Last week was another active week for me. On Sunday, we were at Faith for worship services. I had the chance to stand next to Pastor Buckman as people were leaving the sanctuary and greet everyone. I enjoyed the petting.
Then, I began three special, veteran-oriented activities. First, I visited the Greenhouse residential area at the VA hospital. We visited all four residences and saw many friends. This included Mickey, who was his usual enthusiastic self.
Later the same day, I went to LCC for the “22” Supper. This was a special visit because Pastor Buckman was there. The Kare9 Comfort Dog group at LCC presented Pastor Buckman with their flag, so he could take it on his upcoming trip to Antarctica. After he left and everyone but me had had supper, there was a special program presented by a Chicago community group, Institute For Nonviolence Chicago, dedicated to stopping the violence on Chicago and suburban streets.
Later in the week I attended a party at the VA hospital. This is a regular event sponsored by Faith. It provides an opportunity for me to visit with many more veterans. The entertainment program had an Oktoberfest theme. The special guests for entertainment was the Euro Express Band. They played lots of rousing polka music. Even though the music was loud, I demonstrated my skill to stay calm and relaxed while sitting on the floor about 5 feet away from the drummer. This is a result of my excellent training, which all comfort dogs have.
To finish the week, I visited a senior center in the north shore area. We go there on a regular basis. People are always very happy to see me, especially those confined to a bed. One of the patients we visited for the first time was a man recovering from a mild stroke. He told us that he was going to be released in two or three days. He said that should make him happy, but he said that he was homeless and didn’t know where he was going to go. We prayed with him to ask the Lord to look after him and give him peace. We also told him that the senior center had social service staff who would look after him. They would know about organizations that could help him. He was able to smile. On our way out of the center, we stopped to talk to a senior manager, who confirmed that they will look after this patient and make sure he would not be left alone.
This latter interaction is what happens when we engage in this mission. There are many people out there who need help. We just pray that we recognize these conditions and pray to the Lord for His help.
Be in touch. Peace!