In life, we may not have control over everything that happens to us, but we do have control over how we react. Challenges can manifest as problems, pressure, and pain, while others may appear as temptations, trials, and tribulations.
Everyone interprets life based on their own experiences. At times, someone may describe it as the worst thing ever, only to later say it’s the best. People often fluctuate between losing and gaining hope. For example, our father is receiving money today, but we know it didn’t start this way. His donations are a result of what his son has been through, and today, it’s good news.
He is currently receiving treatment, and this is their story from the very beginning. It all began when this four-year-old’s belly started expanding just two days after he was born. The boy had constant itching all over his body, which prevented him from sleeping, as the pain would worsen every time he tried to rest. This intelligent man is actually the young boy’s father.
Josefa, his mother, is known for being a caring and attentive parent. When it was time for her son to start nursery school, his health issues became a hindrance. Despite having hope that he would be able to attend once he fully recovered, it was clear that his condition was not improving. Josefa explained that shortly after his birth, his stomach began to swell, a concerning and abnormal occurrence as he had been born healthy. She wasted no time in taking him to the hospital, where he was given painkillers that provided some relief, albeit temporarily. Unfortunately, as time went on, his condition worsened and they had to return to the hospital. Despite their best efforts to treat their son, the family struggled financially to afford the necessary medical care.
The cost of treatment was incredibly high, forcing the family to sell off nearly all their possessions in order to save their baby’s life. Despite their efforts, they still couldn’t afford to get their four-year-old son, Apanias, the medical care he needed. This left him living in discomfort and pain, unable to play with the other children in his community for fear of worsening his condition. His parents lived in constant fear that even a simple fall could prove fatal for their beloved child.
His parents constantly fretted about their son’s late start in beginning school. They feared that this delay would lead him to resent education, so they fervently prayed for him to receive treatment as soon as possible. Their main goal was simply for their son to receive the help he needed. Breathing posed a major challenge for him, making sleeping the most difficult part of his life as it was always painful and his parents felt helpless as he struggled to inhale every night. The uncertainty of not knowing what was afflicting their son and causing his suffering was the most agonizing aspect for his parents. This uncertainty kept them living in constant fear, and they believed that simply knowing the cause of his condition would provide them with some relief from their perpetual worry.