In February of 2016, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and at about the same time, my mother lay dying. She had lived half paralyzed for 5 years from a stroke and in the past month had deteriorated to the point where she could barely swallow without choking, and had lost her speech. She was also in great pain from a wound which would not heal from poor blood supply to her leg. As I struggled to obtain comfort and care for her from our overburdened medical system, I prayed for God’s grace and mercy for her, that she should not suffer any more and for strength for myself.
I tried not to worry about the Cancer too much, understanding that it was not going to kill me overnight! I told my mother one day how much I loved her, and thanked her for all that she had done for me. Her friends came by to visit and advised that we ask our priest to bring her Holy Communion! We did this. A couple of days later I prayed with her before she went to sleep, asking the Lord to heal her and take away her pain or take her away to be with Him. He listened. That dawn she breathed her last. Even as I grieved her loss, I thanked the Lord for taking away her pain.
I was her only daughter and so I would have to bear all the responsibility for her funeral. I also had my youngest son at home to take care of, and a wonderful husband who was really stressed with his job. How was I going to get a funeral organized in time, that would also do justice to Mum, but would also allow me to get my cancer treatment started?
Even as I prayed to the Lord to take over, He had his plan already in motion; Mum had been in the military and her old squadron stepped in to help with the arrangements, going out of their way to honor her. Mum’s extended family and my cousins and nephews stepped in to form a protective shield around me and helped to implement all the arrangements we needed to take care of.
As for my husband, he was like my 3rd and 4th arm and leg! Two weeks after Mum’s death, she was buried with love and dignity in true military fashion, and I had begun cancer treatment with little fear but full of joy and gratitude for the Lord’s support through it all.
As I go for treatment daily, I make myself sit for a half hour longer in the waiting room to chat with the other women who are in there for the same reasons as I am and my goal is to cheer them up with my chatter and share a word of encouragement about the Lord. How I have been cheered up in return! Our God truly cares about us and we ought not to worry! Thank you Father.
Angela – Accra Ghana – 2016
