A New Place, A New Friend

Yesterday the 25th, as I sat not feeling well in the mission library I was joined by Sydelle.  As I sat with her making small talk I had never envisioned that after a few hours I would have made such a new wonderful friend and how the power of the Holy Spirit can bring people together.  As I got to talking more with Sydelle, for some reason I felt comfortable with her and opened up to her sharing struggles I have in life and faith.  Kinda questioning why I was basically word vomiting my life story, I soon came to find out it was because I wanted her to be comfortable in sharing something that causes her great pain.  A few years ago, after breaking away from an abusive relationship, Sydelle suffered a blood clot undergoing heart surgery.  During surgery she flat lined, ruining her pancreases and her kidneys.  She then had to undergo a kidney transplant and also has diabetes.  Wow, what a whirlwind of a life experiences I thought!  But through all these negative things, she seemed so positive!  She told me that for so long she questioned, “Why didn´t God want me?  When I flat lined, why did he send me back?” 

As tears roll off both our faces I said "doesn´t he work in mysterious ways," she agreed and said he does.  A few months after her near-death experience an old friend she hadn´t spoke with for years called her and asked how things were. Shocked by Sydelle´s response when telling her about her surgeries and health for her old friend hadn´t heard a word about it.  When Sydelle mentioned she had flat lined her friend asked her if she would share her experience.  Now Sydelle was very apprehensive in sharing her story because many people ask “Well did you see the light!?”  Well she hadn´t, instead she was walking in what she described as the most beautiful field of white flowers and a climate similar to what we are experiencing now in Guatemala.  She said she felt at peace.  As she told this to her friend on the other line, her friend gasped and said “That is exactly what happened to me when I had a near death experience.”  But why Sydelle asked, and her friends response was this “Your mission here on earth is not done, God still needs you here!”  

"But what am I supposed to do?" Asked Sydelle. 

“When you are there, you will know, for you will feel at peace.”  

So Sydelle´s journey began and she ended up in Glencoe, MN, serving as a youth director and loving every minute of it.  She said the missing pieces were filled and she knew she was doing what God had sent her to do, but after a year went by, she was called to a new place moving her to be the director of the Newman Center in Mankato where she stayed for 13 years.  Her main focus at the Newman was for vocations.  She loved it there but once again, she had a calling to do something else.  While at a retreat for the Newman staff, they were in a silent period and while she sat in the church in meditation she kept hearing, “Feed my Sheep”  well why was she hearing this?  It wasn´t in a homily that day, it wasn´t in scripture she read, and it hadn´t been mentioned anywhere else.  Well soon after that, she had a call from “Second Harvest Homes” a non-profit that helps provide food to people of a low social economic status.  And she went there and it is where she is still today.   

What a journey she has been lead on.  As we parted ways that night she looked at me and said, “You know the thing I miss the most at the Newman center is being able to talk to young people about vocations and life’s journey, so thank you for today.”  

I looked at her and realized that I was sick today because the Holy Spirit had guided me to meet Sydelle.   

So as you reflect on your current occupation and college career or where you should be in your vocation, remember Sydelle´s story.  If you feel at peace, you know it is where God wants us to be.