Molly PavlovichJoan Ditmer’s mother lived at Messiah Village in the Asper Neighborhood from 2005-2007, and since Joan lived just four miles away from campus, she would visit every day.
During her visits, Joan was touched by the faith-filled atmosphere that radiated on campus and the team members who became like a second family—several of whom still work here —as they took care of her mother with heart and compassion.
“I remember going home one day and telling my husband, ‘When mom goes, I think I’d like to continue going to Messiah Village to volunteer,’” she said.
Three months after Joan shared this idea, the Friday before Mother’s Day, her mom passed away. A short time later, she started volunteering there every Friday, first helping fill ice pitchers for neighborhoods, then transporting residents to their salon appointments, something she often did for her mother.
“Mom wasn’t a fan of getting her hair done, so every two weeks when it was time for her salon appointment, I volunteered to help take her, and I always went to the gift shop and bought her two small chocolates,” Joan said. “One for before and one for after.”
When taking residents to and from their on-campus salon appointments, Joan only gets a few fleeting moments with them, but she has the pleasure of piecing together the bits of these conversations into a fuller picture of who they are and the lives they’ve lived.
“One gal and her husband were artists for Walt Disney in California,” Joan said. “Some were successful musicians, businessmen and women, and missionaries. When they share with me these little glimpses into their lives, I always feel incredibly blessed to know them and be a little tiny speck in their amazing stories—doing what I can to make sure that they always feel loved, valued, and heard.”
When Joan reflects on the last 16 years that she’s volunteered at Messiah Village, she sees it as an invaluable gift—one that has given her just as much, if not more, than she has given.
“Being a part of this community and giving back in memory of my mother has added so much joy and fulfillment to my life,” Joan said. And she plans to continue volunteering at Messiah Village, every Friday, for as long as she is able.
“Showing Christ-like love is the legacy I want to leave,” she said.
Click here to read the full digital version of Unscripted, Fall 2023.
