Life has a way of teaching us what is important. A few weeks before this picture was taken my family was told that my father would not make it. Pneumonia and kidney failure was their reasoning. Being a family of 5 with the breadwinner hospitalised, and everyone else unemployed or studying, it felt like we were at the lowest point in our lives.
Every day, morning, afternoon and night, we would visit, and upon arrival he’d always have a smile. Doctors telling us he’d not make it, he’d still smile. Every day we’d hear; “I have faith that God will do whatever needs to be done for the best for us.” With tears in our eyes, we often questioned God and his plans. But my father, he had that special kind of faith. Things did not immediately get better, oh no, it got worse.
Daily he looked weaker and struggled to breathe but his faith showed through with a positive smile on his face. Reading his charts, speaking to doctors, seeing how he looked physically, hearing people say he looks like our grandfather at the age of 45, all these things took its toll on us. But him? He remained full of faith and positive. Day by day, little by little, his faith grew stronger, people came in and out of the ward, he remained hospitalised. Days were dark but he always saw the light. Sleepless nights, swollen body parts, high fevers, struggling to breathe, he remained full of faith in God. The most difficult part was remaining strong and smiling when looking at him suffering, fighting back tears daily, but he, he remained positive.
Today, nearly 6 months later, he’s up and walking like someone who was never in that space. Yes, he has stopped working and he has down days but his faith remains. That special faith kept us strong. His positivity kept us hopeful and faithful.
If before we never thought faith was real, now we know faith in God, our something special, has kept us. Despite obstacles life has tried to throw our way, we are stronger than ever. Our special family with this very special faith remains hopeful and strong, believing God will never give us more than we can handle.