Bridging Younger and Older Generations Through Intentional Service

An Interview with Institute for G.O.D. Int’l student, Olivia Beaverson

"Y'all are my babies, you know that right?" Ms. Sylvia, an elderly resident of a nearby elderly residential tower recently told a group of Institute for G.O.D. Int’l students as she welcomed them into her home to visit and pray with them.

The mission of the Widow and Elderly program is to bridge the generations, the young and the old, through awareness, intentional service, and social interaction. Institute student, Olivia Beaverson, recently sat down with me and shared how this mission comes to life in her weekly visits with widows and the elderly.

“I was impacted by the endurance of a resident, Ms. Sylvia. When we started working with her she was struggling with physical pain, the grief of losing loved ones, the frustration of not being heard, and struggling to have basic needs met. As we ended our time of ministry projects with her, those circumstances had not changed entirely, but Ms. Sylvia had. She changed from our first visit when she was guarded to our latest times with her where she would immediately ask us to pray with her as we arrived because, for her, there was no way we could do anything without asking the Lord to be there with us. She shared vulnerably, asked for prayer, and testified to the ways that God had and would continue to sustain her and answer her prayers.”

Olivia Beaverson, left, spends time with Sylvia, a resident of a nearby elderly residential tower. Times of conversation, storytelling, and listening are some of the most meaningful for residents and students alike.

Although Institute students come ready to serve in practical ways like cleaning or helping with physically demanding tasks, oftentimes residents are more interested in students simply sitting, listening, and praying with them. Because residents frequently do not receive many visitors, these times of social interaction and support are priceless.

“Loneliness is what I saw wear the residents down more than any physical pain or inconvenience. So many of the residents we worked with will say you go through childhood twice, once when you're a baby and once when you're in your old age. The hard thing about that "second childhood" is that they don't always have someone to help them like a child has their parents. I loved helping them do all the small things they can't do themselves anymore and just take a moment to enter into their world and be present with them. It's so important to take time to help with all the small things we take for granted in our independence, but also to listen to them.”

“Loneliness is what I saw wear the residents down more than any physical pain or inconvenience.”

In addition, Institute students recently began hosting bible studies for the residents. Olivia shares about one bible study that was particularly impactful to students and residents alike.

Whether it is after a bible study or a cleaning, Institute students often finish their time with the elderly with prayer. One resident said, “My favorite thing to do with your students is to have a time of prayer.” And another noted, “I know the students pray for me during the week. That means so much.”

“We talked about the stilling of the storm and I shared about the storms of my moment related to schoolwork and juggling responsibilities. I noted that they were in a very different season of life than me and asked them how this passage spoke into their season and if they had any advice for us or insights they wanted to share. I was so moved by their responses. All of the residents spoke and shared about some of the hardest moments of their life and then gave specific ways of how God had met them and gotten them to the other side and then even used those storms for good. One resident shared about their very current moment of having to move apartments for renovations. They shared what a big challenge that was for them at their age and how through that challenge, this passage spoke to them, comforted them, and helped them to see how God was meeting their needs through one another as several of the residents were stepping up to help in any ways they could. It was such a great bible study where we saw God moving throughout the generations and how his Word continues to make an impact in any situation where people are trying to live it out.”

"We saw God moving throughout the generations and how his Word continues to make an impact in any situation where people are trying to live it out.”

Giving both students and the elderly the opportunity to share with one another, the younger listening to the wisdom of the elderly, the elderly receiving both practical and social support, this is the heart of all that we do in our widow and elderly care program. We believe these moments are invaluable for both the younger and older generations and that bridging these generations is a crucial part of God’s vision for a healthy society.

James 1:27 “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”