Help Anastasia and Blair cope with loss of Mom

The Lord’s Assignment

At the beginning of her shift, the nurse awaits her assignment. These days, never knowing when, where, or how the assignment will end; we embrace the unknown faces that the Lord deemed us to shepherd over. For over the past year, we’ve learned that in these difficult times, only God’s Assignment can give meaning and purpose in the midst of sorrow.”

I wrote these words last April, after one of many of my beautiful patients lost his battle to Covid-19. Today, I have a huge ask; so bear with me. Last night I was called into work, as I typically work days. My assignment was yet another lovely lady, only 49 years of age, who had come to the end of her month long Covid journey. She had two lovely children, Anastasia and Blair (ages 21 and 19 respectively) who were her entire world. Lovingly, she fought this battle for them. Yet, last night, they were faced with the overwhelming decision to lovingly release their mother back into God’s arms. They did so, at that time, and in that space, because they wanted me to be present in that moment (The Lord’s Assignment). I watched them weep as they released their mother. Now, I need each of you to lovingly wrap your arms around these young people who have no clue how to navigate the next steps in their lives. They do not have the presence of a father or other family members to assist them. So, Anastasia reached out to me this morning just to figure out how to get her mother’s body released to a funeral home with limited resources. Anastasia works as a barista at Starbucks while attending Macomb Community College online. Her brother, Blair, also takes online classes at Macomb while working at Sonic. These young people walk to work, as neither of them have their own transportation. They currently live in an apartment in Shelby Twp. which they previously shared with their mother. My ask is not for myself but for these young people. On behalf of all of us who are heavily burdened with grief as we continue to care for those in need, please reach out to these young people and share your gifts, talents, and financial resources with them as they try to make sense of all that they, too, are currently going through.

Lastly. as we approach Martin Luther King Jr. Day, tomorrow, I leave you this quote: ‘I choose to identify with the underprivileged, I choose to give my life for the hungry, I choose to give my life for those who have been left out of the sunlight of opportunity . . . this is the way I'm going. ~MLK, Jr.