Jehovah’s Hand

[MChill14]

Hi everyone,

 

I would like to share an amazing experience I had amid an incredibly sad and difficult personal trial.

 

I lost my mum (aged 59) to melanoma in December 2021. She passed away very suddenly 4 weeks after she received her cancer diagnosis. I live in Australia. I was living in Victoria at the time and mum was living on the Sunshine Coast (a 2 hour plane trip).

 

It was peak COVID time which made it really difficult as we had border restrictions between the different states. I was in constant contact with an elder from mum’s congregation during this process. I had received a call from one of the doctors at the hospital on a Tuesday or Wednesday and said to me I needed to get there really quickly as the cancer was so aggressive and mum was deteriorating rapidly. Thankfully, borders had opened and I was able to fly. I just needed a negative PCR COVID test ect. I booked a flight on Saturday for 11am. On Thursday I then received a phone call from the elder and he asked me if could get there any earlier. The best I could do was change the flight to 6:30am on the Saturday which I did.

 

I got to the airport nice and early to be organised for my flight. I checked in and went to get something to eat. I can’t describe the frame of mind I was but anyway I ended up missing my flight. I was absolutely livid and incredibly stressed when I realised this. I went and spoke to a flight attendant and they kindly put me back on my original flight for 11am.

 

So I get on the plane and find my seat. Another man (in his 30’s I’m guessing, I was 26) sat down in my row on the aisle seat and I had the window seat with a spare one between us. He asked me if I was returning home or visiting and I told him I was visiting family. I didn’t feel like talking much so I left it at that. Another gentleman came and sat between us but he later moved as a flight attendant told him he was in the wrong seat.

 

The flight took off and I got out my iPad to watch something on the JW Libray app. As I was getting out my headphones the man looked at my iPad and said “What congregation are you from?” I immediately stopped and looked at him, expressing sentiments along the lines of “you’re joking!” We started talking and I explained to him I was going to visit my terminally ill mother who was dying from cancer. He then told me that he was going to visit his terminally ill mother who too was dying of cancer. 
 

We both had tears streaming down our faces as we realised what was happening. We spent the entire flight chatting to each other. We even exchanged contact details. The flight landed and we hugged one another and we parted ways. The elder I was in contact with took me to the hospital where I lived for 10 days until mum passed away. I never left mum’s side.

 

As I reflect it was no accident or coincidence that I missed the 6am flight. Jehovah wanted me on the 11am flight. 

 

This experience taught me a valuable lesson. There is no situation, no circumstance or any physical location we find ourselves in where we are beyond the reach of Jehovah’s love, his care and attention. He found me on a plane up in the sky. As the Apostle Paul expressed under inspiration in Romans ch 8, nothing can separate us from God’s love. 

I hope you enjoy reading. Take care bros and sis!

Edited October 8 by MChill14

[BLEmom]

That’s a beautiful experience.  Thank you so much for sharing. 

[dilip kumar]

I was filled with tears reading your experience brother. You made me love Jehovah God even more  .

Ty

[hatcheckgirl]

Dearest Michael, so sorry for the loss of your dear mum! That’s just so awful, but how Jehovah helped you is truly amazing. Jehovah doesn’t let us down. Jehovah took care of both of you brothers in your time of extreme stress 🌹💗.

[Dages]

4 hours ago, MChill14 said:

So I get on the plane and find my seat. Another man (in his 30’s I’m guessing, I was 26) sat down in my row on the aisle seat and I had the window seat with a spare one between us. He asked me if I was returning home or visiting and I told him I was visiting family. I didn’t feel like talking much so I left it at that. Another gentleman came and sat between us but he later moved as a flight attendant told him he was in the wrong seat.

An angel was sitting there... that gentleman was rude  


Yeah, I have tears in my eyes reading the whole story...

Edited October 8 by Dages

[cme]

Michael, that brought tears to my eyes.  I just lost my mom this past September.  To make a long story very short, my mom did not raise most of her kids.  She was mentally ill and most of us were abandoned.  Me included.

 

Lets get to the situation of her death.....there was a memorial done and all my brothers and sisters were there.  The boys never went to a christian meeting.  They showed up and, one sister who was removed is now making a comeback.  My brothers heard the talk and, now they are wondering.

 

Anyways, thank you for your experience.  I was touched.

[MChill14]

1 minute ago, cme said:

Michael, that brought tears to my eyes.  I just lost my mom this past September.  To make a long story very short, my mom did not raise most of her kids.  She was mentally ill and most of us were abandoned.  Me included.

 

Lets get to the situation of her death.....there was a memorial done and all my brothers and sisters were there.  The boys never went to a christian meeting.  They showed up and, one sister who was removed is now making a comeback.  My brothers heard the talk and, now they are wondering.

 

Anyways, thank you for your experience.  I was touched.

I’m so sorry for your loss. May Jehovah comfort and strengthen you during this time. I also hope that your siblings too may serve Jehovah.

[jdcarlson]

12 hours ago, MChill14 said:

I would like to share an amazing experience I had amid an incredibly sad and difficult personal trial.

 

That was a beartiful post!!!

 

I know you are grateful for meeting a fellow dear one when you needed enouragement and support to endure.

 

I am in a retirement home.  In August, 2001, my wife's dementia came to the point she had to be transferred to the Alzheimers' section of the facility. Of course by then just about everything in the U.S. was on "lockdown" due to covid.  The retirement facility was also very strict on their limits of who come come on to the property. For a while, if a resident in an "indepent living" apartment left the property they had to "quarantine" in thier apartment for two weeks when they came back on the property. The only people who could get access to me were my son, his wife, and their two sons. No one else from the Congregation could visit.

 

Even though it was the trained, experienced, administrators (with the authority to make the decision) who told me my wife had to go to the Alzheimers' facility, one still wonders if one could have done one thing better to avoid the transfer. Logically, I know this was how it had to be, but I still have emotional feelings about what could I have done.

 

I had seen my wife's short term memory start to decline several years earlier, and that was a major motivation in moving us to the retirement facility at age 73, rather than wait until later.

 

The Congregation meetings were on ZOOM. It was only before and after the meeting that I could talk with others in the Congregation on ZOOM.

 

In March, 2002, while still on "lockdown" my mother died at the age of 97. She had been suffereing from several illnesses for the past 10 years. None major, but in combination, and at her age, she could not last any longer. Since I was still on "lockdown" at the facility, my son had to bear the burden of hospital arrangements, transfers, visits, etc. for nearly a year.  We had the memorial service for her on ZOOM. Some, from other towns who had known my wife since grade school (and did not realize her mental decline), asked on ZOOM after the memorial where she was. I had to explain she was in the Alzheimers' ward.

 

Still only my son and his family were allowed on the retirement facility campus. No one else from the Congregation.

 

Thankfully, my wife still recognizes me and my son when we visit her. However, carrying on a conversation just cannot happen. She cannot remember long enough to complete a sentence. Visiting her basically consists of sitting next to her and holding her hand. She has a very strong foundation in the truth ( the person who studied with her mother was Sister Swingle, before she married Brother Swingle, at that time her name was Zircher) and has been a good theocratic wife for over 61 years (61st anniversary was this past August 30). She has tolerated the time and energy my privileges took over the years, including some week long trips to Bethel for temporary work.  The nurses in the retirement facility say she will tell other patients she remembers them "from the Hall."  At other times she has told nurses "that's allright. Jehovah still loves you."  She is still doing what her very limited mental capabilities allow.

 

Now, things have opened up. I can leave the retirement facility & return with no complications. A couple of brothers have made time to come see me. One sister persuaded my son to take her to see my wife in the Alzheimers' ward. A couple of sisters (who have been in this same Congregation with me for 60+ years) will send a postcard when I make a comment through ZOOM that they like. Even though the Congregation has been having meetings at the Hall ever since the US Branch allowed it, our congregation still hase a lot of older ones, and my son says several in the Congregation have had re-occuring infections with COVID. At times there will be 40 or more on ZOOM and only 60 at the Hall. So, some of us have to make our comments to the Congregation via ZOOM.

 

Sometimes I even scare myself when driving in the daytime. So, I do not try to drive at night. Sunday is the only day I can drive to the Kingdom Hall. Midweek meeting I have to do on ZOOM.

 

I am so thankful for you that you were able to have the encouragement of meeting a fellow dear one on the plane. I know that helped your emotional outlook and your ability to endure.

 

It appears as if Dages was right - there probably was an angel for that "open" seat next to you.

 

Once again, thank you for a very encouraging and upbuilding post.

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

[Ishaya]

Thanks for sharing Bro Michael,

Please take courage, Jehovah's promise of resurrection will soon be fulfilled.