This is my friend, Miranda, whom I have been meeting with every week since June. I have known her for four years. Our relationship started out as knowing her son, junior. He would come to Homework Huddle and Fun Friday at the apartment she lived at. Then she started coming out more. I still remember that moment our relationship went beyond a wave and a simple hello. It was Christmas time, 2014. We, "the church people", had shown up with some gifts to surprise several families who had become dear to us through our ministry at this apartment community. The families had no idea. We invited parents to come to the laundry room at the local apartment where they lived. They were given bags of toys and allowed to gift wrap them and take them home. It's not about Mission Southside getting credit for anything. It's about possibly meeting a need, and allowing the parents to bless their kids.
When Miranda showed up she was so surprised. We had time to chat while wrapping gifts. This sweet woman had a story. These unexpected gifts came at a very much needed time. While her husband had a VISA, he needed to go back to Guatamala for about 4 months to clear some things up, before he could return to the US. She was going to be alone for a while. A single mom. She had several health issues, as well. I asked if I could pray for her, and we had a sweet time of just praying through a list of things that were on her heart.
A few months later she found herself pregnant, and with a husband who was in Guatamala, straightening out his Visa. Through this time of uncertainty, Miranda and I connected more. I would stop by and see her, she would start coming outside more when we were at the apartments. Sometimes we would just chat, sometimes something was weighing on her heart and we would pray.
Miranda's pregnancy ended up being high-risk. She had many health complications. She was trying to continue working, being a single mom to Junior, and keep this unborn baby healthy. She ended up on bed rest towards the end of her pregnancy. She was beginning to get anxious about having her baby without the help of her husband. One day we were talking about what was the most stressful thing and she said she didn't know where Junior would go when she went into the hospital. Here was a woman I knew, and probably shared more time with than many of my friends, and I felt God nudging me. I went home and had dinner with my husband and kids that night and told them about Miranda's stress. Truthfully I knew what I wanted to ask them, but was a little hesitant about how they would react. Well, I didn't have to even ask. My kids said, "well, mom. You told her he could stay with us, didn't you?
Several weeks later, she ended up in the hospital. Junior came to stay with us for 3 days, and then his mom returned home. Miranda had some health problems and went back to the hospital, and Junior returned to our home, and baby Amalya went to another friend.
Three years later after our relationship went from a "hi" and a "hello", she passed away unexpectedly the week of Christmas, 2017.
Every week since June, we would meet and we would share what we were thankful for, what was challenging and continue our study of creation to the cross. She died a believer, but what I came to realize was that the time, the relationship we have had for... four years and the significantly deeper relationship these last six months was just as important to me and there is a giant hole in my heart. Time is short. If you feel that nudge to grow deeper in relationship with someone and to discover God’s plan for their life or just that nudge to spend time caring and sharing your life and the gospel as well (1Thess. 2:8) do it! You won’t regret it.
No comments:
Post a Comment