An Angel in Their Midst

An Angel in Their Midst
(by Willie Gendke)


It started just as any other Sunday morning. Sunday School was over, and people were entering the sanctuary, pausing on their way to their pew to speak a few words with friends. Most members of this congregation were professional people – doctors, lawyers, teachers. They were the reason for the church’s reputation, that of being a rich man’s church. Although the town was small, it was the county seat, and most of the leaders of the county were members here. Little did anyone realize that God was about to send an angel into their midst, an angel that would radically change the people of this church.

Suddenly the sanctuary began to grow quiet as one after another turned from their conversations with friends and began to stare at a man who was entering. The man who had just entered began to shuffle across the front, then down the aisle, looking for a place to sit. He was sporting a 3 or 4 day old growth of beard, his clothing was dirty and wrinkled, his shoes caked with dried mud. Following the man came an extremely obese woman, walking several steps behind, just as unkempt as the man. From the vacant look in the woman’s eyes and her general countenance, it was obvious that she was severely mentally retarded. After her, came a girl of about 10, also with a blank look on her face, also obviously retarded. Trailing the others, a little boy about 5 years old, entered the sanctuary. The boy and girl were also filthy.

The boy was small for his age, very pale, and very much deformed. A back brace was strapped over the boy’s shirt, trying vainly to straighten a back severely disfigured. His head, also malformed, was much too large for his body. His gait was awkward, as if his arms and legs didn’t know how to work together to propel him where he wanted to go.

The man looked around, then chose a pew. He entered, woman, girl, and little boy following. As soon as they were all settled, the man took out a hymnal and began to flip through the pages. The other three just sat quietly, as if they were not quite sure what to do.

The church members who were already sitting on the pew took one look at this family, got up and moved to another pew. Very quickly others in the sanctuary began to whisper among themselves: who was this man and what was he doing in their church?

As soon as the service was over, people began to crowd the aisle in an effort to leave. One woman turned to another and said in a voice directed to the man, “Who are they? I sure hope they don’t come to our Sunday School class.” The other woman agreed that she too, hoped that they would not.

A third woman, Liza, began to make her way out of the pew where she had been sitting, heading directly toward the man. Liza had recognized the woman, had actually ridden the school bus with her many years earlier. As she drew near the woman, she called the woman by her name, Gretta. Gretta looked over, but didn’t seem to recognize Liza. Liza began to explain who she was, trying to help Gretta remember her from years earlier. Finally, Gretta remembered Liza, and began to tell Liza about her husband, Johnny, and her children, Betty and Billy. Liza invited Gretta and her family to her Sunday School class, and told Gretta that if she would come early the next Sunday, that she would be waiting for her and show her the way to the class so that she wouldn’t get lost.

The next Sunday morning, Gretta and her family found Liza waiting for them at the church door just as she had promised. Not everyone in Liza’s Sunday School class was happy about Liza bringing in this new family. Not everyone was happy when this family entered the sanctuary again this second Sunday, either. Some members were so upset by this family being in the church that they told friends that if this family continued to come, they would move their membership elsewhere: they didn’t want their children to have to associate with such people.

The following Sunday, Johnny and Gretta, with their children, responded to the altar call and asked to become members of the church on promise of a letter stating that they were members in another church of the same denomination. The pastor of the church asked Johnny and Gretta to meet with him the following day in his office. He had serious questions he wanted to put to them both before he presented them before the church body to vote on their membership. During that meeting, the pastor was first surprised, then shocked and disgusted to find that Johnny was a licensed minister through a seaman’s ministry in a large port city. For the pastor, being called of God to lead a congregation was something that should be limited to people who were worthy, not people like Johnny, who were so obviously on at the bottom rungs of society. Nevertheless, because of the church’s by-laws, the pastor was obligated to present this man, with his severely retarded wife and children, as candidates for membership in this church.

Several Sundays passed, and the family continued to visit Liza’s Sunday School class, then attend worship service. Many people were growing more hostile to this family, but not all. In fact, those who were in Liza’s Sunday School class began to talk about Johnny. Johnny was indeed a simple man, that was plain to see. And he and his family continued to come without the benefit of a bath or clean clothes most Sundays. But what was causing people to talk was what Johnny was saying during class. For although his speech was coarse and uneducated, what he was saying had a spiritual maturity and depth that belied this man’s physical circumstances. In fact, Liza was overheard to say that when Johnny opened his mouth, he sounded as if he has just come from sitting at the very foot of the throne of God Himself. Others began to visit Liza’ class, wanting to hear for themselves what Johnny had to say. Before long, people all over the church were hearing stories of Johnny.

Shortly after this, during one morning worship service, the altar was opened for all who wanted to approach and pray. Johnny and Gretta made their way down to the altar, along with many others. But as Gretta knelt, it became very obvious that her skirt was much too short and tight to provide the covering necessary. A deacon in the church saw what was happening and hastily moved behind Gretta to prevent the cameras from broadcasting a picture all over the county that would be embarrassing to all.

Because of this incident, as soon as worship service was over that morning, several members of Liza’s Sunday School class met and decided to take Gretta shopping the next day to find clothing large enough to cover the necessities. Because the children were also very poorly dressed, the members decided to buy clothes for them as well.

As the members began to become personally involved in this family, they learned that the mobile home the family lived in needed massive repairs. Soon members from through out the church were involved in making life a little easier for Johnny and his family. New carpet was installed in the mobile home, new mattresses were bought for the beds (both children wet the bed at night and the mattresses were soaked with urine), winter clothing, shoes, food, appliances, everything the family needed was provided. Helping Johnny and his family became the favorite ministry of the church members. And Johnny continued to amaze all who heard him with his spiritual understanding.