Stories of Hope
These stories are all anonymous but true. We want you to be encouraged, as well as participate; if you have a story, let us know!
Posted August 12, 2021
This week we had a senior man call into our office looking for resources to help him get through the month. The previous week he had been scammed his entire pension check. Scams like this quite commonly happen to seniors. The younger generation can see a scam from a mile away, but vulnerable seniors like this client do not always see a scam coming. Especially a senior who has no family to run these situations by. Isolated seniors are these people’s best chance at a successful scam.
The senior man told CCC that he had a little money saved that would get him through the month, but any resources that would help would be greatly appreciated. We told him about resources such as The Salvation Army in the community that would have fresh food and produce for him. He was very grateful! We had a gift card for Hofstede’s that was donated to Compassionate Care. I decided to put a little care package together for him with fresh produce from Hofstede’s to help him out until he would be able to get to the Salvation Army. He came in the next day to pick it up and he was so grateful.
This man just needed someone to talk to. He stated that he had no family or people around him to talk to. He found our number from our card in the Canada Day bags we gave out. He had kept the card and reached out.
Another remarkable thing is the senior home where he lives. I remember back in January trying to get the word out about Chilliwack Compassionate Care. I had a list of different senior homes in front of me and I asked God to match us up with the right one. The first place I called was this home. Things have just clicked there, and we have such a great relationship with that building, and many people have been blessed by CCC. I have enjoyed getting to know each person there and they have been a blessing to me too!
Posted July 6, 2021
In January we started Chilliwack Compassionate Care. This is geared towards seniors in the community. Every week I deliver a loaf of bread to the homes of each of our senior clients. You would not believe how one loaf of bread can make a senior’s day! Especially when you throw a couple of extra sweets! I have enjoyed getting to know each one of our senior clients. When we started this bread delivery program it was meant to help seniors in a very practical way. Over these past couple months, I have realized how much a familiar face each week brightens these seniors’ day. With social restrictions in place, it has isolated many seniors whose only source of interaction was when people came to visit them.
One of my clients is almost 90 years old. She is very sharp and lives on her own. She is always sitting by the door, looking out the window around the time I arrive to deliver her loaf of bread. She is always cheerful and fun to talk to. She has many stories to share, and I love listening to them. As I got to know her over the past couple of months, she mentioned that she was married, and her husband had dementia and was in a care home facility. She loves to talk about him and share stories. One delivery day I walked up to her house and she told me that her husband had passed away. I went and purchased a flower arrangement on behalf of Chilliwack Compassionate Care to show her how deeply sorry we were for her loss. She had tears in her eyes, and she explained how hard of a week it had been. She told me how thankful she was for Chilliwack Compassionate Care. The following week I came by and there she was, waiting by the window in her chair. After I gave her a loaf of bread, she had a folded up piece of paper with her husband’s obituary. She wanted to share something with me that was so precious to her. You could tell how proud she was of her husband and how much she loved him. As I read this newspaper clipping it reminded me of how precious life is and how we have a short amount of time with our loved ones. Sometimes the friendly visits are worth more than a loaf of bread to these seniors.
