STEWARDS, NOT OWNERS
The earth is the Lord’s, and
everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Psalm 24:1
When
a child is conceived, the parents are filled with boundless joy. For a child is one of God’s greatest
gift to married couples. But how
should a parent react when their child is born with Down syndrome? Or how should parents feel when God
takes away their child to be with Him in heaven?
Last
year, I met a 10 year old girl named Sandy. She came over to our house regularly for art lessons with my
sister Lysa. There were occasions
that I would assist my sister in teaching her students and one of them is
Sandy. Sandy is a slim and tall
young girl with eyeglasses who loves salt and vinegar potato chips and
Starbucks frappuccino. Her
father, Atty. Clint Aranas, whom I met through my husband Claro, enrolled in
Lysa’s art class just so he could spend time bonding with Sandy. Clint loved his daughter so much and
was over protective of her. He
once told me that he would not even allow Sandy to kiss uncles. Whenever he and his wife Peaches would
travel, they would take her along with her brothers even on business trips.
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| Remembering Sandy Aranas |
I
am so sad and teary eyed as I write this blog. Sandy was afflicted with Dengue and after battling for her
life for a week in the hospital, she is now with the Lord. In her wake, I was so amazed to see
God’s grace in her parents, Clint and Peaches. By just listening to their story about how Sandy went
through so much while in the ICU, having cardiac arrest nine times and three
flat lines, I couldn’t help but cry.
Though I have only spent a few months with Sandy, I would always cherish
the times that she would come to me and ask for help or advice on how to
enhance her paintings. Sandy is
one of Lysa’s favorite student.
She and Lysa would often hug before they would part.
It
was such a blessing to hear Peaches testimony. She narrated how God gave her a confirmation that Sandy would
go home. Suddenly she had peace
and truly believed that Sandy was going to live. But after a few hours, Jesus came to fetch her little girl
to be home with Him. What God
meant was, she was going home to heaven.
As
I listened to Sandy’s mom, I was once again reminded that our children are not
ours but God’s. I admit that I
couldn’t help but worry about my daughter Clarissa, now a young adult with Down
syndrome. Knowing for a fact that
children with Down syndrome live shorter lives than average, it is my husband’s
and my greatest fear that we will lose Clarissa one day.
Our
children are in this world temporarily and it is God’s option when He will take
what He had loaned to us. Psalm
24:1 tell us that our children are not ours, but the Lord’s. He created them for a reason and He has
entrusted them to us, the parents, not to own them or control them, but to be
their stewards.
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| Our little princess Clarissa |
Clint
and Peaches are stewards of Sandy and Claro and I are stewards of
Clarissa. In God’s time, we will
also have to usher our daughter to be with His Maker. But for now, I try to embrace every moment that I spend with
Clarissa, taking it day by day and making the most of my time with her. Everyday, I get down on my knees and
pray for good health for her.
Every time she wakes up in the morning is a blessing and I am grateful
to God for giving her the gift of life.
Lord,
thank you for making me see death and disability from your perspective. Teach me to be the Mom that you want me
to be for my daughter Clarissa whom you’ve chosen to be born with Down
syndrome. Help me to always
prioritize my children over ministry work. Take away my fear of losing her and always remind me that
she is not mine. I want to raise
her according to your will so she may live a life that is pleasing to you. Teach me to love her unconditionally
the way you do. Thank you for
choosing me to be her Mom. In
Jesus name I pray, amen!
MALU
TIONGSON-ORTIZ
February
13, 2013
