My parents taught me many things through their teaching and words . . . but mostly through seeing those words put into real actions. They didn’t say one thing and do another. They truly lived what they believed.
As I previously wrote in “What My Mother Taught Me About the Art of Hospitality”, our home was one where all were welcomed. Love makes homes with expandable walls . . . and ours were expanded quite often.
If there was a young girl or woman who needed a home for several weeks or months, Dad and Mom would bring her in. At the time, it was mostly us three younger girls at home – with my older brothers either marrying or already married. And so we began to “adopt” some people who needed extra love.
I distinctly remember three girls who stayed with us during my growing up years in sunny California. One stayed with us so often, she became like a sister and we simply adopted her into our hearts. Years later, I moved to her church community and the friendship and “sistership” still continues.
Another little girl stayed with us for a few weeks and brought the dreaded lice with her. Now Mama already had three little Dunkard girls with long, extremely thick hair. And if you’ve ever battled lice before, you will know that the thicker and more hair that is attached to your head, the more work it is to remove the lice. I can still remember the hours Mama spent combing us out with that fine toothed comb.
And yet she still loved and cared for that little girl anyway. We knew this little girl needed us for the moment, and we accepted her. I was being taught that love doesn’t look on the outside, but at the lonely heart inside.
But the one person that I remember so vividly was a young man who came to us from the infamous city of San Francisco. Bob Adrian was his name and he will always have a very special place in our hearts. Our little girl hearts adopted him, too.
God had rescued him out of the gay community and lifestyle and brought him to our little church in the valley. We had no idea how much of an impression he would leave upon our church for the short time he would be with us. You see, his former life had left him with AIDS. Yet that didn’t stop him from wanting the truth or living it out before he was called Home.
Dad and Mom would take him home, talk with him, teach him, feed him, and show God’s love to him. He became one of us. We even have a picture of him eating jello salad straight out of the jello bowl. This put us little girls somewhat in awe of him, because he must be special if Mama allowed him to do that!
He would play with us girls, trying to catch us as we ran around the kitchen table. After church Sunday mornings, all of us little kids knew to hang out at his car because he would pass out lemon head candies to us. That secured a special place in all our hearts for him.
He loved to sing. This was so apparent to everyone, that our little church made him one of the songleaders. And then he proceeded to feel so at home that he even walked up front in his stocking feet one time to lead the songs! His family came to visit and sang a song that will forever remain in my memory. It told the story of his life and his return to his God. It is called “I Have Returned” and I will share the lyrics and video at the bottom of this post.
But what I will never forget is standing outside a big hospital in the scary city of San Francisco as our adopted brother was dying. He had not gotten to be with us long enough, but it was time for him to see his Jesus. We three little girls did not get to see him in the hospital as he waited for the angels to come take him away. But the ones who sat beside him at that moment said he began to move his arms as though he was directing a heavenly choir!
He would get to sing for all eternity.
We three little girls got to see what Jesus meant when He said, “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in” Matthew 25:35. We got to see real love in real life.
“I have returned to the God of my father,
The most God-like man a child could know.
I just heard a shout from the angels in glory,
Praising the Lord a child has come home.”
As the words and melody of this song rang throughout our little church building, we sent our beloved brother Home. The angels were indeed rejoicing and we knew he was singing with them. It was the first death I can remember of anyone close to us, and I won’t forget it. It seemed like heaven became real in that moment.
We had been a part of feeding the hungry and taking in the strangers. We had learned what it means to love in life and in grief. In return, God showed us what it means when He forgives a truly repentant sinner. We saw repentance, redemption, and restoration. We were privileged to see a person who wanted to know truth and turn from his sin, and then to see what beauty God can bring from ashes.
For one little girl, the Bible wasn’t just words anymore – they were becoming life. All because Dad and Mom obeyed the Scriptures to love the lonely.
I Have Returned
1. I have returned to the God of my childhood
To the same simple faith as a child I once knew.
Like the prodigal son I longed for my loved ones
For the comforts of home and the God I outgrew.
CHORUS:
I have returned to the God of my childhood,
Bethlehem’s Babe, the prophet’s Messiah;
He’s Jesus to me, Eternal Deity;
Praise His Name, I have returned.
2. I have returned to the God of my mother
With unfailing faith for the child of her heart;
She said bring them up the way that you want them,
Thank God when they’re grown they’ll never depart.
CHORUS:
I have returned to the God of my mother,
I learned at her knee He’s the Lily of the valley.
He’s Jesus to me, Eternal Deity;
Praise His Name, I have returned.
3. I have returned to the God of my father,
The most God-like man a child could know.
I just heard a shout from the angels in glory,
Praising the Lord a child has come home.
CHORUS:
I have returned to the God of my father,
Creator of heav’n and earth, God of the universe.
He’s Jesus to me, Eternal Deity;
Praise His Name, I have returned.
4. I have returned to the Yahweh of Judah,
On my knees I did fall where the wall now stands;
This lesson I learned as I’ve worked my way homeward,
The Savior of all is a comfort to man.
CHORUS:
I have returned to the Father of Abraham,
The shepherd of Moses who called Him the great I Am;
He’s Jesus to me, Eternal Deity;
Praise His Name, I have returned.
- The Adventum CD Collection – Sale Now - March 27, 2021
- Alternative To Facebook Option - January 30, 2021
- The Beauty of the Hoary Head - January 2, 2021
Sandi says
“…then to see what beauty God can bring from ashes.”
Amen!
This was touching and heart-filling. Thank you for sharing it.
You’ll see him again, you know, at the gates. 🙂
Kendra says
Yes, this is a promise we hold onto!