Friend. Sister. Mother. Daughter. Loving. Joyful. Hopeful.
Helpful. Lively. Sarcastic. Smiley. Caring. Princess. Servant. Storyteller and
a good listener. Blunt, but wise in her words. As she would always say, most importantly, Child of God.
The list to describe my friend and sister Gceblie (known to some as Nomsa) is endless. For those of you that don’t know, Gceblie is a very close friend of my family’s that lived in Swaziland, South Africa. She passed away yesterday from XDR-TB (extremely drug resistant Tuberculosis). She was not doing well, and stopped her medication a week or two ago, so we knew that her time was near, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
It doesn’t feel real... I think about our last conversation before I went back to Taiwan for school, and how I said, “now ill be seeing you at Christmas, right?” And Gceblie looked at me, did her little laugh, and half-smiled half-smirked at me, “Of course my sister.” I asked her to pinky promise (that’s what you do with sisters), and we did. Sitting there, on the end of her bed where I had sat many times before, and I missed her already. It was going to be a long first semester if I was missing her already… and that would be the last time I would see her there.
I think about how lucky I am to have gotten the chance to get to know her at all. What mother allows there 16-year-old to become friends with a woman who has MDR (multiple drug resistant TB), and then a year later let their 17-year-old continue to be friends with the woman after she is diagnosed with XDR-TB? Most parents are afraid to send their child to the continent of Africa in the first place because it is “dangerous,” let alone into a hospital with a silent-killing disease. I am so thankful for my mom. For whatever reason, she let me build this relationship with Gceblie, and for that I am so, so thankful. Not only that, but she allowed me to go with her week after week to visit Gceblie. At the time, I don’t think I realized how huge of an experience with God it was. I asked God to break my heart for what breaks his, and he did. Thank you mom, for allowing me to have that experience. I left a piece of my heart with Gceblie and this will be something that I treasure for the rest of my life. “I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Matthew 25:36
I am so unbelievably proud of my mom. She’s a servant and I was proud to share her to be Gceblie’s mom too. When Gceblie wouldn’t get her own way, afterwards she would always say, “well... you are my mother, and you know what is best. And I love you.” That is an unforgettable, and irreplaceable love.
Gceblie is an inspiration to me, and to so many across the globe. Her days were numbered, but God used every single one of them as an important task. I don’t know if she will ever know how big of an impact she made, but I hope that when we get to heaven that it will be like the end scene of titanic. That she will walk into a room, in a beautiful dress (very beautiful), and all who knew her will be standing there smiling, waiting for her. Waiting to speak together again, face to face, no masks, for eternity.
The list to describe my friend and sister Gceblie (known to some as Nomsa) is endless. For those of you that don’t know, Gceblie is a very close friend of my family’s that lived in Swaziland, South Africa. She passed away yesterday from XDR-TB (extremely drug resistant Tuberculosis). She was not doing well, and stopped her medication a week or two ago, so we knew that her time was near, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
It doesn’t feel real... I think about our last conversation before I went back to Taiwan for school, and how I said, “now ill be seeing you at Christmas, right?” And Gceblie looked at me, did her little laugh, and half-smiled half-smirked at me, “Of course my sister.” I asked her to pinky promise (that’s what you do with sisters), and we did. Sitting there, on the end of her bed where I had sat many times before, and I missed her already. It was going to be a long first semester if I was missing her already… and that would be the last time I would see her there.
I think about how lucky I am to have gotten the chance to get to know her at all. What mother allows there 16-year-old to become friends with a woman who has MDR (multiple drug resistant TB), and then a year later let their 17-year-old continue to be friends with the woman after she is diagnosed with XDR-TB? Most parents are afraid to send their child to the continent of Africa in the first place because it is “dangerous,” let alone into a hospital with a silent-killing disease. I am so thankful for my mom. For whatever reason, she let me build this relationship with Gceblie, and for that I am so, so thankful. Not only that, but she allowed me to go with her week after week to visit Gceblie. At the time, I don’t think I realized how huge of an experience with God it was. I asked God to break my heart for what breaks his, and he did. Thank you mom, for allowing me to have that experience. I left a piece of my heart with Gceblie and this will be something that I treasure for the rest of my life. “I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Matthew 25:36
I am so unbelievably proud of my mom. She’s a servant and I was proud to share her to be Gceblie’s mom too. When Gceblie wouldn’t get her own way, afterwards she would always say, “well... you are my mother, and you know what is best. And I love you.” That is an unforgettable, and irreplaceable love.
Gceblie is an inspiration to me, and to so many across the globe. Her days were numbered, but God used every single one of them as an important task. I don’t know if she will ever know how big of an impact she made, but I hope that when we get to heaven that it will be like the end scene of titanic. That she will walk into a room, in a beautiful dress (very beautiful), and all who knew her will be standing there smiling, waiting for her. Waiting to speak together again, face to face, no masks, for eternity.
This is not goodbye my sister, it’s see you later. You pinky promised… and I
will hold you to that. I love you.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
This is beautiful Chloe.. You were such a precious friend to her as she was to you. I am sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteChloe, this is a beautiful tribute to your friend and a beautiful thank you to your mother. I am praying for you as you work through your grief. Please let me know if you ever want to talk--I'm here for you. You know that you are lovely on the inside and out. I praise God for students like you, the next generation, standing in the gap. Blessings.
ReplyDelete