This month, I have been blessed to spend a majority of my time in ministry with our host, Dorothy, making home visits to widows. For the most part, we have gone to minister to them, bringing encouragement and prayer to them, but today, we visited Niculina, and I found myself being ministered to by her.
Niculita is in her late 40’s. She was widowed after the passing of her husband, and is a “shut-in”, unable to leave her house because of sickness. Niculina was diagnosed with asthma at age 17, and after taking cortisone for 30 years her liver has shut down. She has also recently been diagnosed with diabetes, and because of poor knowledge and treatment of the disease here, she has had multiple diabetic comas. It is a miracle that she is alive. Yet, despite these diseases, and her inability to leave the house, she praises God with every ounce of her being.
Niculina grew up Orthodox, and God used her time in the hospital to woo her into a relationship with Him. The first time she was in the hospital, she was given a Bible by a fellow patient; the next time, she came to know Him through one of the doctors working there. Niculina says that she thanks God everyday for the diseases that brought her to the hospitals, because without them, she would never know Him.
While her story is amazing, who she is and the way she lives is what really challenged me, and helped me to bring my life in perspective. Living alone in her house, Niculina spends her time in worship, memorizing and singing hymns to God, and living in eager expectation of the day she will be called home to spend eternity with Him.
We asked if she would grace us with a song, and while she looked old and worn down when we came in, she lit up when asked to perform. My teammate and I got to see her come alive. When she started singing, all I could see before me was a woman fully engaged with The Lord, who knew that her circumstances here are temporary, and that her present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in her. She sang us 4 or 5 songs and then made sure to repeat them so our host could translate them for us.
There is a quote by AW Tozer that says, “I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman, on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven,” and while she sang and engaged in worship, this was all I could think of. Niculina is not remotely bored or turned off by worship. This is a woman who’s worship is ready for heaven. She worships with all that she is, and holds nothing back. She lives to glorify God, knowing her hope is not in a better situation, or a better bill of health, but rather in Jesus, and in spending eternity with Him.
I could not help but be deeply challenge by her life. Often times I hope for better situations, for better circumstances, and praise God for the good times, but withhold praise in the hard seasons. I think that the next situation or success will satisfy my soul. Niculina reminded me that knowing Him is more than enough.
Niculina hugged us and cried as we left, unsure how much longer she would have on this earth. Certain she wouldn’t see my teammate and me again, and unsure how many more times she would see Dorothy. Strangely enough, I have a peace in knowing that she will likely pass soon. She is going to be with The Lord, and I have never met someone more prepared.
It is with the utmost honor that I write this blog. I spent today in the presence of a true saint, and my life will not be the same because of it. I am so humbled to be able to tell Niculina’s story, and I pray that it might impact and challenge you as it did me.
I love you guys and am so thankful for all of you,
Andy
