Sweet Anna

What a beautiful time with Anna. I had the luxury of an open- ended visit, so I could just sit with her and let the time flow.

Anna loves Jesus with all of her heart. She doesn’t question her suffering. She thanks him at the most interesting moments—moments when I would be less than thankful. She understands his goodness—even in the fact that she is 46 with a young daughter and has a viscous cancer.

That day she was having excruciating pain in her leg that no medication could seem to relieve. As we sat together, she played worship songs for me—songs in her native language of Amharic. Of course I couldn’t understand the lyrics, but the music was enchanting. Then Anna began translating for me. Her translation became her worship and the tears began to roll down my face. To see her in such pain with her beautiful hands lifted up speaking words of praise and thanks to God was almost more than my heart could take in. She reached over and wiped my tears with her fingers, saying, “He is everything!” Holy ground.

For a long time we sat in silence, just holding hands with our fingers intertwined—brown, white, brown, white, brown white. What a gift it is to have someone with whom it’s comfortable to be silent! I could see the pain, even though she rarely stops smiling, and said, “Oh my friend, I wish I could take this for you—even for a little while!” Her brow crinkled and her eyes shot toward me. She said, “Oh no my sister—this is from God for me alone. He has given you other ways to learn to know and worship and love him, but this is for me alone.” My tears started again! Such faith, such trust in her Father! Holy ground.

Later Anna asked me to rub her leg “ever so lightly” in hopes that somehow the pain would ease. “AH HA!”, I thought – “finally something I can DO for her!” As I sat next to her bed and rubbed her leg, my sweet friend began to thank God for my hands that he had made and was now using to ease her pain. She smiled at me and said, “My sister you have holy hands!” With Anna, nothing is about what is seen—it’s always about the Father and his movement in her life. She knows that everything starts in the heart of God.

Oh how I love this woman! She teaches me everyday to trust God, to give him free reign in my life and to be thankful for whatever he brings, because it is HE who brings it. He is alive and loving and eager for me to know him—especially in the depths of suffering. Certainly he has brought her to me and I treasure everyday with her. I can only hope for many more days ahead, but Anna is teaching me to appreciate whatever he allows because his love is perfect. She is such a gift. I wish everyone could know her. Hearts would be changed, as mine has!