Sunday, July 11, 2010

Reaching Out to Others


Guest Artist: Faye

http://hastingshall2.blogspot.com

and

http://hastingshall2.wordpress.com


Faye is a wonderful mixed media artist who recently created this beautiful blue tag. It is one of many projects that she has brought to a nursing home where she volunteers teaching art to the patients. She is using her talent to serve the Lord--what a wonderful gift to all who learn from her. 


You see, in addition to her work schedule, Faye has volunteered at nursing homes off and on for about 40 years. For 6 years, she worked as the director of Homebound Ministries for her church. In that capacity, she visited the sick and homebound. It provided her with an opportunity to share her faith. She even wrote a devotional book, “Rough Around the Edges,” about her experiences.

Faye is retired now and still making a difference. I asked her if I could share part of a letter she had written to me because I knew it would inspire all of you. Here it is:

When I retired, I still taught Bible studies and Sunday school, but I had time on my hands. I decided to offer my artistic ability to a nearby nursing home. I have volunteered there for almost 2 1/2 years. I love those dear old souls and enjoy crafting and talking with them, including sharing faith stories and praying with them. I am 75 years old and hope that I am allowed to keep my health and strength so I can continue the nursing home trips. 

The Bible study that I lead is small and all of us are elderly. We meet in the daytime since all are retired and because none of us likes to drive at night. My church is a 45 mile round trip from my home. We moved to the country in 1992 and stayed with the same church we had been attending. With family 900 miles away, our church is our family. God has blessed my husband and me with 53 years of marriage, 2 children and a lovely granddaughter, a senior at the College of William and Mary. It is our joy to serve the Lord wherever He leads us.

5 comments:

  1. Cindy, I am so honored to be featured. My story is so ordinary. I read all those wonderful entries to your inspirational place event and I commented on all of them, I think. There are some people out there who have made tremendous contributions to the world. I'm eager to get to know them better through your inspirational blog. Thanks for listing my Challenge Blog link above. My Wordpress blog is where all other art and other ideas land up. Blessings on you for inspiring us all.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very pretty tag. I once worked in a nursing home when I was 16 yrs old for the summer. I come from a ver LARGE family and being lonely was never part of my vocabulary. However, I saw how lonely the residents were. No one would visit them. I was disappointed that there were no activities for them either. I wish I would have thought of hosting craft activities. I'm sure they would have enjoyed them.
    Faye, it's great that you bring joy to the nursing home residents and for some, it may be the one thing they look forward to all day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh Faye,
    I think that this is a wonderful story and I appreciate the efforts you make to be so helpful to the people in the nursing home....It brings such JOY their way I am sure!

    And Maria, that is so TRUE that so many people in the nursing homes are lonely...that is what makes this even more profound.

    In fact, that reminds me of something that happened many years ago while I was visiting one...I think that I will tell about it tomorrow!

    And yes, I was also so moved by the beautiful blogs of everyone who came on and told their stories yesterday...I'm still in awe.

    I hope that this one little blogspot may be a place where we can come together and inspire each other also to do meaningful things.
    Hugs,
    Cindy

    Thank you both for brightening my day!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wonderful story Cindy.

    hugs
    barbara jean

    ReplyDelete
  5. isn't it precious!!! Faye is amazing!!!

    ReplyDelete