Madeline, Harriett, and Olivia had been friends for eighty years. The three of them, at 90 years old, had known each other since they were ten, when they all sang together in the Mt. Sinai Baptist Church Children’s Choir. Harriett remembered that at first she didn’t want to sing in the choir, but her mom actually made her. She told her to give it a try for a few months, and if she didn’t like it, she could stop. This was with the understanding though, that if she didn’t sing in the choir, she would pick up some other church activity. Mrs. Wilkerson’s children were going to be involved in church activities.
Madeline, on the other hand, loved to sing. She sang all the time, to the annoyance of her five brothers. She was the only girl, and she was the youngest. She had looked forward to singing in the choir.
Olivia wanted to be in the choir because her friends were in it. She wasn’t sure about singing, but she knew she wanted to do what her friends were doing, so she asked her mom and dad if she could sing in the children’s choir, and they happily said yes.
They had been singing in the choir for about a year, when their director, Mrs. Sanford, decided that the three of them should sing a song together. Now the three of them, at that time, didn’t really know each other that well, but they were excited to be able to sing a song together. Well God must have had his anointing over them, because when they sang, it brought the people in church to their feet. After that, they started singing together as much as they could.
When they got in high school they actually started singing as a trio: The Anointed Voices From God. They sang in many churches throughout the area. After high school, Madeline and Harriet stated working, there was no money for college. Olivia was able to go to college, locally, where she trained to be a teacher. The Anointed Voices From God though, stayed together singing.
Through marriage, and kids, they stayed together. Olivia, while never marrying-never met the right man-had enough nieces and nephews that she was always toting a kid with her. The group was truly blessed to be able to sing together for so many years. They even travelled to different towns and cities throughout the country, singing praises to God.
As they got older, they were not able to sing together as much, until it finally reached the point where they were no longer physically able to really travel, or even sing locally. Madeline and Harriett were now widows, but they had plenty of grandchildren to keep them occupied, and while Olivia had no children, she was always receiving phone calls and visits from her nieces, nephews, as well as her great nieces and nephews.
It was just a stroke of luck, or maybe divine intervention that the three of them ended up at the same senior facility. For all three of them it had been a difficult choice to leave their perspective homes and move to a senior facility. It gets to the point though, where sometimes, as you become older, taking care of an entire home gets to be a little much. Madeline’s children urged her to sell their home, and buy a condo. Harriet’s kids wanted her to come and live with them, but she still wanted her own space, but just not as much space as the house. Olivia just grew tired of walking up and down stairs.
The Greenhaven Homes was a very nice condo facility for people Sixty-Two years and older. There were a lot of different activities to participate in, as a way to get to know other condo owners. Each of them felt it would be a great fit for them. Madeline was taking the elevator down to the garage to run a few errands, when who steps on the elevator, but Olivia. They were so excited to see each other. Neither Madeline, nor Olivia had spoken with Harriet in awhile, so Madeline called her that evening. “The two of you are living where?” Harriet asked. “The Greenhaven Homes. I’m there too! Unit 703!”
It was totally amazing how after all these years God brought them back together again. Now every Sunday after church, the three ladies sit on the bench by the garden, and sing praises to God. The Anointed Voices From God.