God Loves You

It was a massive clinic. I compared it with the clinic close to my apartment in London. The only difference I could see was the friendliness of the staffs, doctors and nurses. As I stepped into Cook County Hospital Chicago, I could feel an accepting atmosphere. My sister and I walked toward the reception after being lost a number of times. We were given visitors cards to take towards the sixth floor to Theresa’s room. It was just between the third and fourth floor that my sister pointed out the girl we were both visiting was my name sake. It made me more eager to see her. We got lost again before we finally got to room 6533. Theresa laid on the bed smiling on seeing our faces as I held a box a donuts and a card.

Theresa had meningitis which left her with little ability to walk and to talk properly. As she tried to say thank you for the present but she stammered and repeated her sentence over and over again. She was so happy we could make it. My sister and Theresa’s sisters talked and reminisced about places and people they knew. Most of the conversation was directed towards me, the newbie in Chicago. I had about two weeks left before I travel back to London but it seems like they wanted to tell me everything all at once, all that I should know. My attention, however, was directed to my name sake that was busy speaking by herself. I soon later grasped that she was speaking to God and saying to herself “God loves me, He loves me”. She kept pointing to the ceiling and smiling to herself.

A nurse quietly opened the door holding a tray of food packed in a plastic bowl and a small cup with a bottle of water. The nurse took it towards the table, greeted everyone in the room and turned to Theresa “Your hand, painful?” she asked Theresa. Theresa looked at the bandage tied around her hand and answered “No, No, No” but she didn’t stop waving her hands. The Nurse smiled and worked out of the room. Theresa sisters brought the food to her while she prayed over it repeatedly.

Suddenly, all I could think was how my life would be if I were in her condition. I thought of the fact that she puts God first and prays to him continuously. Even if the doctors say she would not make it, I don’t think that would separate her from God or stop her from loving Him. She would even be happier that she would be going to a better place where everything is perfect. It will have no beginning or end. No pain. No hospitals. Just love. I asked myself, “wouldn’t it be better to be in this hospital than have good legs and speech but go to the wrong places that lead us to sin or let sinful statements out from our lips and be uncertain where we will end up?”.

Two hours had passed and there was a sudden silence in the room. My sister picked up her handbag and I knew it was time to go. She stood up and walked towards Theresa, smiled and said “God loves you”. Theresa was so happy you could see excitement written all over her face as she kept on waving goodbye. I wished I had said something but while I stood in front of her, I became speechless. I just smiled. We said our goodbyes and headed back home. I could not stop asking myself all sorts of questions on our drive back home. I didn’t suppose my sister could see the many expressions on my face. That night I had a nightmare. I wanted God.