Mr. Bates' Gift

One of my favourite people in the entire world, Mr. Bates, was moved to the hospice this week, the place where one lives their last days. I was able to visit him one last time this weekend, he died this morning. 

As I was driving from Abbotsford into the city preparing to go to church and then to visit Mr. Bates, I was thinking about what I could give him.

Mr. Bates is one of my favourite people in the world because he has supported me in all my missional endeavors and loved me still even when I was not endeavoring.

Since planning my first missions trip when I was 15, Mr. Bates has asked me the same question each time we met; “Do you have enough money?” As I was driving, I started to sing this phrase as well as everything else that came to mind about Mr. Bates.

Although I have no musical training, I thought it would be a great idea to write Mr. Bates a song and play something on the ukulele that my dad gave me when I graduated from college. This would be way better than giving flowers.

In church, while the pastor spoke about epiphany, I wrote out the lyrics. Following the service, my buddy who plays in the band helped me get the ukulele in tune. As soon as it was ready, my mom and I headed to the hospice. I told her that I needed a few minutes to figure out how to play something, so she sat patiently with me in the car as I tried to work out a strum pattern. After a few minutes she said politely “Danielle, if I was dying, I don’t think I would want to hear that”. So I left the uke in the car and followed her inside.

Mr. Bates opened his eyes to see us as we greeted him, and was able to nod his head a bit in response to our questions. My mom just kept chatting and I couldn’t say much until she told me to read what I wrote. Of course I told him the whole ridiculous story about trying to become a song writer and musician in a number of hours and explained that what I really wanted was to thank him for all that he had given me, for the ways he empowered my dreams and continued to support me as my dreams changed. This is what I read him:

You’d ask if I had enough money
If I had enough money to pay for school
You’d ask if I had enough money
If I had enough money in my pocket

I’d say “I’ll make it through”
We’d shake hands and you’d pass me a 20
To me you gave so generously

I was 15 years old, planning my first missions trip
Raising money terrified me
You said “I’ll support anything you do”

18 and headed to the Himalayas
This time I needed more than the last
You said “I’ll support you”

It was time to go on the longest trip yet
8 months in Africa
You said, “let me know what you need”

You’d ask if I had enough money
If I had enough money in my pocket
I’d say “I’ll make it through”
We’d shake hands and you’d pass me a 20
To me you gave so generously

Thank you, my dear friend.