Recently an event happened in our home that was a first. Our oldest daughter came home to die. While we had been estranged for over 15 years, the unexpected and almost unbelievable happened. We found her!

Ann, my wife, received an urgent call. "Are you Marion Ann Exum," the stranger asked. When Ann confirmed her identity along with address, background details, the caller identified herself as Mary Hillburn, of Hospice, from Hillsboro, Texas. Since Ann had been trained in Hospice Care years ago, she knew when our daughter's name was mentioned that it was bad news.

Sharlene flew home accompanied by Mary Hillburn. She died two days after arriving home, and it was of the general opinion of the family and others, that Sharlene had determined to live long enough to get home to die. So it happened.

We live in a nation of Angels. They are available in most every city and town in America. They are "hospice angels." They do not come to judge the dying. They come to bring care and hope and support for those who are terminal. Medicine has failed and cannot save. Time is short (generally, 6 months or less), and the family is distraught. Often the patient is in pitiful pain. Sometimes they are not themselves, not in their right mind. Yet these "angels" are there, and if need be (as was in our case) available in twelve hour shifts, twenty four hours a day.

They come in without disturbance, following the arrival of all material help needed. It could be a wheelchair, walker, hospital bed, medicines, bandages, and just plain soap and water. They move about without a lot of motion and noise. They sit quietly but move quickly when needed most.They are RN's, who are special "angels." The Bible word for angels simply means "one sent."

Counsellors are available to comfort the living. They do not boast about their work. They are not on the bragging side of the bed. They are special servants who have chosen this special work because of deep compassion and tremendous love for those preparing to leave this earth. They are candid but not cruel. They speak softly but without guile. They are angels who just help others "cross the Jordan."

This was our first experience with a death in our family. A 47 year old adopted daughter, who was but a shell of her former self. She had cancer that had consumed her flesh and was eating her bones. I had never witnessed the working of hospice servants. No one has asked that I pen these impressions. I felt indebted, heavily indebted to write about a death that would have been hard to take without these Angels, those sent to serve.

Jesus talked bout the judgment to come. "I was hungered and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in, naked and ye clothed me, I was sick and ye visited me, I was in prison and ye came unto me" (Matt. 25:36). Those hearing his voice answered; "Lord, we never saw you with these needs." Jesus answered, "In as much as ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 15:40.

Thank you for the calls, the cards, the flowers and love. Now do yourself a favor. Remember now the "Angels of hospice." They may be around your bed one day. -- Gospel Light

*Bro. Jack Exum (who is not in his early seventies) writes many articles for the Gospel Light magazine, has written over 30 books, not including booklets on Christian life and has produced several audio and video tapes on his writings and sermons. He has been a religious columnist for the Lake City Reporter (Lake City, Florida) for the last seven years.