Her left hand is permanently locked into a clenched fist. Birth defect. She can't grasp anything with it, but she frequently hangs her carry items from it in a plastic Walmart bag.
One of her legs was affected, too. Everywhere she goes, she slowly shuffles from left to right.
It slows her, but it doesn't stop her.
Six hours a day, five days a week, she stocks the shelves at a local retail outlet. How she does it, I do not know. Patience is deeply etched into every wrinkle of her smiling face.
Over the course of a month, upwards of 20 MUMs volunteers drive her to work in the mornings. We also take her back home in the evening.
When we pick her up, the routine is always the same . . . . With a cheery "Good morning!", and with much difficulty, she slides into the passenger seat. With her good hand, she pulls the seat belt across her lap, then glances over at you with an expectant look on her face. She's waiting on you to take the buckle and snap it into place. If you forget, she says not a word. She keeps trying to do it herself . . . . . . always with a smile!
On the way home in the afternoon, she sings for some of our volunteer ladies. It took her a long time to sing for me, but now she does. Sometimes we sing duets as we drive down the road on the way home from work.
A while back, I asked her to come and sing at our church. She fairly beamed, "Oh yes, I would be glad to!"
Come Sunday, we all watched as she slowly negoiated the two steps to the platform. Once there, with her good right hand, she lifted up the lifeless left one and laid it on the pulpit. Then, she squared her shoulders, smilled sweetly, and with great exuberance, sang out her rendition of "Hallelujah Square".
By the time she got to the second verse we in the congregation felt as if we were enveloped in a cloud of God's Glory . . . !
. . . "Now I saw a cripple, dragging his feet;
He couldn't walk as we do down the street.
I said, "My Friend, I feel sorry for you."
But he said, "Up in heaven I'm gonna to walk just like you."
She lifted her eyes to the heavens and belted out the Chorus:
"I'll see all my friends in Hallelujah Square;
What a wonderful time we'll all have up there.
We'll sing and praise Jesus, his glory to share,
And there'll be no more cripples in Hallelujah Square.
No, there'll be no more cripples in Hallelujah Square!"
To tell you the truth, I stopped seeing her as a cripple a long time ago. She's one of the most balanced and one of the healthiest people that I have ever known.
But, Lord, how I look forward to the privilege of seeing her walk with You in Glory .
. . . . . . . . swift as the swiftest, strong as the strongest!!!
We'll sing and praise Jesus, His Glory to share . . . . .
. . . And there'll be no more cripples . . ."
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One of the most powerful aspects of this ministry is that, over time, our passengers and our volunteer drivers develop relationships with one another. Sometimes it's slow, sometimes quick. Sometimes it's fulfilling, sometimes very frustrating. Sometimes it's sad. Sometimes it's a joy!
With her, it's always a joy!
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Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come . . . . he will come to save you."
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Isa. 34:4-6
(If you want to hear it, here's the song, sung by someone else) Click here to listen.
PostNote: The above was first written over ten years ago. This lady's name was Cynthia. She worked at Goodwill over twenty years, first up in Nashville and then here. She passed away a while back. She is with Jesus, His Glory to share! What a time she must be having!!!!
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On the 10th Day of Christmas - Crystal Clear
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