of the women, but what could my husband and I do?
I looked at the women and asked, “Does anyone know what this day is?” The woman with the booming voice said loudly, “It’s Mother’s Day!” Her response surprised me because she appeared to have Alzheimer’s. Then she said, “I need some soap so I can wash my hands.” I continued to look at the women. No one seemed excited or seemed to care about the day. Not even Sara. I didn’t know if all the women understood that it was Mother’s Day, but even if they all understood, why shouldn’t they be excited? No one was with them at that time, and who knew if anyone would be with them at all that day.
The elderly women in the sitting room were all precious. Each one of them had past lives, past experiences, and may have been someone’s mother or grandmother. I wanted to share Mother’s Day with all of them, not just with Sara. So, my husband and I decided to remain in the sitting room and give Sara her gift privately. “What gift could we give all the women to make this day special?” I thought. The Lord filled my heart with a song, and I began to sing “Yes Jesus Loves Me.” Sara joined in, and to my surprise, the other women began to sing without any encouragement. The woman with the white hair that looked like a halo around her head opened her eyes. She smiled and she began singing in a soft voice.
With all the women singing together, their soft melodious voices filled the room, and they sounded like a choir of angels. The songs we sang next were, “Jesus Loves the Little Children,” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” I even added hand movements to the songs, and the women moved their hands as I moved mine. Joy filled my heart. Such a serene and pleasant spirit permeated the sitting area, and I began to feel the presence of the Lord.
We continued singing other songs, “Amazing Grace” and “Somebody Prayed for Me.” I looked down the hall and saw a slender woman with red hair rapidly pushing her walker to join us. She sat down next to my husband and asked him to pray for her hospitalized mother. My husband prayed for her mother and afterward I asked, “Does anyone know another song?” The new person who eagerly joined us said, “I know one,” and she started singing “Softly and Tenderly” with a smooth and flowing voice. We all joined in, and the presence of the Lord grew stronger.
To end the Mother’s Day Celebration, we recited Psalm 23 together, “The Lord is My Shepherd.” The women, including the women that clearly had Alzheimer’s, looked so peaceful as they recited Psalm 23. I have read, “The Lord is My Shepherd” numerous times, but this time, saying it with the elderly women brought the Psalm to life like never before. Then, there was a moment of silence. The women seemed to understand that we had been singing and reciting about someone special.
What an unforgettable Mother’s Day with cousin Sara and the other elderly women in the nursing home. I will never forget our enjoyable fellowship, and our priceless Mother’s Day gift—the awesome presence of Jesus. “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matt. 18, 20). Jesus came in to be with us that day, right in the midst of our fellowship, and He brought with Him love, joy, and peace. His presence was evident on the radiant smiles and soft glows of the women's faces. My husband and I never thought or imagined that this day would turn out to be so wonderful.
We may formulate our plans, but we never know when God may have a different plan. No matter where we are, we need to be available for His service, flexible with our schedules, and open to the move of His Spirit, for we never know when or where He will manifest His presence and minister to and through us with His love.
Happy Mother’s Day!
~ By Natalie B. Hall
