NEENAH, Wis. (WFRV) – For the Reverend Niveen Ibrahim Sarras, walking with people through their final moments of life is more than a calling. It’s deeply personal.
“It’s a sacred and holy moment,” said Sarras, pastor at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Neenah. “I feel honored to be called to do such ministry.”
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For years, Sarras has guided families through grief, offering prayers and presence at the end of life. But last summer, she found herself navigating that journey from a different perspective.
Her brother, Odeh, traveled from Palestine to visit after a long battle with cancer. Just days later, doctors delivered devastating news.
“The doctor, after having a CT scan, told me my brother was dying, and I shouldn’t let my brother go back,” Sarras said.
Her family turned to hospice care, something she admits she previously knew little about.
“I was clueless about hospice,” she said. “But now I understand what families go through.”
Through language barriers, cultural differences and grief, a team of local caregivers stepped in to help. What followed was a shared experience of compassion and learning.
“I just want people to know that with hospice we are there to support you wherever you are at, no matter the cultural background,” said ThedaCare hospice nurse Briana Eggert.
Care teams worked to understand the family’s faith and traditions, while the family learned to navigate an unfamiliar health care system.
“It was different worlds — what he experienced here versus back home,” said ThedaCare hospice social worker Stephanie Denson. “But that understanding helped us care for him.”
Amid ongoing conflict in the family’s homeland, they found comfort in knowing Odeh was surrounded by dignity and care in his final days.
“We thank the Lord he was here,” Sarras said. “He was treated with dignity.”
Odeh died in August.
For Sarras, the experience has transformed the way she ministers to others.
“I know how to accompany them,” she said. “I understand what they are going through because I have now walked that valley.”
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Now, she says every prayer comes from a deeper place shaped by personal loss and a renewed sense of compassion.
Her family’s story is a reminder that even in life’s most difficult moments, care and understanding can transcend culture, language and borders.
