MY GOOD SAMARITANS

Posted on 2006-Mar-26 at 07:49

Have you ever had a Good Samaritan in your life?

YouÂ’ve heard the story, IÂ’m sure:

 A traveler is mugged by thieves and left for half-dead. In need of mercy and medical help, the man lies wounded on the side of the road. Prominent people ignore him--a priest and a Levite (teacher in the temple). These people youÂ’d assume would be compassionate.

Ironically, a stranger from Samaria, one deemed an enemy, displays compassion—wrapping the poor traveler in bandages and setting him on his own donkey to the nearest inn, caring for the man, and giving money to the innkeeper to care for him until he recuperates. This Good Samaritan gave from his heart, expecting no payment in return.

I want to share about some Good Samaritans in my life. I’m not going to name any of them, as they don’t want the publicity. They are the real givers in this life—not wanting fanfare and applause for their good deeds, but only wanting a pat on the back from God. I consider them true heroes.

About five years ago, our oldest daughter, 6, fell mysteriously ill, her heart dangerously ballooning inside her chest. In the pediatric ICU, intravenous medications kept her alive. She was released from the hospital on heavy-duty meds, to await a heart transplant.

A lady IÂ’d never met loaned her travel trailer to us. My husband drove her truck and trailer to a campground about an hourÂ’s drive from UCLA Medical Center. She is one of many Good Samaritans who offered assistance during a difficult time in our lives.

We were thankful to live in the travel trailer, as hotel costs were prohibitive near UCLA. Surrounding communities are some of the priciest in the nation: Beverly Hills, Westwood, and Bel Air. No way could we afford to stay for long at even the cheapest “digs” there. So, it was an answer to prayer that the lady loaned her trailer.

On the other hand, it wasn’t the optimal situation for our daughter—on blood-thinning medication. The trailer was cold—even with the heat on. The trailer steps were often slippery and the gravel was sharp. I constantly feared she’d fall and bleed, as she was clumsy and possessed little strength. I’ll never forget how her sisters played on the swings and jungle gym, but she just wanted to sit cross-legged on the grass, clutching her sweater tight to her chest.

God does answer prayers. One night I cried out to God how I needed a better place for our daughter and all of us, that I did appreciate the trailer, but we needed safer and more comfortable surroundings.

An old friend from college days read about our plight in an email. She’s another Good Samaritan. She said, “Don’t you remember that politics is the way to get anything done?” We’d been active in a political organization at the university. Before I knew it, this friend contacted newspaper reporters, California government officials, and service organizations. The next morning after praying a heartfelt prayer to God for help, my prayers were answered in a strange way. I heard a knock on the trailer door. Not even out of my pajamas, my hair askew, I opened the door. A newspaper reporter from a large L.A. daily asked if he could interview us. Quickly, I brushed my hair and woke the children. Two daughters went outdoors to ride their tricycles. Our oldest daughter stood in the street while a photographer took a shot of her and her sisters on the trikes. The photo and a story of our plight made the front page the next day.

Other Good Samaritans came into our lives. A head administrator at UCLA read the news about our girls online. He was touched by the story and thought his father might want to ask us to live with him. His father was lonely, living alone in a pricey three-story home about five miles from the campground. His Dad underwent four heart bypass surgeries in his life. The administratorÂ’s niece, then college age, had mysteriously died from a heart disease. This very important man, a vice-provost, had no children of his own, but he loves children. After discussing our situation with his father, then 81, he said yes, heÂ’d wanted us to live with him.

My husband received a call at work. Would we want to live with his father? I was incredulous—how quickly my prayers were answered. Grandpa John wanted us there now!

Another front-page story in an L.A. newspaper shows our girls walking up the spiral staircase to the top floor.

We lived with “Grandpa John” (he “adopted” us and vice-versa), on and off, for five years, while not one, but two of our daughters had heart transplants and needed a place to recover. The vice-provost lived there once or twice a week, to check-up on his father, do some work for the Academy Awards and UCLA.

Grandpa John and his father were two of the most compassionate people IÂ’ve ever met. They not only opened their homes, but their hearts, to complete strangers.

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Luke 10:27 He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' [ Deut. 6:5] ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' [ Lev. 19:18] "

Thank you

Posted by smmagers on 2006-Mar-26 at 08:37 - Link

Wow and thank you. Thank you for sharing you wonderful story. I am glad God answered you prayers and put such nice and loving people in to your family's life. What a blessing. How are your daughters today? God bless, mj