Lakewood Nursing Home Salem Village Nursing Home
Rosewood Care Center Sunny Hill Nursing Home
Paradise Park Assisted Living
Rosewood Care Center Sunny Hill Nursing Home
Paradise Park Assisted Living
Our hearts are filled with joy and Thanksgiving for the beautiful services we experienced in the month of April. The choir of the First Baptist Church of Lockport performed an Easter Cantata at Lakewood Nursing Home and it was beautiful. We had over 20 choir members and 5 additional workers plus some of the nursing home staff, along with almost 50 residents, totaling over 75 in attendance. The room was packed and I don’t believe another wheel chair would have fit in the room. We thank God for all of you who participated, you were great and we appreciate all your hard work. Thank you so very much.
One of the residents at Lakewood wrote a beautiful poem and wants to recite it at our next service in May and that is always a special time, when the residents participate. We are looking forward to that.
We had good attendance at all the homes this month, even on Easter Sunday when so many people are with their families. Dolly, the daughter of one of the residents played the piano for us at Salem Village and that was a Blessing. She has volunteered to play for us whenever we need her at Salem. God always provides as He so graciously provided another piano player for us at Sunny Hill this month. Lisa was unable to attend the services and we were privileged to have Grace Lepper join us and she did a beautiful job at the piano. We are looking forward to her working with us at Sunny Hill.
We were saddened this month with the death of Delbert Gray, (J.R. as we all called him). As many of you have heard me talk about him in the past, he was a big part of our ministry at Salem Village. I led him to the Lord over 2 years ago and he loved our visits, reading and singing to him. He especially enjoyed the Zucchini bread I baked for him almost every week. He was a special friend. I was out of town when they had his funeral, however, Ben was able to attend his wake and his funeral and the family was so very grateful that he took the time to come and they have expressed over and over how much they appreciate our Ministry and all we do.
J.R. was paralyzed on his left side and was unable to use his left arm. He only had one leg and he could barely talk above a whisper, but I rejoice in knowing he is now with the Lord and he has a brand new body. During our Bible studies we had together, we often talked about what heaven would be like and the fact that he would have a perfect body when he got to heaven, no more pain, no more tears or heartaches. He would be able to talk and sing. I believe he is now in heaven rejoicing and praising God.
Please pray for his family. We also want to lift up our prayers on behalf of Amanda Fuller who has been flat of her back for several weeks now. That is so hard when you have three small children. She needs our love and support and especially our prayers. We thank the Lord that Midge had her back surgery and is getting better each day. God is still in control and He still answers prayer. Don’t forget to pray for our missionaries that we support, Bob Holmes, the one man volleyball team and Tom and Gela Graef. The Graef’s are praying that they will be in Romania by the end of the year, please pray with them that their needed support will come in. Bob is in need of additional support; even $10.00 per month will be a Blessing. Schools are cutting back and the current support is just not enough to cover his expenses. Pray about it, perhaps the Lord would lead you to give to these missionaries. We also need to pray for Judy Pine and her family in the loss of her father.
If you haven’t come to one of our singing fellowships, you have missed a Blessing. We are having a great time of singing, testimony and fellowship together. The next singing is planned for the 5th Sunday of May which will be May 31st at 5:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Come and join us and bring your talent with you. We would like to have special music from any of you who would like to participate. It’s a great time of fellowship together. Don’t miss it.
We don’t change the message, the message changes us.
The following poem, entitled “Crabby Old Man” was found among the belongings of an old man who died in a Nursing Home.
What do you see nurses? …What do you see? What are you thinking, when you’re looking at me?
A crabby old man …not very wise, Uncertain of habit, .with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food and makes no reply. When you say in a loud voice….”I do wish you’d try”
Who seems not to notice the things that you do, and forever is losing a sock or a shoe?
Who, resisting or not…lets you do as you will, with bathing and feeding, the long day to fill?
Is that what you’re thinking? Is that what you see? Then open your eyes, nurse. You’re not looking at me.
I’ll tell you who I am…As I sit here so still, as I do at your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of Ten, with a father and mother, brothers and sisters, who love one another
A young boy of sixteen, with wings on his feet, dreaming that soon now, a lover he’ll meet.
A groom soon at twenty, my heart gives a leap, remembering, and the vows that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now, I have young of my own, who need me to guide…and a secure happy home.
A man of thirty my young now grown fast, bound to each other, with ties that should last.
At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone, but my woman’s beside me to see I don’t mourn
At fifty, once more, babies play ‘round my knee, again, we know children, my loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me, my wife is now dead. I look at the future…..I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own and I think of the years and the love that I’ve known.
I’m now an old man….and nature is cruel, Ties jest to make old age, look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles…..grace and vigor departs. There is now a stone, where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass, a young guy still dwells, and now and again, my battered heart swells
I remember the joys, I remember the pain and I’m loving and living life over again.
I think of the years… all too few…gone to fast, and accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people …..Open and see, not a crabby old man… Look closer…..”It’s me”!!
PLEASE NOTE: All contributions to our ministry should be made payable to “Sonshine Outreach Ministries”. You can mail your gift to SonShine Outreach Ministries, c/o Joyce Mancke, 509 Rhonda Dr., Lockport, IL. 6044l. Your gifts are tax deductible and you will receive an end of the year statement.
Our schedule for May is as follows;
Lakewood Nursing Home, Plainfield – May 3rd @ 2:30 p.m.,
Salem Village, Joliet – May 10 Th @ 2:30 p.m.
Rosewood Rehab Ctr. –Joliet - May 17th @ 2:00 p.m.
Sunny Hill, Joliet –May 24th @ 2:30 p.m.
Everyone is welcome. Come join us, we need your talents. You will make a difference and God will bless you for it.
Respectfully submitted by Joyce Mancke
Email:jmancke@sbcglobal.net.
Telephone: 815-351-7659
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