Angels Among Us

My coworker “Angelina” is African American and grew up in Mississippi, the deepest of the Deep South, during the Jim Crow era. When she was three, she became critically ill. Her family took her to the nearest hospital. Doctors said they didn’t know what was wrong with her and that the hospital didn’t treat Black children.

Her family took her to the next hospital. Doctors said they didn’t know what was wrong with her and that the hospital didn’t treat Black children.

They took her to a third hospital. Doctors said they didn’t know what was wrong with her and that the hospital didn’t treat Black children. A White doctor who did not know Angelina or her family intervened. He was a young resident, new to the hospital and with no power in its hierarchical system.

He diagnosed Angelina with polio and declared that he would override the hospital’s segregationist policy. He saved her life and risked his career to do it. Years later, Angelina went back to that hospital and saw that doctor. He had never forgotten her and was delighted to see her again.

Angelina graduated from business school, worked in corporate America, went to theological seminary, earned her Master of Divinity degree, and is now board certified as a hospital chaplain. She does God’s work every day, despite that fact that the polio took away the use of her legs.

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” ~Hebrews 13:2