Sunday, May 2, 2010

MAY 2010 NEWSLETTER AND CALENDAR

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me. Matt: 25:40 (KJV)

Lakewood Nursing Home Salem Village Nursing Home Rosewood Care Center

Sunny Hill Nursing Home

Paradise Park Assisted Living Senior Star @ Weber Rd. Heritage Woods, Bolingbrook. Weber Place

I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people; and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great above the heavens; and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds, by thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; and thy glory above all the earth; Psalms 108:3-5. What an awesome God we serve.

It’s been a great month and God continues to Bless in abundant ways, both in the Nursing Home Ministry and in our daily lives and I praise Him and rejoice in knowing Him as my personal Savior and Lord. “For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness”. Psalms 107:9

Paradise Park had record attendance last month, Praise the Lord. Amanda sent me the following message regarding their services. “We had our record high last month for our Easter service. The people are really liking it, praise God! The Howard/Thompson quartet came and sang specials. It was a nice service. I noticed we almost had enough that we would be at max capacity. I've never had that problem before with anything...what a cool problem to have”…. Well that was a really encouraging e-mail. The team is doing a great job there, Thanks, to all of you and keeps up the good work. It is obvious that God is working.

Gloria called me and told me the great news about the smallest member of our Ministry Team. Her granddaughter, Nina, was saved a couple weeks ago. Nina is a great help to me at the Nursing homes, she goes with me to help push wheel chairs and get the residents to the services. We are happy for you Nina.

Kevin led a resident to the Lord at Rosewood on Sunday. His name is Jerry and we are rejoicing over his salvation. He thought joining the Lutheran Church made him a Christian and Kevin presented the “Steps to Salvation” to him and he prayed the sinner’s prayer. Hallelujah!! Thanks Kevin for your soft heart and for your personal attention and love for the residents.

We enjoyed lots of special music this month at the homes. As always, we enjoy our own trio/quartet, Karl, Margie, Kim and Lisa. Gloria sang at a couple of the services. The little girls did a great job singing at the services on Saturdays and we always enjoy them. Sandy sang a beautiful song at Rosewood. All of our singers are a great asset to the team and the music is so important to the residents.

Bernie, Vicki and their family joined us for the worship service at Salem and I am always thrilled when they come up and sing. Vicki and Bernie did a beautiful job singing together. Bernie, III, sang with the worship team and Sam played the violin. You always have a special place in your heart for your children, and it is especially good seeing them serve the Lord. They are known as the Lutchman Family Ministries in Springfield where they live. Brian, my grandson was also here and he played the piano for us and he did a great job as usual. His playing the piano allowed Lisa to sing with the worship team and we always enjoy her beautiful voice singing. It’s just been a great month and we give HIM all the Praise, Honor and Glory.

Sunny Hill had an error in their resident’s calendars this month. They listed our services at 2:00 p.m. instead of the usual 2:30 p.m. and when we arrived, the room was packed with people waiting for us. One of the residents told me she was so worried because we were late but she said, “I just knew you would be here, you would never forget to come sing for us”. They are all special people and we become so attached to so many of them, they are like our families.

I visited with several of the residents at the homes this month but Albert was different. I spent about 45 minutes with him in his room and he loved the company. He began telling me about his life as I sat and listened. He is 93 and his wife is 89. They never had any children but come from a large family of nieces and nephews. He fell and broke his femur bone which paralyzed him and now he is learning to walk again. He said to me, “I want to tell you my perspective about life”. He sat in deep thought for 2 or 3 minutes about how to sum it all up and then he said, “Life is like a bowl of cherries with lots of pits included”. “I was fishing in Northern Canada when I fell and broke my bone, they rushed me to the hospital and I was paralyzed from the waist down. On the fourth day, I wiggled my big toe which the doctors thought would never happen again. Not one time since that day I fell, have I ever questioned God and said, Why me. I believe God has a reason for the things He allows to happen. He has given me a great life and this is just one of the pits that came with the bowl of cherries.”

It only takes a few minutes when listening to someone like Albert, to realize how Blessed you really are, neither does it take very long to feel guilty if you go visit him with the “poor me” attitude. Its residents like him that help me to realize how truly Blessed I am. In his sad condition, at 93 years old, and his 89 year old wife at home alone, he is grateful to God for a wonderful life. We bonded almost immediately as I knew a lot of the business people he had worked for many years ago and we talked about the scripture that says, “Life is like a vapor, it appears for a little while and then it’s gone”. He said, “I am ready to go but I also have a determination to live”. I left his room feeling so encouraged and Blessed.

I enjoyed a long visit with Tom and Jane this week who are homebound and not really doing very well. They have a caregiver now for Tom and they need your prayers. Please remember to lift them up daily in your prayers. Tom admitted this week that he was a sinner and he prayed the sinner’s prayer. We rejoice with him in his decision to invite Jesus into his heart. Tom does have Alzheimer’s and cannot retain a lot of information, however, Jane said he had never admitted he was a sinner before and we feel this was a big step for him and he understood what he was saying. The Bible says all you have to do is admit you are a sinner and accept Him into your heart and he did that and we Praise God and God alone.

Rhys has had double surgery but is doing great. Please continue to pray for him. He is a great asset to the Ministry Team at Paradise Park. Several of our Ministry Team leaders are once again, planning a mission trip to Africa in August. Please pray for them that God will pour out His Blessings on them and the people they visit. Always remember our Missionaries Bob Holmes and Tom Graef and their families in your prayers. Prayer is a powerful weapon and God loves when we communicate with Him. No Man can follow Christ and go astray. His ways are perfect.

All the water in the world, however hard it tried, could never, never sink a ship, unless it got inside.

All the evil in the world, the wickedness and sin, can never sink your soul’s fair craft, unless you let it in.

“Choose you this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. Joshua 24:15

PLEASE NOTE: All contributions to our ministry should be made payable to “Sonshine Outreach Ministries”.

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 2nd @ 2:30 p.m.

Senior Star @ Weber Rd (Saturday) May 8th @ 10:00 am

Weber Place (Saturday) May 8th @ 11:00 a.m.

Salem Village, Joliet – May 9th @ 2:30 p.m.

Rosewood Rehab Center, Joliet – May 16th @ 2:30 p.m.

Heritage Woods, Bolingbrook, - (Saturday) May 22nd @ 10:00 a.m.,

Sunny Hill, Joliet – May 23rd @ 2:30 p.m.

Paradise Park, New Lenox – May 23rd @ 2:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by Joyce Mancke

Email: jmancke@sbcglobal.net

Phone: 815-351-7659

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