Living on Someone Else's Blood

One of my parishioners in Richmond years ago suffered from a cancerous type of anemia.  In a phrase, the disease ate Ginny’s blood cells. She would have to go to MCV Hospital every three weeks or so for blood transfusions, and her energy level would increase.  As the weeks would pass she’d slowly get weaker and more anemic until it was time to go for her next round.

Ginny found the turn her life had taken her to be quite astounding.  “Literally,” she said, “I’m living on someone else’s blood.” It was amazing to her that medical science enabled that to happen – but it amazed her even more that total strangers would donate their blood, their “essence of life” (she called it), so that people they didn’t even know would have the opportunity to live. She was grateful beyond her ability to express.

I wrote a sermon on Ginny’s life experience.  I wanted to remind myself and my church that all of us are living on someone else’s blood. The gift of Jesus Christ on the cross has freed us from the dead-end of sin and death.  We owe our lives to the One who gave his “essence of life” that we might see gratefully see more joyful days on earth.

Every time I donate blood, I think of two people – Ginny Willett is one.  My Dad is the other.  Dad gave so regularly he began earning pins for his donations. I know he earned a 5 Gallon pin (that’s 40 pints), and I think he earned a 10 Gallon pin before he had to stop donating. But he’d done it all his life.  He’d always say simply, “It’s something I can do.”

The Bloodmobile is coming to our parking lot on Saturday, May 19.  It will be part of our Change the World celebration.  It’s another way you can change the world – literally – for the Ginny Willetts of this world. It’s something you can do.

I suggest it also as a means of grace.  We experience the grace and love of God through many means – praying, worshipping, serving, helping, working for justice, and so on.  Just as we pray remembering that Jesus also prayed, and wash feet remembering that Jesus also washed feet, and show mercy remembering that Jesus also showed mercy – so we can do the same this month.  Jesus gave his blood. Perhaps, as we do the same thing, we’ll discover a new closeness and blessing from the Lord.

What’s critical here is that we need your sign-ups by Saturday, May 12. You only need to go online to www.inova.or/donateblood, click on Donate Blood 2X and use the Sponsor Code 1092.  You can also contact Pam Riffe who’s coordinating this at pam.riffe.a7k8@statefarm.org or 804-980-0116.

Change the World offers a multitude of ways for the community to join us in bringing powerful change to our planet. Please don’t neglect sharing “the essence of life” itself. It's what Jesus did for you.

Pastor Larry