Celebrate National Volunteer Week with Joni as she shares about a remarkable woman who has served at over 35 Wheels for the World outreaches!
I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I just met the most remarkable woman.
When she came into my office, I vaguely recognized her, but I could not place her face. She then introduced herself as Rose Hull, and I was then able to remember where I’d seen her. Rose has appeared in our newsletters. And on a Joni and Friends poster. And I think she was even on a brochure for our ministry. Why all the fuss about Rose? Well, this rather petite woman has served on over 35 Wheels for the World trips. Precious Rose has faithfully packed her bags with supplies and has flown to Africa with us, and to Central America, Southeast Asia, and she reminded me that she met me in Cuba over 20 years ago when my husband Ken and I were there, serving alongside Wheels for the World.
But 35 Wheels for the World trips isn’t the big thing. But I want to know something else about Rose. She is in her 80s. Yes, this octogenarian is even getting ready to head off on another Wheels for the World outreach. She will be unpacking wheelchairs, working the registration desk as families come in and sign up, and she’ll be praying with those people. Rose will retrieve supplies for our physical therapists, she’ll gather around disabled children who were being fitted for their wheelchairs and she will lovingly support their familes. And if you’d like to see photos of Rose Hull at work, then go to my radio page at joniradio.org and be inspired by this 80-some-year-old woman’s smile. I sure was lifted when she came into my office that day and shared her heart for helping the world’s neediest. She said to me, “Joni, when you are a believer in Jesus, you are never too old to serve. And I received back so much more than what I give.”
You know, hers is a great story to share on this National Volunteer Week. Because you are never too old to volunteer. Rose has received so much joy, such great blessings and rewards from helping these children with disabilities who have nothing. So, please, when you go to joniradio.org today, take a few extra minutes to peruse our website to discover ways that you can serve Jesus, no matter how old you are. And, hey, your service could be the ministry of prayer. We have Wheels for the World outreach trips planned throughout this year, and next month. Wheels for the World teams are going to be heading to Argentina and to Nepal. Oh, please pray for the success of the gospel as we take the good news of Jesus Christ to needy people in these countries. And as you pray, I want to bless you with these words from 2 Corinthians 9:12. “This service that you perform is overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” Yep, that was the Scripture I shared with Rose Hull when I met her that day in my office. Because whether you are 80 years old and you travel to give the gospel to disabled people in El Salvador, or you are 80 years old and pray for the gospel to touch the hearts of those precious ones in El Salvador, you are serving.
Yep, it’s National Volunteer Week. And it is our wonderful volunteers who make up the backbone of this ministry, whether you pray, or serve on a Wheels for the World trip, or volunteer at a Joni and Friends Family Retreat, believe me, the service that you perform always overflows in many expressions of thanks to God. So, God bless you, friend, for serving in the kingdom of Christ. Making it strong, making it rich, and expanding its borders around the world. Find out how we’re doing that at joniradio.org, and get volunteering! And those are your hope-filled words for today.
© Joni and Friends