His love endures forever

As a resident in a busy tertiary-level hospital, a frail, feeble child of twelve was slowly trailing behind her mother. She was due for her radiation therapy — she was diagnosed to have a rare type of childhood lung malignancy. The mother was a daily wage worker, the father worked as a porter in one of the local bus stands.

What was surprising was, in an area where having a girl child was considered a burden, these poor parents were defying all odds to give the best care to their dying child. Days went by with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The child became even weaker, but cheerful. We became friends.

She was discharged and I told her I would visit her in her home. I took a bus to her village which was up a hill. I followed the landmarks she had given me. And lo and behold, I found her grandmother selling some flowers under a banyan tree!

News spread to this child that her doctor had come to visit her. The little girl came running and shouting cheerfully and gathering all her neighbourhood friends saying, “My doctor has come to see me! My doctor has come to see me!” I was so touched.

The disease had taken a toll on her but at that instant, there was so much joy on her face, I said to myself it was worth all the trouble I took to come to this child’s home. It was a small thatched roof with cow dung flooring; there was no electricity in this little hut. She insisted that I should have lunch with her; they gave me rice gruel with some lentils, seasoned with so much love. No money or riches on this earth could replace this joy.

I thanked God and I ate with her. It was such a profound lesson for me. It does not matter who we are or where we live or what is destroying our earthly tent — what matters, is that God loves us and remembers us.

Prayer: Lord, Thank You for Your unconditional love. Help me to reflect that love to others in need of acceptance and affirmation.