I started going on mission trips with my parish when I was a freshman in high school. On these trips, i was able to help many different people around the community by cleaning, fixing up their house, or simply spending time with them. On my second year, God had great plans for me. I was so excited to go and to meet the new people that we were going to help this year. I had no idea that one man would change my life.
His name was Stanley.
He was an 88 year old man that lived in a house with his sister. He had many ailments he was battling, his roof was caving in, hardly anyone visited him, and he constantly fought with his sister. Out of the 6 or so kids that came to Stanley's house (including myself) I took special interest in Stanley. His skin was wrinkled and his eyes were a crystal blue color. When I looked at Stanley, it was like looking into the eyes of Christ.
People often say that Christ is revealed to us in different people, and I truly believe that Stanley was a way for Christ to reveal Himself to me.
After the first day I met Stanley, I sat awake that entire night crying. How could God let someone live in these conditions? I wanted to save him, I wanted to buy him a new house, a new roof, healthier food, and to get him the surgeries he needed so badly. I wanted to give Stanley the world...but I had nothing. I prayed all night long that God would help me to give Stanley what he needed, no matter what the cost.
The next day was full of opportunities to serve Stanley. We weeded his garden, we mowed his lawn, we cleaned his windows, and did any other housework you could think of. The best part of the day was talking to Stanley. I sat with him on his porch swing and he told me all about his life. We talked about it from the very beginning. He shared with me how all the ladies loved him and what a "stud" he was, which coined the nickname "Stanley the stud muffin." Then he promised me something that I will never forget, it was one of the kindest things anyone had ever said to me.
He said, "Leave your phone number before the week is up. I play the numbers in the lottery once a week. If i ever win- I want to give all of the money to you."
I thought he was kidding, but he wasn't. Stanley had bills to pay, a house to fix, he needed medications, he needed surgeries...and yet- he wanted to give ALL of the money he would win in the lottery to me.
I still get choked up when I tell that story.
I forgot to leave my phone number at the end of our mission week at Stanley's, but thankfully, the next year- I was able to spend another week with Stanley. I remember walking into his house on the first day of this new mission week, I was terrified. One year in an elderly person's life can result in a lot of changes. So, I walked in, and his face lit up when he saw me. MY heart was so full of joy, it was like seeing my grandpa again after a year. He let me make him breakfast that morning and we talked about everything that had happened over the past year. He was so happy to have us back to help him. He had me go and get his old photo albums and we sat on the porch swing and thumbed through them.
We came across a picture of a beautiful woman. I asked who she was, and Stanley said it was his wife. He told me the romantic story about how they had met, how much he loved her, and how he held her in his arms during the last moments of her life. He said that one day he had seen her walk into the other room of the house and she was holding a conversation with him as she walked....then she stopped answering. After several minutes, he got out of his chair to see what was going on. She was on the floor, and so he picked her up in his arms and called 911. Unfortunately she passed away. Both of our eyes welled up with tears as he retold his life story. It was full of pain, happiness, blessings, and hope.
After that week, I had hoped to see Stanley the following year, but the last I had heard- he was in the hospital. I don't know if God has called Him to heaven yet, or if he is still there- but Stanley forever changed my life.
Stanley made me want to be a better person, he gave me hope for my own life, and he made me want to become a nurse someday. Because of Stanley, I ended up applying to work at a nursing home. Which brought me many blessings.
Stanley stole a piece of my heart during those two weeks I was able to spend with him.,and I hope that sharing this story with you stole yours a little bit too.
He was the answer to my prayers; a grandpa.
I am forever changed, and you will not be forgotten.
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