Some of you may have already been informed, if so, sorry for the repeated details...This past weekend we rushed to San Pedro (a four hour drive) after hearing that my mother-in-law, Sergia Acuña, was hospitalized. She was visiting her son, Friday evening, and after arriving back home, crumpled over, barely breathing. Oscar went right away that night, the kids and I went in the morning. The doctors put her on oxygen the whole night and she slowly recovered her skin color and seemed alert. When we got there, Saturday morning, she recognized all of us and even asked Edson to sing to her his song. We were with her most of the day, and the other brothers and sisters (ten of the eleven were there) were also arriving and taking turns by her side at the hospital. She died at 11 pm after a prayer. She repeated “Gracias, Señor, Gracias, Señor” and “fell asleep”.
In Paraguay things happen fast. The burial has to be within 24 hours. Oscar and his brothers started working on the paperwork and otherdetails…at midnight! Calling hours or viewing is usually at the person’s own home, and the death is announced on the local radio. As soon as the body is taken home, people start coming to be with the family. She was buried at 4 pm on Sunday.
Please pray especially for Oscar and the rest of his brothers and sisters. Only four are Christians, even though most of them have gone to church most of their lives. It’s a hard time for all of us to go through, but we are thankful that she went in peace with her Savior.
She became a Christian 18 years ago. Four years earlier she sent Oscar from her home because he "changed religions". After seeing Oscar's radical changes and faith, she also desired the happiness and peace that she saw in him. The Lord transformed her her life, full of bitterness and resentment from being abandoned by her husband after the last baby was born, and the Holy Spirit started helping her understand the way of salvation and new life in Christ. She didn’t know how to read, but enjoyed a prayer ministry with all of herbrothers and sisters in the Lord and many of her neighbors. She couldn’t read the Word to her neighbors, but showed them Christ’s love through good works and a strong faith. She would walk for miles just to visit a good friend and say a prayer with them. Everyone could see Christ shining in her transformed life.She will be greatly missed by all of us!
Thanks for your constant prayers...in times like these we need them the most!
7 comments:
Even though I could barely communicate with her, her love was evident in the way she accepted our family and loved us! She was so easy to laugh with and even to tease (like about her beautiful arbor). We have been praying for the whole family and will continue!
I'm so sorry for your loss! She sounds like a wonderful woman, and I look forward to meeting her in eternity. Our prayers are with you and your family. Love yoU!
Our sincere condolences on the loss of a beautiful woman. Loss is hard, but God gives daily grace. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Lilly and Tom
Beautiful picture of her. Beautiful tribute to her, also.
I've got many fond memories of staying at her house, seeing her lovely flower garden, helping her make chipa, watching her butcher the pig, and even her chicken tree.
Our prayers are with the whole family. Praying that her life will bring the rest of the family to see the love of Jesus she showed everyone.
I couldn't believe it when she got up at 4 am to give me her bed after Juan and I arrived to San Pedro on a red-eye trip. It didn't matter how much I pleaded with her, either-- she wouldn't take it back.
What a wonderful saint in the Lord; God's love shined through her so much in hospitality and kindness. I'm so thankful to have met her-- you all will be in my prayers.
Karen, your family is in my prayers and in my heart in a very special way at this time. It is so hard to say goodbye to those that we love and yet it is so good to release them into God's hands.
Thank God that it is only a short goodbye until we all meet in God's eternity- I,too, look forward to meeting her there.
Praise God for her life and also for her death as Jesus Christ was with until her last breath.
Your family is in my prayers.
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