Wanda is Dying...
Our Dear Friends, our Precious Wanda is Dying...at 18 Years Old.
We are asking you for three things:
To read more of Wanda [below];
To carry her-and her family-in your hearts and prayers;
to consider helping however you see fit with her funeral.
By joining this group, you are showing your support for Wanda, which I will share with her family.
Robin
Below is the email sent out by Fr. Tom Jackson, Order of Christian Workers.
Wanda has been in our lives
—and we in hers—
for many months.
In fact, she was “brought to us” by one of our longtime Companion, Robin; Robin first became involved in our Community in 1993, to help us in our work with those who were struggling with HIV/AIDS…and she has that natural ability to minister to folks in a wondrous, dedicated way.
Last year, Robin became close to Wanda, her Grand-daughters' aunt…the relationship became very important to both of them…and we learned more of Wanda’s diagnosis of colon cancer; she was, it seems, one of the youngest patients in the United States with such a diagnosis. Unfortunately, by the time Wanda was diagnosed, she was already in stage-four of the disease, with little hope of remission or recovery.
Some things to know in your heart about this precious girl/woman: she has lived her whole life in poverty; she is profoundly courageous; she has—among her other gifts—a truly beautiful singing voice…and she loves to sing in her church; she knows she is dying, and that she has very little time left on earth [she told us in the hospital recently that she’s “so excited about being able to sing in God’s Choir very soon”]. She has not expected anyone to pray for a “miracle” for her…and she prays her own prayers of gratitude.
Each of us who sit with her is honored by her presence, her spirit, her faith, her joy, her courage amid the pain, her ministry to those who care for her, her forgiveness, her resolve to die in harmony with her God. She is determined to die in peace…and to be buried within the celebration of her Church.
Very soon, we will need to help bury her.
Simply put: her family is poor; we have very few funds to help with the burial; and we are—once again—begging for help.
If you can help, please send any [tax-deductible] donation to:
Order of Christian Workers
P.O. Box 4155
Tyler, TX 75712-4155
OR, donate to any Southside Bank in Tyler, TX in care of Wanda Munoz
OR, you can donate online directly to the Wanda Munoz Tragedy Funds Account at Southside Bank by following this email link:
http://www.uttyler.edu/rkelly/family/wanda.html
More than anything, though, we know that Wanda would be most joyful and pleased if she knew that Companions—all over the country—were “sitting with her” each day, touching her heart with theirs.
As always,
we thank you deeply
for your kindness.
Love & Blessings,
Order of Christian Workers
Recent News (notes from Facebook Group):
I am Wanda's caregiver, and she considers me like another "mother". We are very close, and I spend every moment with her I can. I have been with Wanda to all of her Dr. Appts and Chemo treatments, and have spent many, many nights with her in the hospital and in Hospice Home Place. I am also spending as much time and overnights with her and her family now in her home as possible as she reaches her final journey. I have grown very close to her mother and Deanie whom she calls "Daddy".
I have witnessed so many miracles happen lately one being Wanda being reunited with her mother as she has been able to go live with her for the first time in her life. She is extremely brave and will not allow tears. She is strong, loves to share her CD she recorded with anyone who visits her and truly has God in her heart.
As of yesterday, Wanda was continuing to feel ok, with lots of smiles on her face. Her pain is being managed well through Hospice homecare. We have, however, been prepared by the nurse that soon she will probably develop a massive infection due to her abdomen being filled with the contents from her intestines, which in turn will cause an infection to develop, followed by high fever, then a coma before going home to God. This is hard, and also amazing because right now, she is able to laugh, talk, walk, write us letters, plan, etc. One thing to know is Wanda has truly fooled us all through this journey, and will do all of this on her own time. She is tough, and has a strong will to live. We are praying with her, and granting every wish as she asks for them. (Lucas suckers for example :)
Wanda's family is poor, Wanda has grown up truly in poverty her entire life. Right now, we have $385 in the Southside Bank account, which are the amount of funds to-date raised to pay for her funeral and burial at this point. She only wishes to have a decent burial and shared with me that she would like to have "lots of roses" at her funeral. Last night, she shared with me that she would like a beautiful headstone that reads "Wanda was a good person".
If you have any questions you would like to ask about Wanda, or questions about assisting, please feel free to contact me or Fr. Tom Jackson. I can be reached by email at rkelly@uttyler.edu. Fr. Tom can be reached at journey-ocw@earthlink.net.
http://www.uttyler.edu/rkelly/family/wanda.html
You can also read more about Wanda on my blogs from my myspace page at www.myspace.com/robinettekelly.
Robin Kelly