BURDEN BEARERS

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 

Galatians 6:2

I spent January of 2022 in the Covid ward of a hospital in Arizona. Six of those days I was on a ventilator with Pat preparing to be a widow. However, by God’s amazing grace He had other plans for us. After awakening from and shedding some mental effects of the fentanyl I was given I was moved to a rehabilitation facility to regain the use of my muscles after a month of disuse. It was there that the cards from many of the brethren began to arrive. Cards with Bible verses. Cards with encouraging poems and sayings. Cards with handwritten notes-some short, some long. Cards from people we had not met but that had heard of our challenge. During those six weeks in rehab not many days went by without receiving at least one card. (As I was remembering and writing this, I had a few tears thinking about it.) Such encouragement. We were not alone. Many brethren were bearing our burden with us. As the cards came in, we taped them to the wall where I could see them and be reminded daily of the prayers for us. As workers came in and saw the wall they commented about the love expressed. Apparently, I was the only one in the facility of 64 rooms that had such a display. We prayed for each sender as they came. When I got out, we prayed again for each sender, one a day. As I write this, I am going through the collection one more time and praying for the senders. It is a privilege and joy to be part of a fellowship that takes burden bearing seriously.

Jeffrey Eno