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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: HEALTH (10/13/16)
As Clare knocks on the front door I am being entertained by a humming bird hovering in front of a hanging feeder on the front porch. Clare knocks again, nothing. As she leans in for the third knock the door opens, and I follow her in.

The room is dark. The only light coming in is from the holes in the curtains. Clare introduces me to James and then goes to another room where volunteers are working on his home.

Clare is there as a summer staffer for the Appalachia Service Project. I am her summer chaplain and this is our first of four house visits that we have to make today.

James is sitting in a big arm chair in the living room in his small three room house that sits at the end of a hollow in the Appalachia Mountains of West Virginia.

He points to the couch and tells me to sit. Both the couch and his chair are covered with blankets that are covered in soot. Most of the homes in Appalachia were built in the 1920’s and 1930’s and have no insulation.

It frightens me to think how cold it gets in that house in the winter. In the corner of the room there is an old wood stove surrounded by photos of his family hanging on its thin paneled walls.

James reaches for a bowl of tobacco and starts to roll a cigarette. He tells me that he hasn’t seen his son since he and his wife parted ways 10 years ago. He didn’t share anymore and I didn’t ask.

He is sitting there with a blanket over his legs and wearing a t-shirt, a green flannel shirt, jeans, sweet socks and an old pair of sneakers.

Its 10am and the temperature outside has to be almost 85 degrees already. The windows and doors are shut and James asks me to reach over and turn on the portable electric heater sitting on the floor.

He tells me that he has been struggling with his heath lately and that he has cancer. He is in a lot of pain and he is always cold.

I asked, “What do the doctors say?”

“They keep telling me I need surgery.”

“Are you going to have it?”

“No, I’ve already had one and it made me feel worse than before. I’m done with them doctors; they’re all pickle heads.”

As we continued our conversation I noticed that there is a bible on his coffee table, and I asked James, “Are you a God fearing man?”

“Yes, but I’m a sinner and I don’t think I’m going to heaven.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because I’m a sinner and you’re a sinner and the whole damn world is full of sin. The Lord don’t want any of that kind in the Kingdom.”

“That’s not true. Someone once told me that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. And if you look at all of the characters and all of the stories in the bible, it’s true.”

James just stared at me for a minute or so and said, “I like you, and I like your beard.

Clare made her way back and said it was time to go. I on the other hand felt pressed by the Holy Spirit to anoint James.

I asked James for permission to anoint him and if it was OK for me to pick up his bible and read from it, and I got the nod.

I asked Clare to lay her hands on James and I began to read James 5:13-16 (NIV) which is The Prayer of Faith.

I took my tin of anointing balm and began rubbing on all of the places where James said that it hurt. I then took some balm and made the sign of the cross on his forehead and we prayed.

Poor Clare, she looked like a deer in the headlights, but she remained strong and obedient.

James began to cry and I hugged him. He looked at me and said, “Can I call you brother?”

“I would like that, thank you.”

Then I placed my left hand in the small of his back and put my right hand behind his head and pulled him into me. A hug was no longer worthy of this new brotherhood so I held him until he stopped crying.
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This article has been read 465 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Larry Whittington
10/22/16
Knowing we care heals a lot of hurts.

Nicely written story in a "lovely" setting. Lovely people in that area.
Wendy Godwin
10/24/16
I enjoyed this story. I liked your vivid descriptions and could picture myself right there in the room with James.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
10/31/16
This is a powerful story. You hooked me right from the beginning and held my attention the whole way through.

I noticed a few things such as Bible should start with a capital B, hummingbird is one word, and you don't use a lot of commas. I have a online resource for commas that I really like: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm

I noticed this may have missed the topic a bit. While cancer absolutely affects one's health, this is more about ministering to others than health itself, although it certainly touched on it.

I really enjoyed the story. Your opening displayed the conflict right out of the box. I could feel the tension begin. The ending was great and brought a lump to my throat. I think you did a great job with this one for sure.