Sacha grew up without a father.  Years later, her father found himself alone and near death with sickness. Sacha was given an opportunity to care for her father and, more importantly, spend time with him. But being her father’s caregiver soon proved to be more than she could do in her own strength. Letting go of her situation, she quickly discovered renewed strength. What God had in store for Sacha and her father was worth every childhood tear she shed.

The Moment I Let Go

It was an experience I never wanted. I found myself flying back to the Philippines almost one year after reuniting with my father.  But I am thankful for the miracles I saw God perform over the past year.

Time Running Out

My father was given 72 hours to live.  He had numerous serious health issues that had finally caught up with him, and he was dealing with several undiagnosed conditions as well. 

I never knew my father, so deciding to make the trip to see him was difficult for me.  I did not want to go.  I was afraid to see him. 

My mind told me not to go and to keep working so I could simply provide money for his hospitalization. But my heart was saying I needed to go because he needed someone and because I truly loved him.

In the end, I decided to leave my job and my family in the Philippines so I could be with my father and serve him in his time of need.

Stepping Into the Unknown

He was dying before my eyes when I arrived.  He was in so much pain that I was not sure how to handle the situation.

  I had only recently met this man and now here I am providing his care and making all of the decisions for him and his health. 

I felt alone and scared.

I soon found myself showering my father at the hospital, trimming his nails, shaving him, and brushing his teeth.  I had become his personal caregiver, and I have to say I loved every moment of it.  Strangely, caring for and being with my father gave me a renewed strength.

Opportunity of a Lifetime

Although I never had the opportunity to be with him growing up, I was thankful for this time with him.  It was a special time.  I felt needed by him.

His health, however, continued to deteriorate and nothing the hospital did seemed to relieve his pain.  I questioned and defied everything being done for him by the hospital.  I wanted my father to have peace from the pain he was feeling. 

If he was going to die, I wanted him in an environment he was familiar with—his home.  If he was going to die, I wanted him to look and smell good. I wanted people to remember him for what he was in life—his charismatic, artistic, rock and roll style. 

Letting Go

I decided to have my father released from the hospital and I refused his dialysis treatments.  This decision gave me peace.  I turned him over to God because there was nothing else I could do for him. I did what comes naturally for me.  I cried out to God and asked him to take over for me.  I let go and released the situation to God.

Every day is a gift from God.  When I would see my daddy alive and breathing in the morning, I was thankful for one more day with him. 

The day I let go of my father, God gave him his miracle.

His health continues to improve every day, and he has made much progress.  There is laughter and joy now instead of tears and sadness.

I take nothing for granted and know God is in control.  He had given and he can take away. The time I have been given with my father was worth all of the years he was not a part of my life.

Thank you, Father in heaven, for showing my father how much you love and care for him. And, in giving me the time with my earthly daddy, you've shown me how much you love and care for me.