Today is Mrs. D’s 96th birthday! Her family couldn’t celebrate with her til the following day, so we – me, Audrey, Makiko and her two adorable kids – totally surprised Mrs. D when we walked into her room! She smiled widely when we gave her a birthday card and a bouquet of roses. She said, “Thank you so much!” and, because she can’t see well, asked us to read what we wrote to her in the card. We read our encouraging words to her, like “Thank you for being our prayer warrior, your cheerfulness, and being an encouraging presence in our lives.” She is a prayer warrior because every Sunday she reminds us how she prays for us daily . She asks about Barbara and how her babies are doing. She also follows up on my prayer requests regarding my family’s salvation and health. Whenever someone is absent, she would ask if that person is sick and how he/she is doing. She says she is praying for her roommates and the rest of the residents here. Although she can’t remember names very well, she can describe in detail many of the residents. We often find her sitting in the dining room instead of staying in her room, where she is talking and interacting with the nurses and other residents. She also unreservedly asks us to pray for her health so she would be able to live with her family again soon. We encouraged her to be a good witness to the residents while she is here. I’m so grateful how God used us to bring joy and encouragement to Mrs. D on her special day! She is a caring and warmhearted grandmother to all of us.
