By Fr. Jason Weber
One day a priest was visiting a family with 8 children and the priest asked the mother of the family, ‘which of your children do you love the most?’ Without missing a beat, she responded, the one who needs me most.
The picture below is the view from Miguelina’s house, Monday Nov. 5 when Fr. McGraw and I picked Miguelina and her mother up in order to bring Miguelina to the sisters’ house in the capital. The Sisters of Maria Formadora run a house for the poor who need serious medical treatment. Miguelina had broken her leg in June and the leg wasn’t healing. She is a fifteen year old girl who has been involved with the church her entire life, and a few months ago I was brought up to her house to visit her. After a few visits and an attempt to get medical attention in San Juan, we brought her to the capital. On Thursday the sisters called me to let me know why her leg wasn’t healing: she has bone cancer, or as they say here, huesos de crystal- crystal bones. Priests often deal with difficult situations and usually remain collected in order to offer words of support and prayers. This one hit me though and I did shed a few tears. Bone cancer I understand is rather painful, and this little girl will spend the rest of her life in bed because her body is not able to heal what is already injured and is susceptible to damaging her frail bones. The leg that wouldn’t heal. . . the doctor said that it is broken in several parts and the rod that had been put in at the beginning is the only thing holding her leg together.
The above picture is the view from Miguelina’s house, Monday Nov. 5 when Fr. McGraw and I picked Miguelina and her mother up in order to bring Miguelina to the sisters’ house in the capital. The Sisters of Maria Formadora run a house for the poor who need serious medical treatment. Miguelina had broken her leg in June and the leg wasn’t healing. She is a fifteen year old girl who has been involved with the church her entire life, and a few months ago I was brought up to her house to visit her. After a few visits and an attempt to get medical attention in San Juan, we brought her to the capital. On Thursday the sisters called me to let me know why her leg wasn’t healing: she has bone cancer, or as they say here, huesos de crystal- crystal bones. Priests often deal with difficult situations and usually remain collected in order to offer words of support and prayers. This one hit me though and I did shed a few tears. Bone cancer I understand is rather painful, and this little girl will spend the rest of her life in bed because her body is not able to heal what is already injured and is susceptible to damaging her frail bones. The leg that wouldn’t heal. . . the doctor said that it is broken in several parts and the rod that had been put in at the beginning is the only thing holding her leg together.
I met with the youth group of her community, Higüerito, on Thursday and decided that I would personally go up to the capital in order to bring her back home and pray with her. The youth group committed themselves to frequent visits with prayer and scripture reading with her. Miguelina is a trooper! Despite the obvious pain, she has not complained, and despite the diagnosis, she retains her peace. I actually think that she will be a wonderful influence on everyone that will be visiting!
Which of my children do I love most? It might just be this little lamb at the moment. Let us remember also that illness and maladies exist so that the glory of God may be manifest. The glory of God is His love when we live in that love. I pray that we can assist here in this arduous journey that she may enter heaven a saint through this cross.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Weber