I worked with a few hospice patients during my senior year internship at University. I worked with the senior population throughout the course of my four month internship, relaying to some of my patients that the “senior home” they would be entering would be their last. But never did I think that I would encounter this.
Because of my social work background I was asked to tell an orphan of ten years old that his father had passed away yesterday afternoon. I felt confident when I volunteered to tell him. But as soon as he walked into our home and looked me in the eyes, my emotions quickly changed. I immediately asked the Lord for the strength and words to say to this adorable boy, lets call him Nathan (name changed for security purposes).
His father has spent most of his life in the hospital between being in an accident before he was born and losing his legs, diabetes, and having cataract surgery. He recently took a turn for the worst and spent his final days where he was most familiar, a hospital bed. His mother took to his father daily. She had two sons, one of which had got hit in an accident crossing the road some years ago. And the other was Nathan. Nathan’s mother had wished dearly for another child for years, involving 17 miscarriages. She finally found she was pregnant and spent the entire 9 months in the hospital to be sure the baby was healthy. When she had the Nathan, she still continued to care for her husband leaving Nathan seriously neglected. She was a sister to Mr Evans, Mama’s husband here at Great Mercy Children’s home. Mama stepped in and rescued her nephew.
Nathan has lived at Great Mercy for two years now and does exceptionally well in school. He has visited his father recently when he had taken a trip to Nairobi for a sort of therapy for his eyesight that had went wrong once again. He knew his father was very sick. His father had told him that his brother that he had never met was in heaven.
We brought Nathan in and sat him down; Mama, Lindsay, and I. He took some tea and bread and we all chatted about what we had learned that day and what he enjoyed. He repeated that he had so much fun in class with a friend. His friend was dancing during class and it made him smile so he decided to join him. He spoke about his friends here, his auntie and uncle that have taken care of him, and how thankful he was for us volunteers here to teach and guide him. I reassured him of the love and greatness that surround this place, and he was confident that this was his home. He felt at home here. We told him that his father was now in heaven with his brother. He sat in silence. We told him he would no longer see his father on earth and that his father was with God. He sat in silence. We asked if he understood what we were saying and he had a hard time replying. Mama finally spoke in Swahili to him, translating what we were saying. He still sat in silence. We prayed and asked if he had any questions. He said he just wanted to thank us so much for telling him, for being here and teaching him. Im not sure that he fully understood what we had told him, but when he finally realizes it I believe he will break down. Children often internalize and suppress their emotions when they do not fully understand or grasp the impact of what has been said. He will attend his father’s funeral in the near future. He said that he is not worried because God has been with him from the day he was born and he trusts in him.
I can not imagine the feeling of losing a parent. I have been blessed with more than enough parents and parental figures throughout the course of my life. But most of these children have no parents or only a single parent. Mama has been so gracious to rescue and take care of over 100 orphans at Great Mercy. She is a mother and her husband is a father to those who don’t have. And Nathan knows that auntie and uncle are there to provide for him, and he knows he does not have to worry. He is still on my heart, and will continue to be for some time. I am excited to spend the next few weeks with Nathan and see him grow and prosper here at Great Mercy.
