FROM NYC TO A Meet Alice….
On a Sunday at Weaverland Anabaptist Faith Community, you might hear an “Amen” called out in a soulful voice during the service. Originally from a small town about thirty miles north of New York City, *Alice, a resident of Mountain View Terrace, has never been one to bottle her joy. It bubbles out when she goes to Bible study or attends her nearby church. Personable, with a twinkle in her eye, she makes you feel like a long-time friend.
Bible study is one of the reasons Alice chose to live at Mountain View Terrace located in New Holland across from Welsh Mountain Home. “I looked at a few other places around Lancaster, and a poster on a bulletin board about Bible study is what caught my eye,” she said.
Alice was visiting her daughter several years ago when she became sick and landed in the hospital in Lancaster.
“My daughter said I should just move here because there was no family left for me in New York. I was alone. My children have grown up and have families of their own and my husband passed away years ago. She (my daughter) got applications to several different places. So here I am.”
Alice’s apartment is decorated with pictures drawn by one of her granddaughters, gifts from her son and Bible verses. Trough her windows she has a view of the woods and can hear birds chirping in the mornings.
“Everything here seems slower than New York,” she said. “But it’s very nice. It’s affordable for seniors. I still consider myself a New Yorker and I don’t like to bother anyone, but when I moved here I was surprised how people pitched in and helped. I got welcome notes, and that felt really good. If I miss church, people call and ask if I’m okay. I was sick once and got about fifteen cards from them!” Alice laughed, recounting her memories.
She loves talking about her family. She pulled up a video of her granddaughter, who is a trained vocalist, and her eyes shone with pride. As a former singer herself, Alice loves watching her granddaughter follow in her footsteps.
“I like my place — it’s just right for me. I used to work as a Nursing Aide, and I saw a lot of seniors before I became one.” Alice laughs. “But this building has everything all in one. I can do laundry and get check- ups without leaving. It forces you to mingle with others so you really get to know your neighbors.”
Alice enjoys her friends, but she also likes retreating to her own apartment. She still gets up early to watch the Brooklyn Tabernacle services in New York, and still enjoys seeing horses and buggies, even though she lives among them now.
*name has been changed
TWO STORIES OF
12 •
Landis.org | FLOURISH | Summer 2020
CULTIVATING COMMUNITY
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28
