Struggling to Survive

Mark was too bright for his age and the admiration of many. He had that sweet smile that made you smile for no apparent reason when you saw him. He was the kind of a boy that lit the room when he walked in. Therefore, he was loved and adored by many. It was a great shock to us when we learnt that he was sick, he had been diagnosed with Leukemia, cancer of the blood. He was too young to be sick, to have to endure the pain and anguish of the unknown, but he was strong and maintained his composure in front of people. I know this young soul inside out as I was selected to counsel him. I remember the first time I met him; he came in with his class teacher Mrs.Kebaya. She said that he needed help to manage his pain and school work pressure. So I sat down with him, he remained calm as I took out my pen and notebook. Occasionally his eyes would roam through the room, admiring the antic. So when I was ready I looked up and there he was smiling with no signs of depression at all. I asked him what he thought was wrong. His innocent answer made me smile. He had this rasp cooing voice that gave the impression that he would be a great musician if he ever made something with it. “I am okay… I guess…I think people are worried about me. But I am ok.”

“So Mark, you think people are worried, aren’t you worried?. I asked. He looked down for a while, and when his gaze met mine, he spoke with such wisdom that I was mesmerized by what he said. “I know am very sick and might probably die. But I trust my doctors and have faith in God that he will take the pain away". And there was Mark, a ten-year-old boy teaching me about waiting upon the Lord.

Our first session proved inspiring and educative for both of us. I taught Mark how to manage his time to avoid school pressure, and he taught me how to hold onto God. I would see more of this boy, he would pop in even the days we were not scheduled to meet and leave me notes and artwork, what a talented painter he was. We formed a good bond in the few months that we met that I felt his anguish as he stayed away sometimes a month to undergo chemotherapy. The school offered support and did all it could to make his journey worthwhile by occasionally holding prayers for him at his hospital bed. Children wrote encouraging notes to him that would inspire him to good health. The flowers and balloons at his room were unmatched; he was that loved.

I sit at my office desk, letter in my hands, I look at it and wonder whether I should open it or wait just a few more minutes. I am torn apart by the anguish of knowing that those little hands had scribbled something for me as he lay in his bed. The last letter I would receive from Mark in a long while as he was going away to the United States to seek a second opinion. His parents had informed us that they were pulling him away from the school since they were not sure whether he would recover fast to join his classmates. They were also relocating to the United States since his health came first and having to travel all the time was proving cumbersome. So, at last, I open the letter and see the four letters written in that long letter that I had hoped to get. "I will miss you all." I sigh as I fold it, what a caring and thoughtful boy!. Mark represents the young boys and girls in our world today who need a caring and supportive person to get through a chronic illness. We can choose to ignore the little pleas for help or do something about it.