The first time I went to a home for the elderly with my school group I didn’t know what to expect. At other community service locations, tasks are straightforward: packing boxes of food or clothes, giving hot meals to the homeless or hungry persons, etc. At the home for the elderly, our “task” was to visit the residents and accompany them for a couple of hours.
Although I was scared on my first day, my first look at Clark House calmed me. It’s a beautiful place with a large, newly constructed white building and brightly colored floral arrangements enhancing the grounds. Once in the lobby, our school group was directed to a patio where aides had wheeled out several elderly men and women—people who rarely had anyone visit them. We visited with the residents and talked with them. This was a challenge since most of the residents had lost some of their hearing, memory, or ability to talk. Conversations with them could be discouraging, especially if you expected answers to all of your questions.
With time, however, I learned to accept the residents’ limitations and recognize how much they really appreciated the company. Regardless of whether they could answer my questions, hear what I said, or even acknowledge my presence, they seemed happy to have company. For me, the best thing about visiting Clark House was seeing the smiles on the people’s faces as they simply looked at us. Without saying a single word they communicated how much they appreciated the time we took to be with them.
—Cecily
Sometimes, serving others involves something to do: clear tasks with directions and an objective. But often service is just about presence. Some of Jesus’s greatest acts were just in being with a person. Look up the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Two are to visit the sick and comfort the afflicted. Choose one and see how being the gift of presence is an act of service.
Understanding is central to communication; it can be extraordinarily difficult to reach someone when you are unable to communicate or do not speak the same language. And yet the residents in the story understood that the author and others were communicating love. What are some ways you can bring God’s love to those who cannot hear or see or simply don’t speak the same language?