group home

I have been working for people with mental problems living in a group home for three years. It is located between an elementary school and a pear orchard in B City, Tokyo. It has a common living room and five bedrooms each of which has a kitchen. I am a part-time worker and another is a male worker working on a full time basis. It can accommodate five people and now we have only three because they can stay in this home for two years daily living training and then they have to move out to their own apartments to have an independent life. They have a kind of dinner party every Thursday and I cook for them. I also listen to them when they feel like talking to somebody. For the moment we have three people in the home after one left in May and another in June. I spent last two years with these three members. The age group of them is 40's and 50's. They are almost my age. New members will join after several months I hear that they are in their 20's and 30's.

After people move out to their apartments, we keep in touch with them. They are called OB or OG and I visit them whenever they need help. I got a call on June, from a Ms. H who left the home this June. She seemed to be in panic and suffering from mental problems because of a sudden change of environment. She said, "when I got up this morning, I was overwhelmed with strong fear. I feel helpless. What time can you come?" I told her that I will visit her at 2 p.m. My shift was supposed to start at 4 p.m., but I changed my schedule. When I knocked at the door she appeared and said, "I was waiting for you". She told me that she had only milk since morning. I immediately started to cook and gave her late lunch with tuna and vegetables. She said "if you had not visited me, I would not have seen nor talked to anybody all day." She continued, "I am tired of living this lonely life, I would rather die." When I told her that I was ready to see her anytime she needed me, she started to cry. It might be hard for a person to be left all alone, when he of she feels lonely and deserted. I tried to console her by saying, "the time will come when you will feel that you are happy." I brought her two cards of the Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary since she asked me earlier what Christians do when they suffer bitterly. I said to her, "Please read the cards aloud slowly when you feel lonely."

In July Sachiko K. who teaches flower arrangement group home for mentally handicapped people will visit her to study the Bible together. I hope that Ms. H will receive the grace of healing through Sachiko. On my way back home riding on the bicycle along the river bank I enjoyed the cool breeze and my heart was filled with love, joy and peace of Jesus. It happened tome maybe because I touched the suffering Jesus in Ms.H. God gave me the mission to work in the group home and I am really happy to work for these people. I am glad to have the opportunity to share my mission with other sisters.

Thanks be to God. (M.S.N.)