With the Pandemic preventing us from seeing the ones we love, a challenge that faced us, pastoral team, is how to continue to provide support to those we do not see often, our elderly in care homes. In addition to the wonderful effort of the “buddy system,” the pastoral staff has been making phone calls to replace our visits and sending hand-written notes, to remind people that there is a community that cares about them. And lately, I have done some window and Facetime visits, and would love to share some news and pictures with you all.

I have been able to Facetime with Kioshi a couple of times who is currently in Eskaton Care Center Fair Oaks, Covid Unit. When he was at the ACC facility that is his current permanent residence, I was so thrilled to be able to go see him in person over a month ago, before the restrictions were tightened again, and we both shared a socially distanced meal, in the outdoor space of the ACC facility. I was also delighted to receive a phone call from him to thank me for a note I had dropped for him earlier.

On a phone call with May Mayeda a month ago, she said “I hear noise near you, are you in a coffee shop?” and after I responded positively she went on to add that she misses having a cup of coffee at a coffee shop. Earlier last week, I grabbed a good cup of coffee and a piece of raspberry pie and dropped them off at the front desk where May lives, and after sanitizing the outside the goodies were delivered to May who was waiting for me behind her apartment window. I was able to visit with her from behind the window, and we shared a nice cup of coffee.

Daisy and I have met a couple of times as well; I caught her in her yard with her plants that she introduced me to, and she gave me a beautiful face mask she hand-made for me!!!

I was also able to see Auntie Jane in her backyard; she gave me a distanced royal salute and asked about and sent regards to everyone!

In my culture, our elderly are blessings in our lives, and I feel indeed blessed every time I get to “see” and spend time with those I came to love and cherish in our Parkview community.

Yours in Christ,
Rola