Thomas, Semhar, Kelati, Iyda, Azieb with grandaughter, Lily

Our hearts are with Kelati Weldegaber who lost his wife, Azieb, to ALS  earlier in August of this year. We met Kelati while we were looking for a mobility vehicle. He and his younger daughter, Semhar, drove their van to our house in late August for us to see. When Scott and I came outside to view the vehicle, we were instantly struck by Kelati’s generous smile and kind disposition. His countenance seemed to radiate a supernatural joy. There was an immediate connection between us that is uncommon to total strangers. Semhar, had a quiet attentiveness that seemed beyond her 22 years. We test drove and learned more about the purchase of their vehicle but we were more taken with our new found friends. We invited them into our house, as we visited for the next few hours we learned more about the journey they had unexpectantly traveled this year.

Kelati and Azieb were originally from Eritrea (North Africa) a tiny country between Sudan and Ethiopia. The couple had just been delivered the diagnosis of ALS earlier this year, only 5-6 months before her passing. During these months, several things were important for her to do. Of these things they had traveled to Spain to see their son, Thomas, play basketball and had gone to Los Angeles to be in their older daughter, Iyda’s wedding. Azieb died days after the joyous wedding celebration.

As we sat in our living room visiting, Scott and I witnessed the comfort of the Holy Spirit and a settled assurance in God that rested on both Kelati and Semhar although they had many unanswered questions. The group of us were faced with the stark difference of the abrupt loss of a very much loved wife, mother, grandmother and friend and the slower progression of Scott’s 13 year sojourn into his ALS diagnosis.  Our common bond of fellowship, however, was not in the destruction and devastation of this disease but rather in the sufficiency of Christ. God had been meeting the needs of each of us and we were trusting Him to continue to do so. There was no awkward comparisons but an agreement of heart knowing that our loving Father has a reason and a divine purpose. One day we will each understand, when all things are revealed and God makes known His eternal plan.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 11:23 pm and is filed under Journal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.