My name is Millie. Millie Ruth Parkington. I live here in Nashville, Tennessee, with my daughter, Rina, and her family.
If it were not for Rina, I would have probably ended up in a nursing home (or homeless) long ago. Husband died five years ago; how I miss him so!
I'm sorry to say that I'm not very well-to-do. Livin' on an old age pension doesn't leave me much for occidentals after bills and payin' for my prescriptions; a lot of the time it's a case of what do I do now? Pay bills, eat, or get my medications?
I don't hardly leave the house exceptin' maybe once a month. Rina takes me to a church not far from here, a church who has a ministry for needy people; every month they give out a boxfull of food and show us the love of Christ.
Besides the food, they offer us prayer, as well as a word of encouragement. I've been going to get food at this church now for over six months now; if it wasn't for that (or the concern of my daugter and her family, or even friends), I'd a been out on the street, fendin' for myself, tryin' to find something to eat, let alone, sleep for the night.
That or a nursin' home.
Like many elderly people, I have a lot of health problems. I have heart and lung trouble, arthritis, hardening of the arteries, and high blood pressure. I'm on a whole plethora of medications to try to keep my health in check; if it's not getting food once a month, the only other time I get out is to see doctors.
It's very discouraging.
My daughter is trying to raise her family on her own; it's not easy. She's workin' two jobs to try to provide for her kids, and her kids give her nothing but lip. They're spoiled rotten, and they don't care. I get so upset whenever I hear them fighting or screaming at one another; it's about to drive me crazy!!
Then she has me to worry about, and that's only adding to the stress she faces.
Thank God I have the love of Christ in me. I accepted Jesus when I was a young woman in my thirties; I've tried to live for him since. Now, my daughter isn't a Christian, but she puts up with it because she knows it's important to me. This is why she takes me to church every month, plus she knows I need the food. It's a matter of necessity.
She knows I pray for her and the kids every day (and I do). She knows that He's gotten me through many bad times in my life, but she just doesn't really believe in Him. She's searching, but hasn't really committed herself.
I like to say she's on the brink of something great; she just hasn't followed through with it yet. There's hope, in other words.
Anyway, I have met some wonderfully caring people at this church when we go to get my food. There are young kids loading up boxes of food, big, strong men wheeling the boxes of food to the people's vehicles, or ladies (and some men) willing to offer words of encouragement or prayer to all who come.
It makes me sad to see so many others in need; it's kind of reassuring to know I'm not the only one; yet on the other hand, I feel guilty for having to depend on the kindness or generosity of others. But what am I, an old lady, to do? I don't get much in the way of income; after bills, I'm lucky if I have more than $20 to my name!
What do people want me to do? Starve? Or go without food? I need to eat in order to survive!
This is why I've come to depend on this food ministry so much. It's been a godsend, and it's very nice to know that there are caring people in this world who only want to make life better for a person who is truly in need.
I only hope that other churches follow this lead and adopt this food ministry every month. So many families could benefit greatly with not only good, nourishing food, but a word of encouragement and some prayer!
Thank God for Angel Food Ministries! It has been nothing but a miracle in my life and in the lives of others!
I will be writing in here again soon; thank you for listening to an old lady's ramblings! God bless you, but especially those who care for other people! In this sad world today, it's very good to know that there are true angels who walk this earth!
~Love, your new friend, Millie Parkington. :)
