Alan and Joyce Scholle, Prairie Lakes chaplains, never know what they may face when making hospital visits.
In July, a woman from Prairie Lakes requested that someone visit her 93-year-old father-in-law, who was hospitalized with kidney problems. Although his son and daughter-in-law attend Prairie Lakes Church, the man attended church elsewhere.
“His daughter-in-law did tell me the family had been praying for him for a long time. When the family would approach him about stepping over the faith line, he would just give them a short “no.” The family knew it was going to take someone from the outside to reach him,” Joyce said.
Because they didn't know him, the Scholles didn't have preconceived ideas about the visit. But they quickly found out.
“We had a conversation, but sometimes he would turn his head away, as if he were angry or processing something else in his mind,” said Joyce. “He had a lot of questions about God’s judgment: 'I don’t understand the Ark. Why were only eight people saved?' and 'I don’t understand the Holocaust. Why would God allow that to happen?' I didn’t feel this visit was going well and asked him if there was anything we could do for him. We prayed for his health and recovery.”
But they weren't ready to give up.
“Alan said, 'I just have one more question for you. Would you like the assurance that you would go to heaven if you were to die?” He surprised us by saying 'yes.' Alan prayed a prayer of salvation with him, and he repeated the words loud and strong,” Joyce said. “With the man's hearing problem, Alan spoke loud enough for the entire 3rd floor to have the chance to receive Christ!”
