About six months ago, a church "Mother" at the Baptist church my wife and I go to woke up blind one morning. She had just lost her husband about a year ago and they had no children, so she woke up blind, and alone. Several specialists have examined her and they have no explanation why she suddenly went blind (she didn't even wear glasses.) Worse yet, there was nothing they could do about it. Mother McMichael is in her 90's, and quite frail to begin with, so to suddenly be plunged into darkness was frightening and depressing. But, she not only has accepted it, she is one of the most thankful, God-praising people I have ever met. She radiates light when she smiles, and you feel the power of her faith. She is so thankful that she is not in any pain, and finds her pleasures where she can. She can't go to church any more, or get out of her house, except to go to a doctor or the hospital (which is true of so many elderly, infirm people who live at home.) Two Sunday's ago, my wife and I stopped over to visit her, and she was so happy to "see" us. We had a great laugh when the first question she asked her care giver was, "Who is that man?" She was very pleased that a man was visiting her, and she recognized my voice, because I was a weatherman on the radio many years ago. (Sweetly, the fact that I am the only white male in the large black church we go to made no difference to her, as she can't see colors.) When I reached over to hug her when we were ready to leave, the Lord put it on my heart to tell her that the next time my wife and I came to visit, I was going to bring the other Gospel Messengers and we'd do a concert in her living room, just for her. You could have lit up the New York skyline with her smile. The thought of bringing the Messengers to her home had never occurred to me until that instant.

This morning after church, the four of us headed over to her home. She knew we were coming and her care giver had her in the living room, with the "throw" we gave her as a Christmas present very prominently arranged across her lap. My wife, and another of the Messengerette's (Derrick's wife) were there, too. What a time we had!
I don't ever remember us singing with such unbridled joy, or when we've had so much fun! She sat there in her recliner, gently tapping her hands on the throw, in rhythm with the songs, totally lost in the music. I don't think that it would have meant as much to us, if we'd been performing for the Queen. When we left, my wife went back in to get something, and the care giver and Mother McMichael were overcome with joy and appreciation. It was a half hour of our time, but a lifetime experience for them. And for us, too.

Being a folksinger, this wasn't the first time in my life I sang for two people. It was just the first time I chose to do it. And the best paying job I've ever had.

Why do I sing? Because I've always sung, like so many others have said. And because I love to sing. As we all do. But, as the years go by, more and more I sing to bring pleasure to those most in need of it. This morning wasn't a "career move." It was just a beautiful touching between a small group of people. All of us left with better vision.

Jerry