WACO, Texas (ABP) — Nathan and Fran Porter, former employees of the Southern Baptist Convention's Home Mission Board, have received an anonymous $5,000 donation to help pay for Fran's mounting medical expenses, Porter told Associated Baptist Press June 29.
The gift was given by “a friend of Fran's — someone with whom she worked when she was rescuing women who had been battered and abused,” Porter said. He declined to name the donor, although he said the person called the Porters' church — Calvary Baptist Church in Waco, Texas — to find out how much the Porters needed. Jonathan Grant, the associate pastor for adult discipleship, helped facilitate the gift. He was unavailable for comment.
Recently featured in an ABP story about Fran's battle with progressive supranuclear palsy, the Porters had argued for substantial financial assistance from the North American Mission Board, formerly the SBC Home Mission Board. The help Porter requested exceeded the board's standard insurance benefits for employees.
NAMB spokesman Marty King said the initial news story about Porter's request was “unfair and very regrettable.” In fact, King said, the mission organization has provided much more than the 120 hours of care per year that Porter claimed they did. NAMB provided 120 4-hour custodial care visits for the Porters, King said, adding that the amount more than covers Fran's needs, which don't require professional medical attention on a daily basis.
“NAMB has not abandoned him,” King told ABP. “We have done everything we can to help them — way above and beyond everything we can do to help them. We have explained the coverage to Nathan at length and have gone well beyond our commitments to them.”
Porter said he believes that, in light of his 30-plus years of service to the agency, NAMB owes him enough money to pay for extensive care for Fran. King maintains that NAMB has supplied the assistance detailed in Porter's original benefits package and must adhere to that policy in order to continue serving the thousands of other missionaries NAMB supports.
King said that while he understands Porter's request, the agency cannot acquiesce to an employee who refuses to accept anything less than for NAMB to finance whatever he deems necessary.
“Our hearts go out to [the Porters],” King said. “We understand their anger, but it should not be directed at NAMB.”
As for the anonymous gift, Porter said he appreciates the contribution.
“It has been a big help,” Porter said. “I was very embarrassed that I needed the help, but I'm trying to learn how to receive. I'm very grateful.”
Upon receiving word of the aid, Porter said he immediately increased the amount of care Fran receives. That care includes hospice workers who tend to her throughout the week, nurse aides to bathe her daily, a social worker who comes every two weeks, and a paid assistant who cares for Fran during the day. The money went to increase the paid assistant's time from 10 to 60 hours a week with Fran, Porter said.
Besides the money, Porter has received encouraging phone calls from friends all over the nation — and world. Porter tells them Fran's not in pain, although she has developed several infections and has bouts of delusion — which is expected in the later stages of PSP.
PSP is a degenerative brain disease with no known cause or cure. By the end of their lives, most PSP patients become bedridden, unable to speak, swallow or even move their eyes. They eventually succumb to pneumonia or infections in the blood.
Fran was diagnosed with PSP on Jan. 8, 2004. She has gradually lost mobility since then, but both Porters continued for a long time to attend church services at Calvary, where the senior adults ordained Fran as their minister in 1995.
Now, Porter said, the physical and emotional drain of going to church, where so many people know them, takes too much of a toll.
Nonie Townsend, who has worked with a friend to take Fran's post with the seniors, said she could never hope to fill the void left by the Porters. Fran's “willingness to give” without expecting anything in return compelled people to love her, Townsend said.
“They're a much-loved couple,” Townsend said. “Fran was so gracious. She's just a gracious lady.”
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Former mission board worker fights for NAMB support for ailing wife