by Chaplain Karen Hulsey
It was many years ago now, that I met a resident by the name of Nelson. Nelson captured my heart within hours of meeting him on one of our homes. He was tall with the largest wheelchair I had ever seen, and brilliant but talked so slowed that some totally missed seeing his brilliance or hearing his wonderful laugh. I didn’t see the brilliance at our first meeting with just exchanged names and that I would be working with him on the home. As I walked away he slowly said, “thank you, Ka-rine for working with me, I am Nelson. I turned to wave he tried to wave with his long arms and a smile that lit up the room. On our next meeting, he spoke my name (slowly) and said I forgot to tell you, I am from Abilene and I miss that place. That was the beginning of a very awesome friendship that spanned over fifteen years. But during those years, he not only remembered my name each and every time I saw him, but he told others around us, “She came to work with ME.” I sang the song “Abilene” to Nelson on many occasions and when I began working in the chapel, he asked very seriously, “are you still working with me?” To which I replied “OH yes, I am sure am!” He couldn’t contain his happiness. He was just a special man.
Through the last years of his life, he slowed down a lot. He rarely left his room and I would visit him on his dorm and we talked like old friends, always. He loved the small Gideon New Testaments we distribute to the campus so I always brought him one, he seemed to favor the orange ones. He would keep it close by and point to it when I entered his room. I read to him from it sometimes during a visit. When we had the infirmary on campus I had seen where Nelson had been admitted there and was not well. One Sunday a nurse called and told me that he wanted to speak to the Chaplain. So in between chapel services, I walked over and entered his room, and there in his hand was the familiar New Testament clutched tightly. His eyes opened and with a labored breath, he held the Bible up to show me and I smiled, he said, “ Ka-rine, how far is it to heaven?” Realizing how sick my little friend was, I asked him if he was planning on going there soon? Again with slow drawl, he tried to nod and a tear fell from his eyes, from mine also. I said Nelson, the Bible said, Jesus is waiting there for you, and it will be a wonderful place. He repeated, “but how far is it?” I took the Bible and read him to him Rev. 21:4, telling us that God will wipe away all tears, sickness and death.” I said when you are ready to go to heaven, my friend, the angels will be here for you. I gave him his Bible back and he said ‘thank-you.”
Two days later, our Nelson, the love of this campus, peacefully made that journey and that Bible was in his hand as we passed to for a final viewing of this wonderful man. But the room sobbed loudly when his beloved “Abilene” began to play. I will always think of Nelson as one of those angels unawares (Heb. 13:2) the Bible tells us about. He touched many lives during his time on this earth.
