Between Stranger and Neighbor
The neighbor in my life that I have tried to reach out to are some senior members of our Napa Methodist Church, who I have known over the years and first met them when my mom was alive more than 10 or 15 years ago. I would, at first, occasionally join my mom for the Napa Methodist Church Friday lunch group and the Bible Study group that would meet after church in the library before the COVID pandemic in 2020.
My mom passed away in 2019 and from her love and caring and her routines, I developed a loving, positive routine and practice, where I would take some of these older ladies home after Bible study on Sundays and also to pick them up for the Friday lunches and then return them home. Doris is one of the ladies and now she is 102 and I am still picking her up, along with different ladies thru the years. Many of the ladies have passed over the years, but their memory is always with me. All of the ladies are and were always appreciative and kind about the rides they receive.
Even though maybe, I was being kind and generous, I really am getting more out of giving and helping. I know that I am trying to give back good to all the love and support I have received in my life from God, my family, and my wife. My wife, Jeannette and I got married in the Napa Methodist Church, nearly 6 years ago on June 2, 2019. She has now become friends with many of these ladies and we continue to drive Doris and other ladies on Fridays. The original planner/coordinator of the Friday lunches, Pat Campbell, passed away in 2024. The group is dwindling and it is possible it could end. 102 year old Francis, another driver and original member passed away a week ago on Feb 16th.
The number of drivers are fewer and fewer. The challenge for us is that we live 35 miles away in Vacaville and the Friday afternoon traffic returning from Napa to Vacaville can take an hour.
Prayer: Please pray that we can continue the Friday lunches and we can continue to be neighbors in Christ. Amen
Larry Gittings