A Layne Post

I’ve wondered what to say. I keep thinking, “I’ll write after his doctor’s appointment.” Now that doctor’s appointment has moved two times, thanks to Dr. travels, and I have decided to delay no longer. It is time for an update!

Papa Zakarias, his wife Theresa, and his 2 year old daughter Maria have been living with us for a month now. He has 4 other children at home, 14 years old and younger, whom his mother-in-law and sister-in-law are caring for as the children continue their school studies.

Before he came, we communicated multiple times with Papa Zakarias about expectations for why he would come back to Casa Ahavá. We understood and he indicated that he understood that he was coming for hospice care and that the hospital could only provide pain management, something that is not offered in Beira, the city where he lives.

The first week he was here we had lots of conversations about the future to make sure we were all on the same page. Turns out we weren’t. Papa Zakarias hopes that chemo treatment would be beneficial and wants to ask an oncologist again if that is possible. Jon has had personal conversations with 3 oncologists at the hospital who have all indicated that chemotherapy could no longer help him but Zakarias wants to hear it for himself.

This change in his outlook did take Jon and I by surprise and we have had to make a bit of a mental shift to know how to best support and love him. A decision about treatment is not something Jon and I have control over. Jon helped Papa Zakarias make an appointment with one of oncologists at the hospital and hopefully on Monday he will have a meeting with him. If he does not begin treatment, as of now, we believe he will return home to be with the rest of his children. If the oncologist believes it beneficial, he would stay here during treatment. Theresa and Maria would stay during the first few cycles to see how he managed.

If the oncologist reconfirms that chemotherapy is not an option, before going home, they have a few decisions to make – if his wife will have the time, strength and resources to care for him in their home as his health deteriorates and if he will be able to manage his pain with only Tylenol. Hard decisions! Pray for them!

We are sure that his time here with us has not been in vain. We have been trying to help him get his affairs in order before his time comes. Papa Zakarias is a veteran of Mozambique’s War for Independence and he has access to some monthly income and benefits (ex: transport and medical discounts and free school fees for his children). He also qualifies for a monthly income for his age and years of work. He and Jon have been down at government offices filling out the proper paperwork making sure everything will continue to go to his wife and children.

We also continue to address their spiritual health. I want so badly for them to know and understand the Lord’s deep love for them and the sacrifice that was made on their behalf. Pray with us. I keep praying that the Lord would use dreams and visions and meet Papa Zakarias right where he is – in such a bold manner it would be undeniable. It is our desire for Papa Zakarias that he would come to the end of his life full of peace and full of hope for the next life.

How is his current health?

He is weak. He is unable to eat much. If he walks around and does too much in a day, his whole body feels the consequences with aches and exhaustion. He has had a secondary infection that he is treating now. He struggles a lot at night, unable to sleep and sometimes experiences body tremors. The tumor on his liver is growing and protruding, causes great pain and discomfort.

Pray with us that we would love him and his family well.

A Layne Post

I knew Eliza a long time. She had a big personality, one you could not miss. She was full of faith and had a love for God’s word, despite the fact she was unable to read. All day long you could catch her singing songs to her Lord. She was a prayer. When she felt pain, her response was to cry out to God. One weekend Jon was quite sick and I remember her knocking on the door, walking into the living and passionately praying to the Lord for his healing.

She loved her family. She spoke with her mother and sister daily. Her daughter, son, and grandchildren were her pride and joy. It was difficult for her to spend so much time away from them. We were honored to have her come and stay with us, to become a Grandma around here.

She loved to cook and thought her cooking was some of the best in the country – no one else could get it quite right. She had all the tricks to the perfect this or that. She served people through her cooking – Jon and I as well.

When Jon traveled, she would come in to play with the girls, feed Jovie, and just sit with me. She helped teach Jovie to walk and patiently chatted with Anaya, even when Anaya would only speak of Katy Duck (her stuffed animal).

Eliza knew she didn’t have long. She was confident in her Savior, and last week she was redeemed, saved from this life with all its sorrows and pain, and she is living in freedom with Him.

We interviewed Eliza and asked a few questions about her family and her sickness. This was to send to her family on a DVD so that they could see her talking about them and about her life while she still had strength and life. She gave us permission to share it here as well. We hope you have the time to honor her and remember her by watching this video.