My Watch on Hospice
What I Witnessed !
I think most people are familiar with Hospice, but it wasn't until I started volunteering for them that I realized all the amazing things they do. I also saw some eye opening 'spirit' stuff. Let me share them with you ...
From 2007 thru 2015 I had the wonderful privilege of volunteering for Hospice. I did vigils. That means that I had the honor of sitting with people as they are close to death. I would like to share some of these moments with you. But first I would just like to say that the Hospice organization is a fantastic organization. Not only do they have a program that is called 'By Your Side' where no one is left alone to pass on to their next world, but they also have a lot of other programs. They have Hospice people that help with home care, appointments, cooking, cleaning, recreation, relieving family members so they can get away for a bit, and they give honors to veterans. They have their own doctors and nurses. They offer a lot of programs. At least the one I volunteered at does. As a Hospice volunteer, I had a choice to where I felt I fit in the best. I wanted to be included in vigils. I lost my parents at a young age and did not have the privilege of being by their side. I wanted to be by others' sides so they would not go through what my mother did. Taking this position, I was not expecting the unexpected that I witnessed! I will share a few of these.
There are people who do not believe in life after death. There are a lot that do. I'd like to say to those who do not believe in life after death, sit with people as they are passing, it may change your mind. I will never forget my very first time that I was sitting beside a woman so close to the door of death. She had been unresponsive for three days. She seemed to only be in her late 50's. When I entered into her room, there was another volunteer there whom I was to relieve. This volunteer was updating me on this woman's condition. I took a chair and sat next to the patient's bed as the other volunteer proceeded to get her coat on. Just then this woman, who had been so unresponsive for a few days, sat straight up in her bed. And then ...
She opened her eyes really big and quickly folded her arms across her chest. Then she spoke excitedly as she looked up at the ceiling and repeated..."Me ??! Me ??!" Her voice was in excited tones, just like someone would exclaim if they won something really big. I asked this patient what she was seeing, but she didn't even acknowledge that I was there. Then she laid back down and was gone. I truly believe she saw God's Angel calling her. This was a beautiful moment. I will never forget it. To be so close to almost seeing the Angel come for a soul. So also was the one with the sudden burst of light ...
On another assignment, I was sent to an independent living home. It was near 11 pm that night. The nurse on the shift said to me that she did not understand how this patient could still be alive. The nurse told me that the patient has been more than four days without any water. The nurse stated that this patient must be waiting for something, but she didn't know what. It was beyond her comprehension why this lady was still with us. The nurse left the room and closed the door. I was left alone with this dear woman who was watching me carefully with her eyes.
I introduced myself to her, and as my usual habit, I pulled up a chair close to her bed so she could see and hear me better. I also have the habit of bringing my Bible with me. The Bible holds the answers to life and death, and people ask good questions. I asked this lady if she could hear me ok and she moved her eyes in an up and down manner. I talked to her a bit then I asked her if she knew if she were going to Heaven for sure. She moved her eyes back and forth. I asked her if she would like to know how to go to Heaven for sure. She moved her eyes up and down.
I opened the scriptures and shared with her that all of us sin and we need a Saviour. I read to her about how she can go to Heaven for sure. I asked her if she knew she was a sinner and she moved her eyes up and down. I asked her if she would like to ask Christ to forgive her of her sins, come into her heart and be her Saviour. She moved her eyes up and down again. I forgot to mention, this lady was so close to the door of eternity that her was no longer able to speak, as most people are at that point of time in their life.
I prayed with this woman and she accepted Christ into her heart. I saw a tear of joy swell up in her eyes. I then decided to read in the Bible to her about how beautiful Heaven is and what she had to look forward to. I read scriptures describing the beauties of Heaven. As I was reading, a great flash of light lit up the room behind me. I turned to look. "Wow!" I said to this lady, "Did you see that!" As I turned back to this lady, she was gone. Wow was right. God came down and got her that night! She went to be with her Saviour. But then there was this religious man...
Most people are 'religious' but that doesn't mean salvation. In fact, quite the opposite. Jesus preached against religion. Remember all the scribes and pharisees? They were the religious leaders. Jesus even called them 'hypocrites. Matthew 23:27 Jesus says, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." Sadly, this is many churches today. We are not saved by good works. This is what the scribes and pharisees were trying to do. And if it wasn't bad enough that they were tying to work their way to Heaven, they were teaching the people this error. Ephesians 2:8,9 says: "For by GRACE are ye saved through faith; and that NOT of yourselves; it is the GIFT of God; Not of works" If anyone wants to think that there is no harm in this, then read what happened to this gentleman who belonged to a 'church' of good works.
This assignment led me to a nursing home where a gentleman was propped up in his bed. This man was at the point of extreme misery. He had a lot of green bile coming out of his mouth and nose. Almost a florescent green. I felt extremely sorry for him. I asked him if he knew for sure that he would go to Heaven and he replied no. He said he was a good person, and that he tried to do 'right' in life, and was kind to others. I explained to him that even though those things are nice, they do not get us into Heaven. I explained how we must admit we are a sinner and that is why we need a Saviour. Romans 3:23 says "For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" He said that he was not a sinner. I felt so sorry for this man. As I was sitting there with him, I could literally feel demon activity around. The overhang of his bed sheets even seemed to move in flutter patterns. Though I was glad when my replacement came in, I left with a heavy heart. But not as heavy of a heart or of a scary end as of my Uncle John. That one was bad....
My Uncle John was only in his 60' when he was diagnosed with cancer. He seemed to be doing pretty well and he was back home with his wife. They lived one state over from me, so I decided to go visit him. I was very concerned about his salvation, as any of us should be with our loved ones. When I arrived at his home, Uncle John was up and moving around quite well. But every time I mentioned God, salvation, Heaven or the Bible, he became very combative to me. I was patient with him, and kept driving the two hours every week to go see him. I wanted him so badly to go to Heaven.
Uncle John told me that he did not believe in any Hell. I tried to show Uncle John in the Bible how Jesus preached more on Hell than He did on Heaven because He doesn't want anyone to go there. Jesus was warning us. But Uncle John was very adamant. Zechariah 7:12 says: "they have made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear". Then that day came ...
On that day as I pulled into Uncle John's driveway, his oldest son met me on the porch. "Did you come to see dad again?" he asked. "Yes," I replied. Then he proceeded to tell me that Uncle John had just passed away not even five minutes ago. My heart sank. But it sank even more at what I saw...
His son led me into the living room where they had a hospital bed set up for Uncle John. Uncle John was in the bed, but he was not lying normally in his bed. Uncle John was half raised up with no pillow or support under him. He had both his hands clenched dramatically on the one bed rail. His body showed that it lost a physical battle with the unseen. But what was even worse was the forever frozen expression on his face. His mouth was open as silent screams echoed out. His eyes reflected of the evil he saw. And you could tell he fought as hard as he could to stop Satan from taking his soul ... but to no avail. My heart sank in helpless despair and a forever image was burned into my brain.
Please don't let anyone deceive you that a soul is a nothing, a state of emptiness. Did you know that scientists have proved that three ounces leave our bodies when we die? I believe it is our soul. Either way, there is only one of two places to go... Heaven or Hell and that depends on our choice. God never sends anyone to Hell. We are the ones that make that choice.
Remember when Jesus was crucified, there were two guys being crucified on each side of Him. Both of these other guys were 'bad guys'. They were being capital punished for their crimes. Neither one had good works, neither one was baptized, and neither one went to church. But one went to Heaven and one did not. Why? Not because God predestined one to Heaven and one not. No, it is because the one asked Jesus to forgive him and be his Saviour. Do you know what the other guy did? He did nothing. He chose not to ask to have a Saviour. If you don't ask, you don't get. One went to Heaven, one chose not to.