This is a report for Mission 408 by Grace on Wings.
Departure: Charlottesville, Virginia
Arrival: Douglasville, Georgia
Date: July 7, 2016
Mission Report
PSALM 121:12
I LIFT UP MY EYES TO THE HILLSWHERE DOES MY HELP COME FROM? MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD THE MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.
66 year old Lynda has 10 siblings and comes from a very close family all living in Georgia. They all refer to her as the “glue” that holds this family together. Lynda has battled many health issues throughout her life including cancer that left her unable to have children of her own. She and her husband adopted a baby girl who is now 14. She has also spent the last few years caring for her husband watching as his health declines due to parkinson’s.
As he is now wheelchair bound, this trip to Virginia was to more than likely be their last opportunity for a family vacation together. It was during their first day there that Lynda had a stroke and her health has progressively declined since. Now it is her siblings turn to help her. They have had many people all over the world lifting Lynda up in prayer.
They have also been taking turns at her bedside for the last few months and the time has finally come that they can have her transported back to Georgia.
During this planning process as I spoke with many different staff where she is currently hospitalized, there has been one common thread that each person had told me which is….”this family is so sweet and close.” This became very evident upon our arrival. At her bedside were 2 of her brothers and her sister Nancy.
They are all sitting on a pullout bed in her room, where each have taken their turn staying with her so she would not be alone. Lynda does her best to smile as we tell her we are here to take her back to Georgia. While we package her up her brothers each kiss her goodbye, they will be driving back to Georgia while Nancy is flying with us.
Lynda resting for most of the flight and Nancy told us how happy they were to be finally going back home near their family. Nancy said that she will still be about 2 hours away from them however now at least in the same state.
Nancy is also a nurse and when I asked her if she was still working she quickly replied, “as soon as Lynda had her stroke and it became evident that she will require someone to now care for her, I gave my notice.” She now plans on getting her own home ready to do just that.
We arrived at the facility where Lynda will stay temporarily and are greeted by yet another sibling her brother Jimmy. He has already been inside to make sure everything is as perfect as it can be for Lynda.
As we get her out of the back of the ambulance her eyes lit up when she saw him. Once we had her transferred into her new room both Nancy and Jimmy along with her new caregivers were eager to join in pray with us. They were so grateful to have her closer to home.
Thank you to Hal, Mike, Jason and Carla for sharing this mission with me. Great is the Lord and most worthy of all praise.
