Early Monday morning around 3am (EST), my Aunt Anne passed away. She had been battling throat and tongue cancer. The week before I left to come to Cape Town, I had lunch with Jeannie Higgins one of the Pastors at Asbury United Methodist Church. I told her that I was struggling with the idea of going to a country that has so much disease and death. I thought that I could handle it, but after watching Anne struggle these past few months, I just wasn't sure I was up for watching more people die.
Cancer is ugly. HIV/AIDS is ugly. Death is ugly. But praise God death isn't the end.
We sang 'Marching on to Zion' at church on Sunday which I have since downloaded and play it in remembrance of Anne. I have been praying that God would give me peace. This morning when I was praying, God gave me a beautiful image of Anne. She is not handicapped by autism. She is not having difficulty walking nor is she hunched over. She is not withering away. In the presence of our God, she is healed and beautiful and vibrant. And I know without a doubt that she is loving on every single cat in Heaven! I have learned a lot from my Aunt Anne. She was courageous and strong. She never complained. She remembered people and their lives. She knew how to laugh. She gave the sweetest hugs, and told you 'I care about you' simply by holding your hand. She wasn't vain. She didn't need fame from names. She was never prideful and only boastful when the VOLS won a football game. She was content. I can only hope to be half the woman she was on earth. I hope and pray that when I get close to death that I can be a witness like she was. Even without words, you were blessed by her sweet spirit. Through all of this, God is showing me life in the presence of death.
I'm not in Africa to watch the sick die. Yes there is disease, poverty, abuse and addiction. But God is in the least of these. My brothers and sisters here are beautiful and vibrant, and I am being blessed every day to see God in their faces. God is here in this place and my Aunt Anne is in the presence of God. How amazing is that!
You posted with Grace and Dignity,Lauren. In the midst of such poverty and despair, you are truly a light shining so bright. You are indeed blessed with Abundance of Spirit. May you live the Fullness of God and be Blessed in all you do ..... you are indeed, Loved! Madeline
ReplyDeleteThat was beautiful Lauren. We love you, Mom
ReplyDeleteYou give marvelous tribute to my sister. I wrestle with the unfairness of cancer in such a sweet person. We are frail and our bodies are bound to this earth - from it we rise and to it we fall. Anne is beyond the pain and dysfunction brought on by each attempt to simply swallow. She taught us grace in suffering. She taught me patience and humble service. I have delivered on my promise to mom that I care for and not fuss with my sister. She's home now and I can rest. Praise God for these things and this time of trial. We love you, Dad
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