Monday, November 06, 2006

A humanitarian approach towards Euthanasia?

It was actually a very fun-filled and joyous day with much laughter and salt water after our unit event at Sentosa Palawan Beach.

I got home only to hear from my dad that my uncle is terminally ill with lymphatic cancer and he is given only a few days to live...The depth of the severity of his condition only then sank in. I was afraid. This is like close to immediate family already and my parents especially my dad was really affected and sad. I was at a loss...another wave of hard testing again, I called my UL GR for help. My uncle could only speak Cantonese and Hainanese, me my broken Canto cannot even buy me a bowl of noodles let alone share Christ..sigh... GR was very kind to offer to go down with me to pray for him, but after much deliberation from my mum and struggling the whole night without much sleep...I think it was best that I went alone...

On the way to service, I had prayed,"God how? My uncle is not saved! My Cantonese how? God...help!" I prayed for my uncle's salvation and for God to speak to me how I should go to pray for my uncle or not, despite knowing i would definitely get the brunt of all the persecution and condemnation if I go and pray boldly for him. God gave me this verse:

"Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him everything we ask, because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him."

~ 1 John 3:21-22


I knew it was God's confirmation for me to go ahead and pray in courage and boldness.
I went there, I was surrounded by relatives, there was not a quiet moment, I kept praying in my heart. Then suddenly, I was alone with my uncle and another cousin, I know that I have only moments to act...

I laid my hands on his hand, "Gu Jeong, (Uncle) wo hai Da bao...(I'm Dabao, my baby moniker)" I prayed in my heart for God to speak to him in his head, let him hear God's voice, cos what I witnessed was so heart wrenching...tubes all stuck to him, life support system...the signboard which read "NOTHING by Mouth" loomed over his head, I nearly cried. His head was turning left and right, eyes tightly shut, mouth open gasping for air, hands struggling to take off the tubes...Sometimes, when you see your loved ones, fighting to live on struggling with so much pain, I began to think that euthanasia is really humanitarian after all, all the rounds of chemo and treatment only caused more and more pain on my uncle. I prayed also for God take away his pain...

I prayed. I prayed silently for God to help him respond to me if my uncle could hear His voice and respond to me so that I could share more for his salvation. There...it happened...for that moment 10 seconds, my uncle opened his eyes turned his head and looked at me, with tears in his eyes, he turned to where I was standing....just as I finished praying...that 10 secs...I knew God was speaking to him..to me it was really a moment with him and God....i was shocked and stunned....then he went off again...i lost him in his semi-comatose state...

It was only 10 seconds, but to me it was a great leap of my faith level and the trust to just take God at His word and follow.. I was amazed at what God can do...
I hope that I would have a chance to see my uncle again and ask God for His grace to help me pray for his salvation...I have only that much time...

Pray with me please...

3 comments:

Lawrence said...

We will pray for your uncle's salvation, so he can join our Abba in heaven. We will see him there.

Rachel Tham said...

Thanks Law! That's very very sweet! Am also praying very hard now...

Anonymous said...

Yea Rachel,
Will be praying with you for your uncle's salvation. GOD sees your heart.. Under such circumstancecs, it can be hard to know how to appracoh the whole situation with wisdom. But as you seek GOD's guidance as you've done, I'm sure HE'll lead you to do what HE wants you to do. I'm sure your uncle was ministered by your love and prayers. And I'm sure GOD has spoken to his heart. Do not doubt but keep praying and have comfort... Our GOD is merciful. Every soul is precious in HIS sight.