God’s Mercy Reached into our Home
By Patricia Divjak
God is alive and moving through Blessed Encounters Ministry touching the hearts of many!
My husband, Joe, at one time a very vibrant business owner and medaled downhill skier, has met his match with time and illness. He skied until he was 85 years old and has always been a high energy man. He has had his life limited to our home since chronic kidney disease, the side effects of male breast cancer treatments when he was 80, and overwhelming fatigue has kept him home bound since 2024. He is also 92 years old. We were blessed to have been able to travel for many years and Joe always made sure that we attended Mass. He’s a devoted Catholic man and a wonderful husband. He took care of me for many years with patience and love as I struggled with fibromyalgia, chronic pain and fatigue and other health issues. It is because I have had these issues that I am better able to relate to what he is going through. God has a purpose for all our suffering.
To say our life has changed dramatically might be an understatement. Every doctor’s appointment has to be on a strict afternoon schedule to accommodate his resting schedule. We try as best we can to “tag team” on household chores but since I’m the younger, more often than not, I carry the load of many things. I am his caregiver and feel honored to care for this man I have loved for so long. When Fr. Jim and the Blessed Encounters Ministry team reached out to us, we were so comforted that our parish family truly cared enough to come and pray with us. Evelyn and Carol have been vital to our emotional and spiritual health for over a year now. They bring love as a gift, prayer as a healing balm, and laughter to uplift our daily life. We call them “our here on earth” angels.
I had a career as Social Insurance Representative (25 years) with SSA and helped the disabled and elderly file for benefits through the Social Security Administration. It is vital for the elderly and disabled to know that someone cares and still sees them as dignified souls with still so much to give. The Blessed Encounters team has supported me in my quest to remind Joe of the person he is in Christ. They have brought compassion, concern, prayer and a community of love from the Church.
A new volunteer to the team, Mark, visited with us yesterday. He is a young man with a bright smile! He and Joe bonded through their mutual love of skiing and the fact that both were born in Europe. Joe in Slovenia and Mark in Germany. Immediately, they began speaking German. Of course, Joe, had to show Mark the room in our basement that holds his skiing treasures. While the men were visiting, I had a chance to visit with my two very dear friends, Carol and Evelyn. Joe’s mood after they left said it all, he had a great time even though he was exhausted. He mentioned to me that it is amazing how God can bring a friend into your life, totally unexpected which changes everything. He was in awe. Even now, as I write this, I am so grateful that our God has always been a God of amazing surprises.
The Blessed Encounters Ministry is bearing much fruit by giving birth to new ways of helping the sick and homebound, such as the “Card Ministry” which brings a group of 4 to 5 women together to make cards for the sick and homebound. It’s a blessing for me that we meet in my home and create, pray and send love with each card.
The Blessed Encounters Ministry is not an easy road to travel. They see what most people want to avoid, pain, suffering, and sadness. They are truly carrying the cross with Christ and ministering to the often-forgotten ones. We feel truly blessed by their presence in our lives.