Recently, my 86-year-old mother passed away. She had been a resident at Bethea Baptist Retirement Center for five years. I want to publicly express my appreciation to the staff and administration for the first-rate care she received while there.
I am convinced that the quality and quantity of her life were enhanced due to the exceptional ministry of the staff at Bethea. If at any time my family had concerns – which were few and far between – they were addressed immediately. The staff became an extended family for me. Several of them, on their day off, drove more than an hour for her memorial service. I am sure this is common.
I am grateful that we as South Carolina Baptists have an institution such as Bethea to minister to those unable to take care of themselves. To those who think an institution like Bethea is no longer viable in our convention and should not be funded, I would say nothing could be further from the truth. In my opinion, the ministry of our institutions is needed now more than ever. Who knows how many family members have turned to Christ due to the kind and compassionate care given to their loved ones by the staff? While this would be hard to quantify, it is certainly a high possibility.
We need to hear again the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:40: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” Again, thanks to all those at Bethea who helped make my mother’s last days meaningful for her and her family.
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