National Nursing Home Week Newsletter

"Cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth"
Psalm 71:9

National Nursing Home Week Newsletter
May 2002

As we went into the nursing homes each week we met a lot of people. People who were Christians, who needed spiritual uplifting and encouragement. We passed out song books and handed out the small instruments for them to play and as we begin the services, the residents would sing and play the instruments and begin to smile and really enjoy the services. The residents really enjoyed the "LARGE PRINT" songbooks! Also the tracts that were large print. When I first handed the songbooks to them they would say I can't see it, then when I opened it to show the large print they took it and said, "I can see the words!"

MONDAY-LIFE CARE CENTER-ORANGE PARK

A 93 year YOUNG lady requested us to sing "In the Garden", she said that the song was sung at her mothers funeral and she wanted it sung at her funeral. As we sang the song, the tears begin to flow. David spoke to James McCain, 94 yrs old and a Methodist pastor. James told David that, "No one will stop and talk to me, they all look at me as if I'm crazy." "I can't read my large print Bible." He was very grateful that we brought God's word to them and he told David to stay true to God's word. He also wanted a in room visit from us. This was a great place-many residents requested us to come back on a regular basis.

TUESDAY-Cedar Hills Nursing Home

This is our regular Nursing home that we visit each week. Our regular attendees are always glad to see us. Their names are Harriett, Mint, Uretha, and Ralph. Before Nat'l' Nursing Home Week they started recruiting everyone to come to the services this week. We have had Brittany and our daughter Rachel helping us each day. The girls wheeled the residents to the services, help set up our sound system and equipment; passed out instruments, songbooks and resource materials and were a tremendous help and blessing to our ministry not to forget the ministry they provided to the residents. Our attendance that night was the most we had seen yet with 20 present, thanks to the evangelistic efforts of regular ladies. Daryl Ann, of the Temple Baptist Church, came with us to help and take some pictures with our friends at Cedar Hills. We met, for the first time, Mary and Frances. We visited them for awhile in their room, they are roommates. Mary is 101 yrs old and gets around real good. She is quite a character and very bubbly. She joked around a lot. It was a nice visit after the service. She desired a follow up, in room visit. Ralph is a regular and really, really, enjoys having the large print songbooks to sing out of. He ask me on a visit before if we were going to use the songbooks. We didn't have songbooks the first time we went. As we sang "The Old Rugged Cross", he played the tambourine and raised his arms in the air to praise the Lord. He really enjoyed the services. This was very encouraging and such a blessing to us. Harriett likes to hear me sing, "She'll be coming round the Mountain," I really get into this song and do all the motions and noises.

WED- HEARTLAND HEALTH CARE CENTERS

There were approx. 15 residents in attendance. After the services we spoke to each person. I remember Bea especially because she told me that she was 200 yrs old! I said no, she said she was born in 1900 and that made her 200 yrs old and she was serious! She is actually 102 yrs old, plays the piano and uses only a walker to get around. Another lady there did quote, during the devotion, John 14:1-3 by memory but could not remember her room number! Amazing isn't it? That's the power of God's word! Bessie Wyatt sticks out in my mind, I spoke with her a good 15 minutes. She said she was saved. She just wanted someone to talk to. She told me of her husbands death and her son who was to become a pro baseball player but died from a brain tumor. They all enjoyed the singing. When I collected the songbook (large print) from Mrs. Biron, she wanted to keep it and offered me money for it. We plan to purchase one for her and do a follow-up visit.

THURSDAY- ALTERRA ASSISTED CARE CENTER

There were 15 in attendance. Even though this was not a nursing home, we scheduled here anyway. Every night we have distributed large print Gospel's of John (KJV) large print tracts and a bookmark. At Alterra they couldn't believe that the resources were theirs to keep! Especially this one elderly lady about 99 yrs old....she had a bad case of Altziemers (sp?) As we gathered up our belongings she came over with her walker asked us if the Gospel of John and the tracts were hers to keep, we told her yes. She told us that she went to Sunday school and that her dad was the Sunday school superintendent, mom was a Sunday school teacher and their family knew where they would always be on Sunday morning. She said thank you for coming and praised us for our ministry and wished us to have a nice day. We continued to gather our things and she walked away, then walked back and began the same dialogue with, "Is this for me to keep?" she continued this same dialogue 4 or 5 more times (bless her heart). Everyone was glad that we came and wanted us to come in every Wednesday to provide services weekly..

FRIDAY-IHS of Jacksonville

I had been here with the church one time so I remembered a few faces, especially this one little meek and lovely lady. She had the most beautiful blue eyes, she was so sweet. There were about 20 residents present. We passed out the instruments and songbooks. As we sang there was a elderly couple together and the lady was crying as we sang the songs, after the service I thanked them for coming. There were lots of smiles. Mrs. Hughes was glad we came and said they needed a lot more people like us to come in to do services because there was a great need. Mrs. Hughes was talking from experience as she has been residing at IHS for over 13 years.

IN CONCLUSION:

Overall this week was a tremendous experience for both us and the hearers, where spiritual uplifting and encouragement was abundant. A lot of our dear elderly just wanted someone to talk to them and tell them of the love of Jesus. Everyone commented about the LARGE PRINTED materials that we had. They all enjoyed using the songbooks and instruments. Every night was such a blessing. Brittany and Rachel came with us every night but one and both were such a BIG help and it was a real blessing to watch them, the up and coming generation, share in this needful ministry. We had a cart (donated to our ministry by a beloved brother in Christ, to carry everything from a 58 LB. P.A. sound system to boxes of books and resources. The girls helped pass out materials and instruments, wheel the patients to and from the services and to just help the residents to turn the pages of their songbooks. Every nursing home we went into requested that we please come back. Please pray for Sounds of Joy Ministries s as we are attempting to incorporate which will allow us to become a tax free, non-profit organization and allow us to begin receiving contributions and funding from those who wish to contribute (which can be claimed at income tax time). There are so many needs and resources that can be purchased and disseminated to our Nursing Home brothers and sisters.

NATIONAL NURSING HOME WEEK THROUGH THE EYES OF RACHEL TACK:

THIS HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL WEEK BECAUSE OF NATIONAL NURSING HOME WEEK. IT HAS BEEN A BLESSING FOR ME JUST TO SEE THE SMILE ON THE PEOPLE'S FACES WHEN YOU SAY A KIND WORD OR HELP THEM IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THERE WAS THIS ONE LADY AT CEDAR HILLS NURSING HOME, SHE HAD A PROBLEM WITH HER LEGS. THERE WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT HER THAN ANY ONE ELSE I HAVE SEEN IN A NURSING HOME.

Sounds of Joy Ministries
Ministry Family
446 Halsema Rd. N.
Jacksonville, Fla. 32220

SJM