Minister at all times

As many of you know my mom has been dealing with hip surgery since August. About 10 years ago she fell and broke her hip. At that time she had surgery to put pins and screws in her hip.

Over the years she has battled with rheumatoid arthritis. This past August the doctors suggested it would be ok to have the pins and screws removed, so she did that. A month later she had too much pain in her hip and leg and the doctors discovered that her hip was broken again. I guess the arthritis had just taken over. So mom had hip replacement surgery then the hip dislocated. She went for surgery number 3 in October.

She spent her rehab and therapy time at a center that specializes in orthopedic therapy. After spending several weeks in one location, she and dad got to know the center staff very well and they all knew them.

One young lady on staff was from Haiti, single, and pregnant. Mom wasn’t thinking about herself. She was thinking about this young lady and how she could help her begin her life as a mom.

My mom had a baby gift at home that she had purchased for the wife of a staff member at church but they never had a church-wide shower for her. Mom told dad to bring that gift to the center because she wanted to give it to this young Haitian mom. She needed baby things more than the staff wife.

In December mom was released to go home and continue home-health therapy there. She was soon released from home-health therapy sessions and was doing ok, although, the pain continued because of the infection that just wouldn’t clear up.

Then last week her leg was hurting too much so she went back to the hospital where they did another surgery to clean out the infection in her leg. In addition, the doctor removed her prosthetic hip and replaced it with a spacer for a few months.

Mom was moved back to the rehab center yesterday. She likes it much better there than in the hospital. The entire staff knows mom and dad. They are friendlier and easier to get along with. After all, rehab is their specialty.

The center staff was surprised to see mom back but they greeted her with kindness. The young Haitian lady heard mom was back and she rushed to see her to tell about her little girl and how much she appreciated the baby gift: a dress for her to wear. She told mom her little girl has already worn the dress and she is going to bring a picture to show mom.

Now that’s ministry! Mom has many people caring for her and ministering to her. But at the same time she is ministering to the staff and sharing Jesus with others. No selfish bones there — pun intended — get it? bones!

I love you, Mom and Dad. Never stop seeing how you can minister and share with others. I learned how to do it from you.