CV NEWS FEED // A man recently shared his experience of volunteering with the “No One Dies Alone” (NOSDAF) program and how it brought him to pray at the deathbed of a 5-year-old girl.
In an Aug. 11 thread on X, Justin Stoddard wrote that he had a special devotion for the deceased, and when he saw that his church bulletin was asking for volunteers for NODA, he “jumped at the opportunity.”
He explained that as a Catholic, he believes the Church’s teaching that the final moments before death are a “time of increased spiritual warfare and increased opportunities for repentance and holiness.”
Stoddard wrote that he sees his job as one of an advocate for the dying person, and so he prays, “Lord, this is my (brother, sister, mother, father, son, daughter), and neighbor. And I love him/her as I love you. Have mercy.”
When he was asked to pray at the death-bed of a little girl, however, he “almost balked. Too close to home. Too sad to even think about, much less face.” He shared that he prayed for strength, and the prayers of others helped encourage him to go.
“When I entered the room, I immediately started to weep. (She was asleep). But, a calmness and sense of peace that can only be described as divine came over me. And with it this inner voice that said, ‘I’ve got this. All I ask of you is to sit and pray,’” wrote Stoddard.
He added, “This little girl needed no advocate. There was no spiritual warfare going on. Her angel was beholding the face of God and Our Lord had her firmly in his grasp.”
He said he thanked God for putting the little girl in his life, and when his replacement came, he prayed, “Lord, this is my daughter and I love her.””
Stoddard encouraged those who are able to to volunteer with NOSDAF. According to its website, NOSDAF is a program “created to raise money for families who are unable to be with their loved ones; it allows us to hire a caregiver to be with them and hold their hands so they don’t die alone.”
NOSDAF also asks for volunteers and donations.
