A Jon Post
It’s been hard recently. The number of people coming in on legs or in wheel chairs and leaving under a blanket has been higher than usual. I have known some well, others I have met only once or twice, and there are even some few who I don’t have the privilege of knowing before I hear “Another one died last night”.
I have been pondering our ministry and our reasons for what we do over the last few days and our mission to speak and find the “Voices of the World”. I wrote down some thoughts tonight as I was thinking about those voices. There are very many.
Here in this dark place
Where death reigns and corrupted flesh fouls the air
Here in this dreary room
Where poison drips drips drips through plastic tubes and needles
Here in a lonely bed
A heart still beats slowly slowly slowly unrested since the day it was bornI have a name
Faces and tears and hands are easy to imagine, easy to pity and easy to forget.
Broken bodies and stained bed sheets pull prayers like shoulders from their sockets
But names slip in and out of memory faster than the prayers stopI have a name
A person lies here. A person who grew up far from this bed. A person who learned to live and play and love and walk and dance and curse and work and sing and offer grace and hurt people and trust people and run away and stand and fight.
A person lies here still.
Though eyes loll back and lips mutter meaningless words and muscles spasm…
A person lies here still.I have a name
Born so many years ago and named by laughing and smiling parents.
From infant, to toddler, to child, to teenager, to adult… this name has marked for good and ill.
Whispered by a lover in a secret meeting place
Derided in a mocking voice by the school bully
Yelled from across the busy street by a friend in the marketplace
Spoken sternly by a disciplining father
Whimpered in disbelief by a mother who has just found out the gravity of this sicknessI have a name
Now at the end of life and legacy that name means more than it ever has.
Though flesh falls away
Though family has stopped visiting
Though the pain replaces the familyI have a name
It is not forgotten.
Hey, ya’ll I really loved the poem up above.. All we can do is pray and you guys are doing a great job there.. God really has angels, like Jon, Layne and Baby Anaya…May God Bless ya’ll and take care cause I care.. oxoxox 8+D)
You have given us names, and even a few faces, to hold in our hearts, Jon and Layne. I believe there are many who read your posts and still remember these dear people-with-names because of the way you have honored, loved, and dignified them as those whom Jesus loves. Please do not get tired of bringing them to us; we are loving and praying for them … and grieving those who have died.
We remember: … Emilia … Joaquim … Jose’ Manuel … Deluz … Rosina … Oombi … Sandra … Marcelino … Jonathan … Esperanca … Lucia … Joanna … Rosa … Fatima … Fernanado … Belvindo … Georgina … and many others …….
Do you ever think of re-posting? “Silence of God”, Oct., 24, 2010 would be a great re-post, as would many others.
And He knows every name. And loves each one.
I don’t have any words to add…nothing profound or comforting. But I wanted to post to let you know I’m reading, caring, remembering, praying.
I know it means so much to God that ya’ll care for the “ones” you’ve known by name and honor them as you do by not forgetting them but bringing them to all our attention. Thank you Jon for a beautiful poem in their honor.
The “Silence of God” post is riveting, and I absolutely needed to read it today. Thank you for pointing me back to read that one, Ms. Vicki!
As for all of those individuals suffering around you, Jon, I am priveleged to learn of their name through the service of you, Layne, and Anaya. Thank you for giving us such a bittersweet gift.
I am remembering Cleo today. I am so sorry for this most recent loss of your good friend, dear Layne.
“Thank You, Lord, for the brief spark of life and joy that you brought into Layne and Anaya’s life. HER NAME WAS CLEO. And she was loved. She will be much missed. Oh, how I hope she is with You and that she is free of the pain that characterized her last days. Oh, how comforted we are to know that You love her perfectly.”
Jon as always you have a gift from God with words we all need to hear Love, Aunt Joan & Don