On a previous blog post we introduced you to a 93 year old lady named Andrea who we visited, sang to and brought to church one Sabbath. We were recently visited by a family member of hers that requested that we come to her bedside for prayer. When we arrived she laid in bed unresponsive to any and all who were there. We prayed with her that Friday. Many members of the church came to her bedside to pray for her on Sabbath, and on Sunday she sat up and was speaking to her loved ones. Two weeks later her daughter, Esperanza, went to the hospital with Dengue and complications from other health issues. On the 23rd of October both Andrea and her daughter passed away. The wake was well attended by the community and the family of Andrea and Esperanza. The only one who was unable to attend was Milta, Esperanza’s daughter who had exhausted herself attending to her mom in the hospital and contracted the same disease, Dengue. A disease that can be fatal. Around one o’clock Thursday morning we transported Milta to a clinic in a nearby city.

A day and half later we went back to pick her up from the clinic.  She was weak, but doing better.  We got her home and let her rest.  On the Sabbath we went to visit her to see how she was doing and she began to tell us the most beautiful story of the love of Christ.  She said that she was always the one who was at her mother’s side out of the four children in her family.  Her mom had watched her husband suffer during his death and asked Milta to promise that she wouldn’t leave her alone to suffer when it was her time to die.  Milta would not have thought to leave her mom’s side promise or no promise.  As Esperanza was in the hospital with Dengue, Milta made sure all her needs were attended to.  She would help her to eat and drink, help her get to the bathroom, wash her and whatever else would make her mom as comfortable as possible in her suffering.  After she had passed, Milta brushed her hair in place, put lipstick on her lips that had lost all their color, and poured out her love upon her mother for the very last time as she prepared for her burial. During all this, Milta knew the risk of getting Dengue was high because there was no mosquito net and she was getting bit by mosquitos while continuing to tend to her mom.  Her love for her mother was so great that she forgot about her own life and lived for another. Her Christ-like love for her mother is example for us all.  Our hope is that this story brings you to reflect upon our loving Savior Jesus Christ, who for the great love He has for you and I, counted the cost of death worth it in order to give us life.

“And He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves; but for him who died and rose again on their behalf.” 2 Corinthians 5:15