By Juli McGowan | Published: July 6, 2011
With great sadness, I am writing to share about the loss of my dear sister, friend and co-worker, Betty Teka. As she took her final breath this morning, she said: “it is time for me to go and be with God.” I can only imagine the look of love within Jesus’ eyes as he received Betty. She often referred to herself as “God’s favorite”; and this morning, she got to experience the fullness of that truth.
Nearly seven years ago, Betty, a single mother of two boys, had grown terribly sick and in many ways had lost hope. She used to tell the story of a night when she was lying in a little grass hut by herself. She was weak and tired of the constant sickness. The grass on the roof was so sparse that she could see the stars piercing through. That night, she cried out to a God that she did not know and asked him to either take her life and let her rest or give it back and she would live for Him. Shortly after, a friend advised her to go for HIV testing where she was found to be HIV+. I met her within a few months of that. It was a time when stigma and fear were so great and people simply did not disclose their status.
Upon meeting Betty, our Tumaini na Afya team listened to her story and embraced her. We walked alongside of her as she discovered the God who was giving her back her life. I watched the love of God transform Betty and provide her courage and boldness to speak openly about her HIV status. Initially, it was shocking because it had never been done before. Betty broke the stronghold of silence that had nurtured HIV for too long. She empowered many others over time to also share their stories, to go for testing and to live in freedom. She also became an HIV counselor and tested thousands of people.
I will never forget the day I stood with Betty and asked her why she does all of this. She obviously faced further rejection, but all shame had dissipated as she discovered the love of God. She said, “Juli, we’ve all been given talents. We are accountable to God for how we use them. One day I will stand before God and He will ask me what I did with the HIV He allowed me to have. I will be able to tell Him: I visited the sick; I encouraged people to go for testing and treatment; I spoke openly about the virus and my own status.” Honestly, I was humbled by her faith. Over the past seven years, I have watched Betty use her “talent” to impact countless lives, always for the glory of God.
This morning, as Betty stood before God, I have no doubt that she heard the words, “well done.” For us, who temporarily have to say good-bye, our loss feels great. As Washington Irving writes, I am reminded that “there is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief…and unspeakable love.”
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