UNKNOWN REASONS

No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial He will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it. Corinthians 10:13

When a three year old has cancer, the child only half knows what is going on. Sure, she knows she is in a hospital and everything hurts, and this is how it has always been, but that is about it. She does not know what death is. She is just scared. She cannot even spend time with her friends, because if she gets even a small cold, the emergency room (ER), or even death, could be waiting. Even so, there are some people she just cannot stay away from. We were headed to the beach. For some reason, my parents decided that we were going to get there a day before the rest of my family. Not long after we arrived, my younger brother, Alex, started coughing and crying like crazy. We headed to the nearest doctor, and they stated that he had croup. Unfortunately, I got a fever because I had been around him. As soon as we realized that I was sick, we rushed to the nearest ER. They had never experienced a cancer patient, so my Mom was literally walking them through the steps! So many doctors crowded in the small room to try and figure everything out. My parents were terrified. My dad decided to call my regular doctors back home. They told him that the best thing for me would be to just come back home to them. Luckily, the rest of my family had arrived, so we left Alex with them, and they quickly got our luggage back in our car. After being at the beach for less than 24 hours, we drove back home all night. Fortunately, when we got to the hospital, they had a bed ready for me and everything. We still do not know why God had not just let Alex get sick at home, or even why we got there a day early, but I know that God had a reason for it. I do not know why God even gave me cancer, but I am glad that He let me experience it, instead of someone else who might not have survived it. God works in mysterious ways, but if the reason I had to go through it was to save someone else, then I am glad that God knew I would be able to handle it, with His guiding Hand along the way.

By: Emma Boughman ('22)

Boiling Springs, South Carolina