Trust 10-9-98
October 9, 1998
Dear Friends,
Rita came to my mind today. She and I worked together for six years. I never knew a time when she did not have a smile, a kind word and a listening ear for everyone. A few years after we met, Rita discovered a lump in her breast. It was cancer. After surgery, her prognosis looked good. Soon, she was back to work, smiling as usual. Later, following reconstructive surgery, it seemed that Rita would "beat the odds" - that her troubles would be over. And, she returned to work, her smile as bright as ever.
Then, just days after returning to work, she developed a massive infection and was hospitalized once again. While in the hospital another lump - lung cancer - was discovered. After surgery she returned to work. . . . Still, smiling. When Rita went back for her check up, a lump was discovered on her back. The biopsy proved this, too, to be cancerous. The lump was removed. Rita with her smile returned to work. When she went back to have the stitches moved from the latest surgery, the doctors found that another lump had formed under the stitches. This time the doctors decided to try chemotherapy. Rita continued to work between treatments, when she could. She still had the smile, the kind words and the listening ear. But soon, Rita experiencing difficulty walking. A tumor was discovered on her hip. A few weeks later, her arm grew weak and a tumor was found on her brain. Throughout this whole ordeal Rita smiled, trusted God and was ever hopeful.
She died in November of 1990, a few days short of her 40th birthday. Rita was an inspiration to all of us who worked with her and loved her. And, we missed her warmth . . . we missed her strength, and we missed her smile. But, we've never forgotten her faith and we've never forgotten her smile.
"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:"
(Job 13:15 KJV)
In the Master's Love,