Ticket to Eternity

Written by Jodi

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Tears fill my eyes as I write this, and honestly, it’s been last on the list because it’s one of the hardest things to tell you about. Marisol came into our lives one evening when we were visiting Grover, our paralyzed friend. Her family brought her in and set her on the makeshift couch. We had heard that a woman from a remote village was desperate for help, yet we had no idea of the gravity of her situation. Here was Marisol, a beautiful 24-year-old young lady with stage IV uterine cancer. She was in obvious pain, looked like a holocaust survivor and had been told there was no more medical intervention that could be done. Immediately we were brought to tears. Of course we would help, however we could.
 
The best we had to give her was to sponsor a ten-day natural treatment course that has helped many cancer patients. While preparations were being made, Marisol came to stay at our house for a few days. Hadassah especially enjoyed her company and made friends very quickly. There was a requirement for a family member to be present during treatments and an aunt spent the first weekend with Marisol. We watched God work miracles in this aunt’s heart, having come with her superstitious and very dark ideas, find the peace of God and have a complete change of heart in just three days! Marisol tried to comply with the diet and hydrotherapy treatments but her stamina quickly faded. She had stopped needing to take her pain meds, had regained color in her skin and a sparkle in her eye, but by day five she had convinced herself that she would do no more. Despite her family’s urging her to stay, she chose to return home. It was so hard to watch her make that decision and be unable to convince her otherwise.

Today her sister came and picked up a borrowed wheelchair that was still at our house. We had received news a few weeks ago from a church member in Marisol’s village that she had passed away. As I talked with her sister this morning and asked how the family was doing, she said they were ok, but were struggling to shoulder the financial burden that had been left from medical bills. I sensed an uneasiness in her voice about not being certain what happens when someone dies and about the dark dreams the devil sends. Definitely a call to prayer for the family!

 

I really wanted to know if Marisol had made the decision for Christ as we had fervently been praying for. While I don’t know for sure, her sister mentioned something that made me smile. She said that it had gotten worse and worse for Marisol and she was grumpier and grumpier. That is, until her last three days. She turned into the sweetest thing, her sister said, and began smiling and being so kind to everyone. I believe she found peace and rest in Jesus.

 

I am so grateful that Christmas reminds us of Jesus’ birth, His life and His death. Accepting these indescribable gifts is our ticket to leaving this painful world and spending eternity in heaven with Jesus. I can hardly wait to go to heaven! How about you?!