A HEAVENLY ORDER FOR BEFRIENDERS

It was a slow day in heaven when the order came in. The good Lord looked at it, pondered it for a long time and finally summoned His Angel.

"We've just got an order for a new group of volunteers."

"Volunteers!" the angel shouted. "Do you realize how hard it is to come up with volunteers in this day and age?"

The Lord smiled patiently.

"Now, if it's teachers or lawyers you need, I can get all you want. Or, how about college students? We have plenty of college students around."

The Lord shook His head and smiled quietly, "It's volunteers I need."

"Okay," the angel sighed. "Maybe I can retain some of the older models - there aren't many new ones coming along you know.

"I know. And wait till you hear the specs on this model," said the Lord.

"Oh no! Don't tell me this is one of those specialty items," the angel groaned. He reached into his pocket, took out a notebook and magic marker and waited for the instructions.

The Lord leaned back in His chair, folded His arms and stared off into the clouds. Finally he spoke.

"This model can be male or female, young or old, any size, shape or color and come from any walk of life."

"Sounds like a piece of cake so far," said the angel.

The Lord continued, "It must be equipped with a great deal of understanding. Occasionally, it must run on mega doses of time and patience and be willing to work odd hours, it must be able to transcend politics, religion, ethnic background and different lifestyles."

The angel looked somber, "Anything else?" he asked, wondering where he was going to come up with this model.

"Oh yes," said the Lord. "It must sit quietly and hug often and listen, listen, listen."

"It must be able to laugh and cry, hold a hand, sooth a brow, know when to speak and when to be quiet, and above all, it must know how to care."

The angel looked intently at the Lord. "Pardon me Sir, but it's going to be tough to come up with a model to do all that without pay."

"Oh this one will get a salary," the Lord announced.

"A salary!" the angel sputtered, "Volunteers don't get salaries!"

"This one will be a member of a team." The Lord went on, ignoring the angel's protest, "and each team member will be responsible to give one another:

S-support
A-appreciation
L-love
A-affirmation
R-respect and
Y-yards of encouragement

"Oh," the angel smiled sheepishly. "And what is this volunteer going to be doing that it needs to meet all these qualifications?"

The Lord looked at him and replied, "Working with the lonely, the homebound, the seriously ill, those who have suffered any kind of loss, aids patients, and victims of alcohol or drug abuse."

"Ahh," the angel whispered. "Do you want me to put a label on it Lord?"

"Yes my friend, I think I'll call this one THE BEFRIENDER."