Maria: A woman of faith. A woman of strength. A woman of courage.
In November, at age 50, Maria was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The doctors gave her a slim chance to live much longer. They said there was not much they could do. On the brink of death, Maria did what a woman of faith would do: She fought, she persevered through everyday, she had hope in the things not yet seen.
My team and I met Maria on our first day at ministry in our village back in December. We were met with prayer, fasting and worship by Maria’s family who had faith that God could heal her. We often went back to that house to meet with them. We would spend our time praying big prayers for her, we would worship with her, we would talk about the hope found in the father.
We would often leave more filled and joyful then when we came. Because thats what people like Maria do. There faith radiates onto you. There perseverance inspires you. They have a presence that brings tears to your eyes.
Week by week we visited and her condition gradually got worse. She couldn’t get out of bed, often couldn’t eat and needed assistance 24 hours. Yet she always let us into her home to meet with her. She could be having a very hard day, yet she never turned us away. I can remember we visited her on February 1st, a day where she was in one her worse states, we all prayed and felt peace that the Lord had already healed her even without physical healing. And on February 2nd at around 4am she passed away.
I’ll never forget one day when we had visited her. Her condition got the point where she couldn’t speak. We started to pray over her. For her throat, for God to let her speak. After a lot of prayer we all paused for a second, she sat up, and her first words in weeks were “Dios es Bueno (God is Good)” We were all in tears of her faith, that in the midst of so much pain she was singing praises to God. With every last breath she was worshipping the Father.
This really had me thinking, on average a human says 10,000 words in a day. Maria had 3 words and all of them were in praise to the Father. I wonder what type of life we would live if we did as Maria and glorified the father through every lasting word and breath we had. That we wouldn’t take advantage of the words we speak. That we would position our lives to the point where all we can do is worship the One who breathes his word into us.
Maria lived a life of faith. Someone that inspired everyone she came into contact with. We often marveled how someone in there weakest state could be so strong. I think we can all learn from a person like Maria. That when death is close, we realize that life is even closer. Life in the father. Life in eternity. Life in the spirit.
So Maria’s words are mine to proclaim. That God is good. That he is faithful. That by his wounds I am healed.
