It’s the start of a new month here on Joni and Friends.
Hi, I'm Joni Eareckson Tada and welcome to November and this being National Alzheimer’s month – where we’re taking time to focus on the families of those who are affected by this aging disease. And I’m thinking of my coworker, Cynthia, who served as an executive assistant for a number of years here at Joni and Friends. Cynthia’s heart for the ministry went way beyond the walls of the office – for her, disability ministry was a family affair.
You see, Cynthia was heartbroken when her very active but elderly mother, Theda, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Theda was always a very bright and on-the-go woman, but with this new diagnosis, her world began to shrivel. Leaving house keys in the refrigerator… credit cards in the microwave… boxes of cereal on the bathroom sink. It was clear Theda needed help, so Cynthia enrolled her mother in an adult day care Alzheimer’s program, but that only covered part of Theda’s day. There was about two hours or so there when Theda needed someone to supervise her. Well, Joni and Friends is a disability ministry organization, so it was no problem to change Cynthia’s work schedule to accommodate her mom’s needs. It meant that every Thursday afternoon, the adult day care center would drop Theda off in her wheelchair at our office, where she would sit by Cynthia’s desk.
Often, I would wheel by Cynthia’s alcove to greet her mom – it was kind of fun, because she never could remember any of my greetings. I’d watch Theda shuffle through Cynthia’s work, organizing things into little piles, none of which matched or belonged. One day I was passing by and I happened to catch Theda reaching for a can of cola on the desk. She examined it, and then Theda poured the Coke into Cynthia’s handbag sitting open by her office chair. Bless her heart, Cynthia turned around, reached gently for the can, smiled, and said, “Now, Mommy, that’s not what we do with our cans of soda.” Never had I witnessed a sweeter, more earnestly concerned response to (what most people would say was) a really irritating and frustrating thing to do, but no frustration was even hinted of in Cynthia’s voice. Theda quickly digressed and it wasn’t much later that she went home to be with Jesus, but I remember Cynthia’s extraordinary example to this day.
It’s people like Cynthia and Theda that we honor on this National Alzheimer’s month and if you know a family affected by Alzheimer’s, I have a great resource I’d like to send you so you can give it to them. It’s a booklet written by Dr. Robertson McQuilkin entitled Living by Vows and it catalogs Dr. McQuilkin’s journey with his wife, Muriel, who suffered from Alzheimer’s. It is a very touching story of their relationship and some of the tough choices that he had to make – choices that really put his wedding vows to the test. Would Dr. McQuilkin treasure Muriel through sickness and health, even when the sickness turned his wife into an absolute stranger? Well, you can read all about it in this little booklet, Living by Vows, and you can get your copy today by visiting our radio page at joniandfriends.org or you can always write us at Joni and Friends, P.O. Box 3333, Agoura Hills, CA 91376.Finally, be looking for ways you can support people like Cynthia who care for a parent affected with this disease – it can be lonely, it’s a solitary journey alongside someone affected by Alzheimer’s, and God, I believe, would want to use your hands and your time to help… especially during this, National Alzheimer’s month.
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JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91376
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