December 21, 2010
Priorities
Yes, I realize that it has been a while since I’ve added a new posting on this site. If I have to choose between serving our patients or sitting at the computer writing a blog, I choose the patients. I hope you’ll forgive me.
Yesterday we delivered Holiday Adopt-a-Family gifts, and an equal amount of care packages (a new program this year). We also had the blessing of an unexpected donation of fresh cut trees to share with several of our patients. What a blessing to see how generous people can be in spite of the difficult economy. We also included a couple of families with young children who had lost one of the parents to cancer over the past number of months.
Ribbon of Hope is not primarily an organization that receives and gives “stuff”. Our purpose and our strength is in the intangible services we offer; relationship, caring, perserverance, spiritual encouragement. Yet because we care, because we develop relationships with our patients, and stick by them through the ups and downs of the cancer journey we can’t close our eyes or turn our backs on real needs. When we see the struggles of those who have become like family and close friends we make every attempt to help in whatever way we can. Christmas merely gives us the chance to be the connection between hurting patients and selfless donors so that all can be blessed.
At the top of this post I mentioned our new care package program. This came about because one of our “adopted” families requested cleaning supplies for Christmas. As I looked at her list I was reminded of a comment my son (a cashier at a large super store). He told me that you can’t use food stamps for toilet paper or dish detergent. That was the seed thought for our care packages. We filled those boxes with many non-food essentials to bless some of our older patients on limited income.
Thank you to all who participated.
