A Church of Love and Care

Our best friend called us one evening with terror in her voice. She was fifteen hundred miles away from us, in a panic, and had no idea what to do.

Cherie was calling from Betsy Johnson Hospital in Dunn, North Carolina, where her partner LeAnn, who’d been suffering from severe chest pains, had just learned that she’d had a mild heart attack. LeAnn would need to be transferred to Wake Medical Hospital in Raleigh, and the paramedics refused to transport Cherie with her. With no license nor even the knowledge of how to drive, Cherie had no idea how she was going to travel to Raleigh to be with her wife during this critical time.

I’m a member of Llano Estacado MCC in Clovis, New Mexico, and thought immediately of searching the Internet for an MCC in Raleigh. My research led me to St. John's MCC, where I spoke with a gentleman named Mike, to whom I explained Cherie and LeAnn’s situation. Mike very generously said he would see what he could do, and would call Cherie.

We figured it would take hours to hear back from Mike; however, about thirty minutes later, he called to say that a woman named Amy from St. John’s MCC had offered to pick up Cherie and drive her to the hospital in Raleigh.

An hour and a half after that, Cherie called to let me know that she had arrived at Wake Med and was awaiting LeAnn’s arrival shortly. I suggested that Cherie speak with the hospital staff about laundering her clothes, since she’d left home in such a rush and had forgotten to pack anything. To my delight, Cherie reported that she’d received a call from another member of the church, offering to take her back home anytime she needed, and then bring her back to the hospital.

This outpouring of love and generosity means the world to my partner Joseph Steeves and me, since we cannot be with our dear friends in person. We are forever grateful that the members of St. Johns MCC were willing and able to help us out.

Since I joined Llano Estacado MCC, I have come to realize how much the MCC family truly does help everyone—especially those in great need, even if they are not members of that or any other MCC.

I was brought up in a Southern Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. Until I joined MCC, I had never known a church to be so loving and caring. I thank the Lord Almighty everyday that I was introduced to MCC. This church community has allowed me to see the Lord and His works in a whole new light.

Beth Davidson