While I speak of joy, I think back to Wednesday when we were at the AID's hospital and I was able to reconnect with a sweet little girl named Maria. She is not the typical patient that you would see in the AID's hospital, most of the kids can function as normal just with medication, and seem as if nothing is wrong from the outside. Maria was different, she could not run around and she had a much different outward appearance. She is 4 years old and has had cancer, most likely in her brain because of the scarring on the base of her neck and lack of hair. Not only this but she is deaf and mute, along with the loneliness of having no recorded family at all. I first met Maria last week and she was basically quarantined from the outside and I was unable to communicate with her or play with her, due to the lack of spanish and sign language knowledge, so we just sat there. As we sat there I repeatedly proclaimed her beauty to her and prayed that I would get another chance to see her, play and communicate with her.
Now, back to Wednesday. I had first visited the hospital with the AXIS team and have stayed for the Family trip as well. Returning again to the AID's hospital with a new group of people, I was hopeful for a new opportunity to arise with Maria. We walked in and there she was eating her snack, but still in the solemn attitude that she had had the week before. I went over and began to smile and sit with her again and gave her a sticker sheet, then we wandered around inside the common area and then it hit me that Debbie Thomas knew sign language and I could finally communicate with this young girl. Then I turned and there Debbie was with some bubbles to share with Maria. She began signing to her and it was as if a new child had entered into her body and took over. Maria's face lit up more than any light bulb ever could. It was and overcast day so she was able to go outside since the sun was not out,so finally we could play. We did bubbles, stickers, and pushed her gently in the swing. All the while, Debbie is teaching her sign language.
We played the entire day and then towards the end I wanted to proclaim to her that she was beautiful and so Debbie taught us the sign for 'beautiful' and we did it and within seconds she repeated it after us, knowing that she was truly beautiful and a child of God. She then found it funny to pin these hair clips to my shoes and just giggled the sweetest giggle ever. I know God has a plan for all the turmoil that is in Maria's life, because he changed my life through hers. Although we were only with her a few hours, those were a few hours that she did not have to know she was sick, she didn't have to know that she has no family, and it didn't matter that she couldn't hear or speak to us, God made a way to answer my prayers and let Maria know that she matters to someone, but most of all she matters to God.
This entire experience with Maria made me reevaluate my perspective on life, and how I think I have problems, yet I truly don't. I have good health, my 5 senses, a family, and I have a home to return to each night, Maria has none of that. I was convicted to now begin to truly survey anything before I choose to get upset about it.
The Scripture that was posted on the wall was Psalm 84, and it couldn't have been more suiting for the day. It says:
"How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heavens Armies. I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of The Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O Lord of Heavens Armies, my king and my God." Psalm 84:1-3
Whitney Brechter
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