The Saving of Bette and Bob Keith

(This is Part One of a Two-Part Series. The second part will be posted on Tuesday.)

by Bob Keith

My story is about Good Sam and its saving of Bette and Bob Keith, and it begins with the healing service.

We moved to San Diego 12 years ago as very healthy people. A year later Bette began an 11-year struggle with several medical problems that came out of nowhere and never left, especially her ever-increasing pain from shingles.

Another problem developed, too, and it became more important than we realized. We had tried several Presbyterian churches in the first years -- that had been our church back east -- but we never sensed any sort of welcoming.

Soon, we didn’t go to church much. That led to not talking with God much, even though we were beginning to get worn down and discouraged by the unsolvable medical issues.

Our big break

About 6-7 years ago, Bette was using a warm water therapy pool and so was a fellow named Bob Tuggey. They soon knew of each other’s problems. One day he suggested she join him at his “Good Sam Healing Service”. Bette thought what in the world is “Good Sam”? What is a healing service?

But at the same time, she never hesitated and quickly said “Yes”. And that did it. After the first session, she asked me if I could bring her to the next Wednesday session. I did, and some of you know the rest.

This is the point where our lives -- both of us -- began to get better. She had new friends at healing, she was soon smiling again and gaining a new outlook on her life and problems.

The yellow room

It wasn’t long before Bette started to refer to the healing service room, that is, the Chapel, as the Yellow Room. At her memorial service this spring, Father Chris described how this was an important reference term for her, as he knew from conducting the many healing services.

There is a good reason for her using those words: when the sun broke through the clouds mid-morning, it shined through the yellow colors in the glass window in the room, and gave a yellow glow to the room. That is the most obvious explanation for the Yellow Room term.

But in my talks with her, I learned there may be more to it than that. When in that room, she was sensing a comforting, mysterious tranquility that was coming from the healing process itself. The appearance of the yellow sunlight did help the good feeling but she probably used the “Yellow Room” reference because it was an easier thing to explain.

(This is Part One of a Two-Part Series. The second part will be posted on Tuesday.)