A birthday was coming up. Birthdays are exciting. The focus is on you. Gifts pour in. There’s a celebration. You get to choose the activities, the venue, the food.
Jonathan was a father with three half grown kids. But even fathers are allowed to look forward to their birthday. And so Jonathan planned his with care. The venue? A hospital in Israel. The activities? Handing our refreshments from an Ezer Mizion Refreshment Cart to distraught family members and overworked staff. The food? Coffee and slices of cake together with kind words, smiles and a pat on the shoulder.
Jonathan’s birthday dream was to experience, together with his family, the tremendous satisfaction in helping people in their time of crisis. His family was happy to give Jonathan this birthday gift. But after a full day, as they returned from their ‘birthday party’, each member was glowing with the gratification that accompanies giving. That is when they realized that Jonathan’s birthday gift was actually a gift for all of them. “Let’s do this next year again,” said one. “Why do we have to wait a whole year?” asked another. “Maybe we could become Ezer Mizion volunteers,” suggested a third.
And so Jonathan and his family joined the 32,000 volunteers around the country so they could continue to give and give and give.
What else do they do, those amazing Ezer Mizion volunteers? Esti was about to turn seven. Seven year olds have birthday parties, don’t they? But what if she is a patient in an oncology ward with no upcoming date of release? How do we get that smile, or better yet, a grin? “We’ll take care of it,” said one of the group of volunteers who loved her. On that special day, one came to visit and offered to take Esti for a short walk outside her room. And so Esti left her neat room, her bed made up with a clean, white sheet and the basic hospital room furnishings.
Then Esti was brought back. All her volunteer friends were there. Her bed was made up with Mickey Mouse linen. On it was Mickey Mouse P.J.’s. A giant teddy bear wearing a rakish hat stood guard on it. And in every corner was another surprise:
An adorable, small teddy bear, a Lego set, a paint set, a basket of small gifts and flowers on the nightstand. And shiniest of all was Esti’s grin that lit up the room. Happy birthday, Esti. May Hashem enable you to have many more birthdays celebrated at home in perfect health!
Ezer Mizion has come a long way from the original eight volunteers crowded together one and a half rooms in the tiny Chollak apartment. But it has never lost sight of its original calling: Their challenges are our mission.
