Through the dust and storm
For the first time in 39 years California had the worst drought. I remember last fall there was only one rain. It’s a really dry season this winter. The weather itself is great, but whenever I see the desolate plains and dried out trees and grass, it’s rather unpleasing. So every time I walk in the morning and evening, I pray “Lord, give us rain!”
On the 23rd morning 7:30AM I got picked up by a deacon from my church (Bethany Alliance Church) and drove to his father who is in a nursing home. He is a pastor, and this year he is 91 years old. About 7 years ago his health wasn’t good, so he had been admitted to a nursing home. A year ago, he no longer could move, and because he cannot eat, has a hose attached to his stomach to give him nutrient. Almost once a week I would visit with his son, or alone, and whenever I see him lying in bed, it’s really worrying that I cannot express.
The deacon’s mother is also elderly with a bad kidney and has an early stage of Alzheimer’s, and started to take medications. But because she forgets to eat, her health started to get worse. After her kidney surgery, she started a dialysis. Her daughters live in Southern California, and after searching for a nursing home that was near to them, they found a Christian nursing home that is exclusive with Koreans.
Whenever I visited with his son, I remember that his wife would be with him once a week for several hours. After she had moved to Southern California, he started to think that she had passed away. Sometimes when I visit with him, the pastor would ask multiple times if his wife has passed away or not, and I wanted to help his son and say that she had moved away somewhere far, but is healthy and ok.
But he would not believe the story.
The deacon and his sisters had a discussion and found a nursing home that is about 10 minutes from where his wife was. Normally it’s for those who are seriously ill, and after admittance the pastor has moved there. The day we visited, we were going to move the pastor to the place after he was here for 7 years. After getting him in the car, we said that we are going south to “see” his wife.
Because the deacon would have to drive long distances alone to see his father, I volunteered to be his partner so he can talk with me while driving or in the case if we need to switch. That is how he came to my apartment, and after visiting the nursing home, started to head to Southern California. We took the US101 and East CA152. On the way down that route there is a large reservoir, and the water was almost dried to the bottom. The mountains should be green and blooming, but it is just dry and yellow. Any other mountains that has horse or cow ranch – animals would just eat and eat, so the mountain is bare. On my way to my son’s place in Nevada many of the pine trees were healthy last year, but they are all just dry now. It was only natural that I prayed the Lord would fix this land.
After driving on Interstate 5 for about 3 hours from San Jose, we had a short rest and continued on quickly. Since the pastor was a patient, we had to get to the nursing home as soon as possible. Driving on another 30 minutes, suddenly the vision in the front started to blur and darken. There are several cars slowing down with emergency lights on. I was curious what would be causing this darkness when there is no fog in the mid-day. When our car had entered that area we were hit by a sandstorm which was formed by the empty fields. For about an hour the sandstorm rolled by, hitting the cars, the windows… It wasn’t the best of conditions for the cars. I have driven the interstate 5 for numerous times, but this was the first time. But why and how did this storm form? It’s because the dry conditions, no humidity with any rain, combined with the wind, caused to form the sandstorm. Because of the storm, we arrived about 40 minutes behind schedule. The pastor was lying in the front seat saying he was bored, but the traffic jams are prone in Southern California highways, combined with the sandstorm.
Finally upon arriving at destination, parking the car, we called the office and a Korean nurse came out and greeted us gladly. A short time later, a social worker named Joy came out greeting happily, “Glad to see you come from so far away.” she isn’t Korean, but speaks it so well. Most of the morning shift crew is rather stern faced because they are tired from serving with many patients, but she was the opposite. The young Filipino man was strong and kind, while helping getting the pastor on a wheelchair. I was happy that those three who had greeted us with smile and laughter.
After getting the pastor on bed, his first word was “Where is my wife?” She was located on a different hospital, so we couldn’t see her today. He sounded a bit sad. He kept saying that she had passed away, and wouldn’t believe us, telling we were deceiving him. I told him that he only has to wait another day, but he would not believe me.
While the deacon did the files for the father, filling in information and all the requested things, I was with him alone for that time. While that was happening, there were a lot of activities, changing his clothes, his bed, and simple tests of his health. They were all so kind to him. It was unusual that new to see that most of the workers and nurses spoke Korean, even if they weren’t Korean. This was because most of the patients are dominantly Koreans. It was so great since the pastors’ speech wasn’t the best of conditions. I thought it wasn’t good for me to look while they took his weight measurement so I went outside. While several nurses passed by, they greeted and the receptionist Caucasian lady offered me coffee. I usually do not drink them during the afternoon, but thinking that I would have to take turns and drive the car with the deacon, I was probably going to have to have it since we were expected to arrive 3AM in the morning. When the deacon was almost done with his work, his younger sister visited, and after seeing their father, there was a greeting and we prayed together with the pastor and left.
After exiting, the social worker and the nurse came out to give us a departing greeting. Afterwards, we were about to leave when Joy went into the office and gave us two bottled waters. She said to have them while driving the long distance back. As Jesus said, even the smaller person would have large award in Heaven, even if it was just “serving water”. I think her act of kindness and customs had passed to others around her.
We headed to the pastor’s wife place, which wasn’t too far from here. It’s a really well maintained nursing home. All the patients there are Koreans. It’s natural the communication is much easier and all the food is Korean. I heard that her health improved greatly after her kidney dialysis. When I saw her face, the color had brightened and was looking great. Even though she was on an early stage of Alzheimer’s, she recognized me and was glad. With the deacon’s sister, and her husband, and the deacon himself, we held her hand and prayed. After farewells, we were heading out and saw that she got on her wheelchair and came out her door to greet us till we had departed in our car.
I give thanks to God that he had given the pastor and his wife a great place to be nursed and cared. As well as the two daughters who are able to stay close by. After we visited the deacon’s two daughters in Los Angeles, we went to a restaurant and meal. When we left, it was little over 8:30PM.
(2014 January 27th)
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Through the dust and storm