Monday afternoon, we had planned to visit him to give him his birthday presents. I got him a football and Jean got him some Matchbox cars and some school supplies. Because we have to be back on the ship by 5 pm to turn in our car, we ran out of time and couldn't see him. So our plan was to visit him first on Tuesday morning to give him the presents. On our way out of the ship, Nush's uncle Jeremiah called and told us Nush had died last night. He just started vomiting so they took him to the clinic and he died. Just like that...no warning or decline in health.
It was a devastating call. Even though Nush had cancer, he was getting chemo and seemed to be so healthy. I never expected him to die so it's been a shock - and especially so to his family. Right after the call, we went to Nush's house. There were so many people, crying. I've described their mourning process in a previous post (see post from Sept. 21) so I won't go into again but it was the same as the last time.
We took Nush's body to the gravesite in our Land Rover. If we hadn't been there, they would have had to take him in a taxi. The men in the family had been digging his grave all morning. It was an area out in the woods - it was a beautiful area but it's very strange to my Western thinking about cemetaries. The father said a few words and then they asked us to say a few words. Jean read Psalm 23 and then talked about Nush and his life. Thankfully, this has happened to Jean before where she was expected to be the preacher at a funeral so she was prepared and said some really meaningful things, in my opinion.
Nush had the biggest smile and really cute dimples. Plus he was really outgoing. When we drove him to the hospital, he was a backseat driver and always pretended he was driving and also kept giving Jean directions on what to do. He liked to dance and I'm really sorry I didn't take a video of him dancing. Last time I saw him, he was doing this hilarious dance but I thought that I would have him do it again the next time so I could video him. You never know that there isn't going to be a next time.
We brought him to the ship about a week and a half ago for some fun times. Here are some photos I took. Here he is showing off his play-doh jewelry and getting his feet painted. We put paint on their hands and feet and then pressed them on to paper.
Here he is with his adorable younger sister Jessica.
Please pray for Nush's mother, Aretha. She wasn't doing too well yesterday.
We stopped by their house today to see how she was and drop off some rice but she was at her parent's house.
We stopped by their house today to see how she was and drop off some rice but she was at her parent's house.
Everyday something happens here that makes me think about God's sovereignty vs. human suffering. Everyday we are approached multiple times asking for help for some health problem - yesterday it was a little 5 year old girl whose head was tilted sideways and stuck in this position; the day before it was a little 4 year old boy whose legs were both bent to the left; sometimes it's people missing limbs; one time it was someone who had travelled three days to get to Mercy Ships for an orthopedic problem but came across us before they got to the ship. And everyday, several times a day, I have to say I'm sorry, we can't help you. Most of these problems are not things we can fix on the ship and even if they were, our surgery schedule is full for the remainder of the outreach in Liberia. It's absolutely heartbreaking to say 'we can't help you' when Mercy Ships is their final hope for healing through human means.
I have no answers to the questions about why a sovereign God 'allows' suffering. I just know that, even without answers, my faith is growing stronger everyday. There is no way I could do this job if I didn't believe in an eternal hope. I heard several times at the funeral yesterday that Nush's death was God's will. I absolutely do not believe the death of an innocent little boy was God's will. Death was never God's will (read Genesis if you don't believe it). And then read about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ to see how God overcame death. If death was God's will, why would He send Jesus?
I'm going to end on a high note. Baby Joanna (posts from Sept 28 and Oct 7) went home Monday and we stopped by to see how they were doing. Joanna and her mother Rebecca weren't home but were at church down the street. Let me tell you, this is a huge deal. Until this week, Rebecca had NEVER been able to take Joanna out in public because of their belief she is cursed. Joanna's uncle and grandpa were just beaming and saying they were so happy about Joanna's new face and thanking us profusely...another humbling moment since we were so close to losing her.
Peace,
Michele
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