Five year old Chariel's weak little heart could take no more

"Pastor Sean, can you please call me, Chariel is dead". That was probably the worst text I ever received, but I was not shocked. We knew that Chariel's heart was fragile. In fact, we first learned about his heart defect after he turned blueish and passed out. Now he was just a few weeks away from his heart check up to see if it had gotten large enough yet to have the corrective surgery that we had hoped would save his life. He was only five years old and had a pretty rough life. It started with being born into poverty. He literally came into this world in a shanty under a bridge which had no running water, bathroom, or electricity. His parents, Ariel and Charita, barely made enough to eat each day.

I can't help but feel a little frustrated because we had worked so hard and were so close to getting his operation. We had jumped through all the hoops that the doctors required, including having all his teeth pulled

(which had to be done in the operating room while his heart was monitored), and were just waiting for his heart valves to grow large enough to handle the correction. Still, I do believe that God is in control and that He has ordained each day of our lives.

His little body in its small coffin was placed in a small town center so that

he can be viewed, mourned and remembered for the next five days. Then a

procession of his family and friends will take him to the cemetery for burial.

Next to the place where his body lay was a basketball court full of children

from the community playing. Pastor Richard Ibon lead a service where he

shared the gospel, lead worship songs, and offered comfort to all.

Chariel is not the first little one that I have seen laid to rest. I find the death of a little one much harder to bear than the death of an adult, however, it is even harder for me to handle the pain of those left behind. Seeing the body of a person causes me to think about eternity and where they are. If I know that they are under God's grace, then I don't worry about them, but I pity those of us who are left behind here waiting for our

real home. Because of that, it is much harder for me to see the pain of grieving friends and family than to see someone who has passed away.

I called Charlyn back after she texted me about Chariel's death and I could here his mother loudly sobbing in the back ground. When Jessica and I got to the morgue where they were waiting for a casket, I saw Chariel laying on a small tile counter top. His father Ariel was covering his face with a towel to hide his tears as he mourned over the loss of his only child.

We were told that Charita had taken Chariel somewhere to get some food. As they walked home he was struggling to breathe. When they got home, she began to rub oil on his body, thinking that would somehow help. He eventually stopped breathing and stiffened up. It was then that she took him to the hospital, but he was already dead. To this day I still don't know if she ever fully comprehended the danger he was in. The first time I took them to the hospital, the doctor explained to her that Chariel had a hole in his heart and would need surgery to repair it in order for him to live past his teen years and to develop properly. To this she responded, "Can't we just give him some medicine?"

Her whole life was centered around that little boy. Because of the lack of oxygen to his body he was not growing right and was very small and feeble. He could hardly walk and she had to carry him most of the time. She worked hard serving him everyday. Before and after Chariel, she had had miscarriages, and though this little guy survived, his life was still short.

Five year old Chariel's weak little heart could take no more. I'm sure that their little home is going to seem very is quiet and very empty. Now Ariel and Charita are faced with funeral costs that amount to somewhere around two years of their combined income. The more affordable burial is only temporary because after five years they take the remains out of the tomb and cremate them. Of course the church is helping with some of the cost and so are we, but as of now, that is way short of the $2,000 necessary to buy a permanent burial plot. Pray for this hurting family's comfort and that God would provide so that they can lay their son to rest. I don't think that Ariel and Charita are believers, but they have seen God's kindness to them over the last few years. I hope that the body of Christ will show them one more act of kindness during this hour of need and that God would open their hearts and speak to them in a powerful way. Email me at sean@ransomreport.com if the Lord puts it on your heart to help.