We have faced great heartache this past week for dear friends of ours. When leaving to come to Indonesia, we knew it was very likely that we would, inevitably, be away when Matthew passed away. This amazing little boy was diagnosed with cancer at 9 months and he fought hard through hundreds of procedures, surgeries, and different medications. He beat many odds as he learned to walk and even talk. He was such a special little guy, as he had a contagious smile, a hug that would melt your heart, and such a loving spirit. He blessed everyone who came in contact with him.
His parents, Eric and Susan, are equally as inspiring. As we grew to get to know them after they moved to Barrie, we loved them because they were so practical and down to earth. During Matthew's life, I never saw Eric and Susan ever give up or complain about the situation they were in. They were so thankful for the prayers that went up on their behalf, and they found true strength in the knowledge that God was with them and that He, alone, knew what was best for Matthew. I loved how, even though they were dealing with ups and downs all the time, they continued to lead a very "normal" lifestyle as they continued to visit friends or family on weekends, went camping during the summer, and had friends over to their house often. Their strength and their trust in God was, and is, truly inspiring to me.
It is difficult to be half way around the world when all you want to do is be there hugging friends who are grieving, and to be surrounded by other loved ones who also grieve with you. I am so thankful that my family is close with the Knights so that I could talk with them often and reflect on Matthew's life. My mom, being the wonderful woman that she is, helped us be a part of Matthew's Celebration of Life by taking the ipad with her so that we could see the entire thing. What a tremendous blessing it was to listen to the words that were sung and how powerfully God's message came through in those lyrics. It was heartbreaking to see Eric, Susan, Joshua, Rachel, and Valerie standing there without their precious Matthew. But, on the other hand, it was encouraging to hear the many loving words spoken about Matthew, and the words spoken to Eric and Susan to encourage them as they continue on in their walk of faith.
I grieve for the Knights and my heart is sad. I know that we, as friends, cannot be there for them like we had hoped and that is a hard reality for me to accept. But because I know that God has not left their side, He will put people in their lives who will be there for them as we would be.
As I reflect on Matthew's life, I realize we do not understand why these things happen, but we do know that God is all knowing and we can find comfort in that. Matthew loved through all his pain; he continued to fight when all odds seemed to be against him. His parents, his brother, and his sisters, loved through their pain and kept fighting for Matthew and never gave up. Matthew is in the arms of Jesus now, and we all praise God that he is no longer suffering. We praise God in our sorrow. My prayer is that Matthew's life continues to be an inspiration to others and that God uses this for his glory.
This is one of the Songs played at the Celebration of Life for Matthew.
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