Imagine being 31 years old, never married, no children and having AIDS. Add to that being from a culture where none of these things are acceptable. Nezi is a beautiful young lady who spent some time in our health care center trying to get healthy from her illness and being treated for a pretty serious bedsore. She did it though with help from the staff and she was able to go home and follow up in the clinic in her community.
Many months passed and for whatever reason(s) she got sick again and her wounds became so horrible and her health just toileted. She came to us again from one of our local hospitals. All everyone could say was how sick she looked now compared to the way she did when she left Living Hope. I watched her go through various states since December and at one point she was taking a turn for the better. However it changed again, as HIV often does, and she steadily declined. To try to imagine how it felt for this young lady to have this massive wound in a very private place and still feel like a woman and deal with just simple things like the smells that were coming from her body. I could do nothing but feel sorry and just pray for her silently.
Our doctor finally had to have the conversation with her that medically there was nothing more we could do for her and that this wound turned out to be a pretty serious cancer and her body could no longer fight it. She took it the best way I can imagine any young person could. Our chaplain recognized a need to discuss with her about her eternity. She laid it out about where she was headed and where did she want to go when she dies. Nezi decided she wanted to give her life to Jesus and got saved that day. She dicided a week later she wanted to be baptized and on March 28th she was baptized in the bathtub, the very place where she had to soak to keep her wound clean, at the health care center. I'm not sure that's ever happened at the HCC but I'm forever grateful that I got to be there.
God has a way of putting us in the right place at the right time and that day was one of those days. I wasn't working but stopped by the center and asked if I could watch. I didn't just watch but was able to help carry her to the tub and help with the baptism itself. She and I had never really bonded but that day I kissed her and felt so close to her. It was such a special moment and I will never forget it as long as I live. Thank you Jesus.
Nezi passed away this past weekend. I was sad to hear this but rejoice in knowing that beautiful young lady is free from what bound her here and she is whole again and her body is new in Christ.
Life is short and uncertain. I am grateful for my health and to be able to walk with Jesus in my heart. I pray that you all as well. God bless you Nezi and all my family/friends who are sharing this.
Tracy
(*name changed for privacy)
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