May 13, 2022 Fifth Sunday of Easter
Some of you know that I was sick and had surgery on my lung last year. I had been sick pre-COVID, and it continued during the pandemic. I now have another diagnosis. It is thyroid cancer, but I want you to know that I am feeling better than I have in years. I am getting stronger every day and I know the prayers from each of you helped. I love you all.
While I was in the infirmary, some good things happened. Chaplain Terry asked the major and the warden if she could bring me holy communion. They said yes. I know her so well that I knew she would come without even being told.
Then the officer who was on duty in my hospital room told me she got a message that “the chaplain” was trying to come upstairs to me, and the people at the registration desk and other security type people wouldn’t let her come up. It truly didn’t bother me because, like I said, I know her. I also know how God moves through her because God knows how much we women all need the consistency of our own pastor. So, I just waited. And waited. And in she came.
We smiled and laughed about how inmates are treated a lot of the time, and how even people who have the nerve to love us inmates are treated a lot of the time. Even the officer in my room laughed.
Then, when we set up to have communion, the officer asked if she could have communion too. It was such a beautiful moment of us all coming together.
Another good thing that happened in the hospital is that my heart started to heal in ways along with my lung. As my heart and lung have continued to heal, God gave me a vision—yes, a vision—that I am to help others to heal as well. I am to do this by ministering to my sister inmates in how they see themselves.
I know God continues to move through me as I have been blessed to be able to provide glasses for some of the inmates here who are in need and can’t afford it. It is such a blessing to be a part of a ministry that helps us to see both the outside world and ourselves in a better light.
Thank you for walking with us as we all continue to heal in this troubled world. We all could benefit from seeing and understanding each other better.
“Vision of Hope,”
Lacie