Serving: What We Weren’t Expecting
January 01, 2020
Tiger Tunes, intramural sports, Elder Serve, Backyard Bible Club, Big Brother Big
Sister, Tiger Serve Day—these are just a few of the opportunities presented to OBU
students at the beginning of fall semester. Ouachita makes every effort to get students
involved by offering multitudes of diverse activities around campus and Arkadelphia,
and that’s a big reason we love this campus community. The Elrod Center plays a big
role in getting students involved by connecting them with individuals around the area
and giving students chances to grow in their hearts for service; without them we would
not have had the privilege of meeting Beth.
Beth contacted the Elrod Center about having a student come spend time with her and
help with chores around her house about once a week, and when we saw the informational
email we saw a chance to share Christ’s love. Surely when she contacted the Elrod
Center for help she hadn’t imagined getting two nineteen year old girls who barely
knew how to do laundry. We had no idea what she was expecting of us or even what we
were expecting from her.
Beth had suffered a stroke about two years ago, and with the communication and physical
difficulties that arise from that, we knew simple chores would be challenging for
all of us. However, from the first day of serving Beth she has shown us her seemingly
unending patience and strength through her communication. She’s always quick to laugh
out her frustration when she can’t think of a word and show us kindness when we have
trouble understanding what she has to say.
Her constant joy and encouragement is a testament of her love for Christ. She has
praised Him through this season of difficult change in her life, and being able watch
her do that brightens our weeks. Not only has she taught us how to properly fold,
clean bathrooms, sew on buttons, and clean dishes, but she is teaching us how to rely
on God and have His peace in tough seasons of life.
Each week we leave Beth’s feeling inspired (and tired) by everything we are learning.
We were not expecting to learn so much from her, but looking back on the past few
months we can see how much of an impact she has already made on us. She serves and
encourages us so well; we can only hope we are serving and encouraging her as well.
By Natalie Hampel and Julie Feimster, sophomore science majors
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