My New Hero

I met my new hero the other day. Her name is Vilma. Thirteen years ago she gave birth to a son. But what should have been a day of joy turned into a nightmare as they realized that this little baby was born with a disease. From the outside and the inside he is wasting away. Nothing can touch his skin, or it will break. He can't feel. One night a rat came and nibbled away part of his cheek. He didn't feel a thing. The delivering doctor said he had at most 15 days to live. Better take him home and let him die, she was told. The moment her husband saw the boy, he was gone, leaving her alone with 3 children. She tried to do her best for the boy. Her family all abandoned her. One person even told her, "Just leave him alone without food for 3 days. He'll die quickly." But she would not, could not, give up her precious baby boy. Every day, for 13 years, she has faithfully taken care of this boy. I have not had the privillege of meeting him personally, but I understand he's quite the trooper. A few years ago someone from the orphanage found out about this lady and began doing what they could to help her - medicines, a little food, help fixing up her house (there were pigs living right next door, hardly sanitary conditions for the boy), and teaching her about God. The thing that impressed me most was that in talking with her, she aknowledged that her life has been hard, but she said, "We often forget to tell the good things. Marvelous things have happened in my life, and I praise God for them." She's an inspiration to me. What a beautiful example of God's mercy and loving grace. Oh what a joy it will be to see this little boy in heaven, running and playing to his heart's content.