I love her because she taught me how to put on nylons when I was in middle school and because she has shown me how to enjoy knowing Jesus. Just back from Kenya on a short-term trip to work in a hospice, she had me in tears with this story that I know will encourage you.
Please welcome the beautiful, fun, and tender-hearted Carol Draeger. Once my aunt and now my dear friend.
On a recent mission trip to a hospice in rural Kenya, our team of five decided to pray and sing over each patient at their bedside. One older woman, Anna, had end-of-life cervical cancer and insisted she sit on the edge of her bed as we laid hands on her. After we prayed, my heart became very tender for her, and I wept as she looked deep into my eyes and said over and over Asante, Asante, thank you, thank you.
That night, God woke me up and told me, Tomorrow, sit with Anna.
I can do that, Lord, I said.
The next morning I told the medical director my desire to sit with Anna. After a few minutes, the medical director came and asked me if I still wanted to sit with Anna as she didn’t have much longer. I asked if she meant Anna might pass in the next day, and she answered, No, seconds!
I rushed to Anna’s side and held her hand just as she was passing. I told the Lord I was sorry that I didn’t get to sit with Anna.
You will sit with Anna all the way to the funeral home. She has no family here with her.
Okay, Lord, I said.
I helped transfer Anna to the ambulance and rode the short distance to the funeral home. After assuring the mortician that I was okay with this, I helped transfer her to the metal table, undress her and cover her with a white satin sheet. I said goodbye as we slid her into the cooler.
It was one of the most pure and holy moments I’ve ever experienced.
I told the ambulance driver what God had told me to do, and he said they would use that as testimony at her funeral. So this is what God meant by sit with Anna, and it may, in fact, be my fondest memory of Kenya.
What holy task does God whisper to your heart this day?
Christy Fitzwater is the author of A Study of Psalm 25: Seven Actions to Take When Life Gets Hard. She is a blogger, pastor’s wife and mom of two teenagers and resides in Montana.
