This book developed from author Anne McCafferty’s journaling on her pastoral visits at the end of the day. She was inspired by the beauty and faith of so many and astonished by God’s grace in their lives. The book honors the lives of ordinary people—residents and staff in a county nursing home. She records the beauty of each individual person, the uniqueness of each life experience, and the invaluable worth of each person’s dignity. Her encounters provide glimpses of life in a nursing home where the staff work closely to create an atmosphere of compassionate care.

Welcoming the Stranger
“ Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,
For thereby some have entertained  angels unaware” (Hebrews 3:3)
     Two Hispanic men who were admitted to our nursing home sometime ago became my angels aware. Jose was a quiet, smiling, very lovable person who was confused and spoke only Spanish. His wife who cared for him had died recently of cancer.  A niece accompanied him to our facility.
     Homeless and sleeping in an abandoned house in a nearby town, Juan was confused and very disoriented from drugs. He too spoke only Spanish. He had a girlfriend living with him on the streets that  he didn’t want to leave alone, but eventually he came to appreciate the safety and comfort of our facility. We tried to fill in for the family he left in Puerto Rico.
     Since I do not speak Spanish I felt inadequate ministering to Jose and Juan. The language barrier kept me outside the confines of their world. I needed help. After exploring local resources I discovered a wonderful Spanish couple committed to befriending Hispanics spiritually. We developed a warm friendship with them as they helped our staff care of Jose and Juan as well as other Hispanic residents
In need who enjoyed the bonding with their ethnic friends.
     My relationship with these Spanish volunteers expanded my circle of friends, and our mutual exchanges have renewed my spirit in many ways. My sense of family was enlarged and my life graced by these newcomers.
     When I reflect on Jesus’ early followers I know that the family of his followers was an inclusive one.  In Jesus presence all felt welcomed as children of God despite the niches they had fallen into by birth or culture.
     In my ministry I need the stranger. I need the gifts of Jose and Juan, and I need those of these warm volunteers who have moved me toward a growing partnership with strangers.

After years of teacher training in religious studies, Anne left that profession to care for an elderly mother, companioning her through care at home, in a hospital, and finally in a nursing home where she lived her final journey to God.  Faced with the challenges, joys, and sorrows of a caregiver, she reflected on her experience and felt called by God to chaplaincy for the marginalized elderly and disabled in our society. With a master’s degree in theology from Marquette, she then pursued clinical pastoral education, to become a certified chaplain. Many courses and workshops in pastoral counseling, geriatrics, and validation therapy nurtured her calling to provide holistic spiritual care to those often neglected in institutions.  After fifteen years as a chaplain in hospitals and a nursing home, Anne become a passionate advocate for the elderly and has given workshops and retreats for staff and families on many aspects of care, including end-of-life care.