With a little ingenuity and some low-cost materials, Carly Marinaro provided a miracle for her grandmother Rose Gagnon. That miracle came in the form of a hug. 85-year-old Gagnon said she hadn’t hugged any of her grandchildren in over two months before Carly came up with a makeshift solution, a device she simply called “Hug Time” – a frame of PVC pipe and a thick plastic membrane with room for arms … you know, for hugging.

Carly said, “I was getting to the point of ‘oh my gosh I can’t handle this I need to hug her, the kids need to hug her’ so it was just so worth it.” She brought her own children to share a hug with their great grandma, who was, of course, elated. Grandmother Rose said, “My heart felt like it was going to burst. It filled my heart. I wanted to cry because I couldn't believe that this was happening, it just means a lot.”

Possible Preaching Angles:

1) Felt Needs; Human needs – God loves to surprise us in meeting our needs. He doesn't just use professionals, but even our children and grandchildren can be vehicles for blessing and restoration. 2) Elderly; Family; Loneliness – We should be diligent to express care and affection to the most vulnerable and to the elderly in their loneliness.

Source:

Caitlin O’Kane, “Great-grandmother gets to hug family thanks to granddaughter's "hug time" invention” CBS News (5-15-20)