We Cannot Leave Jesus
By Maya A., Volunteer in Romania
June was about 87 years old and from what we could see, she couldn’t take care of herself and had no one to take care of her.
She led us back to her apartment, and was an appalling sight to see. Everything in the house was covered in mold and cigarette butts. The toilet had stopped working and was full. The floor was full of bugs and grime, to the point that every step had us stuck to the floor. All of her clothes smelled like urine and were spread out around the house.
We cleaned up a little with the broom and did what we could to clear some of the old food off of her countertop. She thanked us for coming, and asked us to come back when we could.
I was extremely uncomfortable. Everything in me wanted to leave and never come back. As we turned on to our block, my community sister said, “I think we have to go back. I felt like we met Jesus. And we cannot leave Jesus like that, in those conditions.”
At that moment, this was exactly what I didn’t want to hear. But I knew she was right. No one should be left like that. I spent some time that night in adoration, begging for the strength and the desire to go back the next day. I started to realize how hardened my heart was and how unwilling I was to give up my comforts for the sake of this poor woman. June needed a friend. So, dragging my feet, we walked back, armed with cleaning supplies, hoping to restore some of the dignity she had lost.
We went back to check in on June a couple of weeks later, and to see what else we could do for her, but to our surprise, she had been evacuated from this apartment and taken to a hospital for care. And just two weeks after this, we heard that she passed away in that hospital.
I still don’t know exactly why our paths crossed only these two times. And I’m not exactly sure what we did to help her. But I know that it was part of God’s plan for us. I will never forget her. Our time together was so human.
We needed each other. She needed someone to love her enough to help. And I needed to love her.