Thursday 20 October 2011

Now I know his name

"Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours,
yours are the eyes with which He looks compassion on this world,
yours are the feet He walks to do good, yours are the hands with which
He blesses all the world."
Saint Teresa of Avila

Our church was highly motivated about a month ago to help a family in Arnold. It was very amazing to watch the people here step forward to be willing workers to a family in need. It's not that this family needed money or food, they just needed a hand. A helping hand to show support, love, care, compassion and to help them stand...to just stand.

They were overcome with the care of their son, only 18, who was suffering with cancer, a rare kind.

The folks here were the eyes of Christ and saw the need. They became the hands and feet of Jesus, many of them on their knees. They gathered together to work in the family's blueberry fields to pull weeds and clean the fields. They were a blessing to that family and to those who watched and heard the story...blessings in this small part of our world, the hands and feet of Jesus.

At the time I didn't know the boy but I felt for him and his family, I knew how their hearts felt...I know how their hearts feel still.

Later, when I saw his picture, I was surprised to see that I had spoken with him. He was a young man that I'd had a conversation with at the cancer agency, one morning on my shift there. He had a calmness about him, even though he was talking about scary treatments. He had made an impression on me, I thought he was very brave and very wise. I remember watching the back of him as he made his way down the hall and out the door...now I know his name.

His name was Kody, he lost his battle with cancer October 8, 2011