Gloria lived for a little more than 22 years and I never knew who she was or what was she like on the inside. I only saw her body grow from that of a baby to that of a woman. Her mind remained locked in some far remote babyhood.
Gloria was born on the Indian Independence Day of 1992, but she never experienced any independence in her life. Some time in her early babyhood her brain was damaged due to Congenital Hydrocephalus. So she had no mental growth since then and had to be cared for her whole life like a baby by her parents. Only the constant attention and the love of the parents sustained her.
Suddenly she passed away on the early morning of 20th November. I could not be present at the funeral held on the same day in Mumbai. The family had arranged for a prayer meeting in memory of Gloria on 23rd and I was present in it. Normally in any memorial prayer meetings, tributes are paid by couple of people who knew the loved one well. In this case there were no customary tributes as there was no one who knew Gloria really well except for the parents. That left some sort of void in the inner me and this blog is an attempt to fill that void for my personal satisfaction.
In all our places of public activities we only see those that are healthy and active around us. I am aware of others like Gloria who could never go out of their houses. There is a section of people in every society that cannot take part in the ordinary day to day activities of the society around them. Quite often we are not aware of such people in society who need constant care and cannot fully be part of the society.
As a Bible believing Christian my thoughts go back to the period of the Bible when Jesus Christ lived in the flesh on this Earth and healed everyone who came to Him. And the number of people who came to Him for healing were in multitudes. In spite of all the advances in Medical Care and Insurance etc. there is always a section of society that cannot participate in the main stream activities of the society. The healing power of Jesus Christ is even now relevant as it was then.
I know there are many who have prayed for the healing of Gloria. Even I have prayed from time to time for Gloria's healing. I believe that the real Gloria is spiritually alive and that she is much more aware of herself now than during her time here on Earth.
The Bible in Isaiah 57:1-2 says
1-2 Meanwhile, right-living people die
and no one gives them a thought.
God-fearing people are carted off
and no one even notices.
The right-living people are out of their misery,
they’re finally at rest.
They lived well and with dignity
and now they’re finally at peace.
These verses bring me an assurance that now Gloria is out of her misery, is at rest and at peace.
This is the testimony that someone gave about Gloria to her mother. "Gloria is now in God's presence and is glorifying God". I say Amen to that because she is now alive and active in that part of the world where she is. Glory be to God for the life of Gloria!
