“On the Front Porch”

    The heat and humidity were beginning to drain my energy as I reached the last house on my designated route.  As members of the Community of Christ, we had been distributing flyers that morning to homes near the church.  Each flyer was an invitation to a Fund Raising Community Barbecue to be held at the church in support of a lunch program at a nearby school.
    He wasn’t visible from the street; but as I walked up the driveway and made my way around garbage bins tucked behind the hedge, I could see the old man sitting on the front porch.  Climbing the weather worn steps toward him, I simply extended a friendly, “Hello!”   In a somewhat pleasant and yet gruff voice he responded with, “You can keep your flyer and give it to someone else.  I’m not going anywhere!” 
    Raising his hand to run thin fingers through a crown of disheveled grey hair, his weary frame spoke as clearly as his audible voice saying, “I’m not feeling well today. I tried to do too much yesterday and I’m not feeling well at all.”  Concern welled up within me. I wanted to reach out and wrap him in a shawl of compassion and care.
    The front door of his house was wide open and over his shoulder I could not help but notice the ramshackle interior of the living area.  There was so much that needed to be done all around him; but this was his home, this was his reality.  What he needed most in this moment was a friend.  And so, for a short while, we became two strangers on the porch engaged in quiet conversation.
    The man was 90 years old, he lived alone but assured me that he had a wonderful daughter and son-in-law that were always willing to drive across town to visit him when he really needed their help. While I saw him as vulnerable, I could detect in his mannerisms and in his spoken words that he was a proud and determined man who enjoyed his independence.
      Although very much “out of my league”, (no pun intended) we talked about his love of watching baseball and we laughed together about his frustration with televised hockey.  In those few minutes together, he seemed to become comfortable enough with my presence to ask, without reservation, if I would do a couple of favors for him. I was grateful for his asking. For, although they were simple tasks, they helped to make me feel useful in a tangible way. 
    His heart seemed lighter as I proceeded down the steps to leave. With his morning newspaper now unfolded in his lap, he wished me a good day and I the same to him. 

    The name of Jesus was never mentioned but I believe His Spirit was there. 

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is expressed best in Community life where people become vulnerable to God’s grace and each other.”    Enduring Principles

Written by Ruth Black
May, 2015.