It was unfortunate that their communications were cut off right after the war, and she wasn't able to see any doctor, but upon examining her body up close, it doesn't even look as though she ever got sick
Ronald sighed in relief as he looked at his daughter, who had grown up without him realizing it. He would much rather be the one who was sick than his own child
"Dad, are you sick?" Kaliyah asked in confusion.
Her father hadn't had any health problems before she fell into a coma. But now, he kept caressing his chest, and his neck looked stiff.
"I have emphysema from smoking for thirty-three years, hypertension, and cervical spondylosis," Ronald answered, tapping his thinned chest as he took deep breaths.
His body had once been muscular in all the right places, but now he looked thin and sickly. Kaliyah's heart ached at the sight of her sickly father.
Having emphysema feels like struggling for air, starting with shortness of breath during physical activity that can become constant in advanced stages.
Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative condition, sometimes called arthritis of the neck, that involves wear and tear of the bones and discs in the neck due to aging.
"Is there any way for you to be healed?" Kaliyah asked, her lips pressed into a thin line. She didn't want her father to suffer because of an illness.
Her father, who used to be robust, is now thin and sickly.
Ronald shakes his head hopelessly. He had consulted with different doctors before, but all of them said the same thing. "There's no way for it to be cured; it can only be managed."
Kaliyah walked towards her father and asked, "Would you like me to pray for you?"
Ronald was skeptical when his daughter offered to pray for him, and he didn't hold much hope. But he didn't want to reject her goodwill, so he let her do as she wished.
However, God can be trusted, as He is reliable and he hears the cries and pleas of His children. This is what Kaliyah learned from Him.
Prayer can work miracles when it's asked in the name of Jesus Christ. Those who have faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains, and thus her faith should be like one, a faith that does not waver because God is always with her.
"Alright, go ahead and pray for me." Ronald sat down in a chair.
Kaliyah walked up to his back, laid her hand on his upper back, and started praying with her eyes closed.
"Father God in heaven, I know that you hear me right now; you are eternally good and mighty. I ask Father God to heal my dad's lungs right now, to restore and heal him from his sickness—emphysema, hypertension, and COPD—to heal his lungs and bones, Father God. I ask this in the name of Jesus. I know that whatever I ask for will be granted in the name of Jesus." Her plea was like that of a child asking her father for something she wanted, yet it carried a confidence and assurance that she would surely receive what she asked for.
Then his daughter's attention was put on his lungs: "I command these lungs, bones, and nerves to be healed in the name of Jesus Christ." She repeated those words three times and, after that, she removed her hand from his back.
After a few seconds, Ronald felt his breathing ease, the shortness of breath slowly fading. His body trembled with excitement as he struggled to contain his surprise. His eyes burned with tears threatening to fall. Never in his life had he imagined being healed of emphysema. He remembered the days when each gasp for air felt like his last—those days were gone. Even the pain from the nerves in his neck was gone.
"Are you really well?" Rosalie stammered, tears welling in her eyes. She had been barely holding on ever since the war tore through their lives and her husband fell ill.
Her mind swirled with worries that never seemed to end: debts they couldn't pay, mounting medical bills, and even the simplest meals. So often, they had gone hungry, skipping meals because there was simply no money to buy food.
And then, a miracle happened: her daughter woke up, and her husband was healed. How… what words could she possibly say? All she could do was give thanks with her whole heart; she muttered, "Thank you, Lord."
"I feel better; I no longer have shortness of breath," Ronald confirmed with a smile. Tears streamed down his face, a mix of relief and joy, as he felt the comfort God had given through that prayer. The pain in his neck gradually, steadily faded away.
"Praise be to God." Kaliyah beamed a smile at him.
That day, Ronald was spared from the pain of cervical spondylosis and from his emphysema and was able to rest peacefully in the afternoon.
It was already noon, and the sun was hot enough to burn the skin if you stayed under it for too long. Kaliyah had no choice but to rest for a while and look for food after 3 p.m. She sat on a bench, shaded by a mango tree, contemplating her next steps in life. She trusted that God had a plan for her, but she knew she needed to take the next step herself. Gathering her school documents and high school diploma, she wondered whether she should continue to college or start working. Then there was JB, who had stopped going to school—perhaps she should let her little brother study first and focus on working. But where could she start? It wasn't as if anyone would hire a high school graduate for a high position.
She pursed her lips, deep in thought, as JB sat down in the chair across from her.
Kaliyah was slightly surprised that JB approached her so soon. She quickly regained her composure and smiled at her brother, whose face was so stern it seemed he was carrying the weight of the world. Kaliyah knew that JB must have been feeling guilty about his outburst, especially since she had just woken up from the coma.
"What's up?" Kaliyah asked, a small smile playing on her lips as she gazed at her little brother, who had grown up so much.
"I'm sorry," JB murmured quietly, his head bowed as he avoided his sister's gaze, ashamed of what he had said. It wasn't her fault that she had been in the accident.
It was just so unbearable for him because, aside from having no one to lean on because their father got sick and their mother had no choice but to care for their father, he was left with no choice but to work at an early age.
His sister waking up was a tremendous relief to him. Now he had a companion to talk to, someone to listen whenever he needed to vent, and, most importantly, someone to share the burden of responsibilities with.
"You must be having a hard time right now, given the weight of your responsibilities, which is why you reacted that way. Don't worry—our family has me now, and we have God as our provider. We will never lack." Kaliyah smiled, her expression full of assurance and gentleness. And the quiet confidence that God is with them shows in her eyes.
An ache settled in his chest as his sister's gentle eyes met his—eyes that held no judgment, no impatience, only understanding. In that moment, he felt both relief and guilt.
"Why don't you tell me what happened in the past few years?" Kaliyah changed the topic to ease things up for him.
JB paused for a moment and began recounting what had happened. "During the first year you were in a coma, a magnitude 8.5 earthquake struck, devastating the country. Amid the relief efforts, government officials continuously stole from the funds. Then other countries took advantage of our nation's vulnerability and seized some of our lands for themselves. The president wouldn't tolerate it, and because he was elected due to the people's ignorance, he himself was ignorant. He declared war on the other country, and thus the war began. Dad wasn't conscripted because of his health. That war was so terrible that we had to hide underground from nuclear weapons and soldiers. We didn't even know how you survived—we only saw you in the cave, still breathing and still in a coma."
JB looked at her, mystified at how she had managed to survive amidst the chaos, famine, and even cannibalism. "Many people died during that invasion. But you—who weren't even rescued during the war—survived."
Kaliyah glanced at her little brother, who was staring at her as if she had grown into someone new, and stated the most obvious truth: "It was God who came to my rescue. Glory to God for His wonderful works and miracles."
JB nodded, convinced by what his sister said. What else could explain her being alive until now? Only God can save and perform miracles—even after death, only God can grant life again.
"We don't have enough food," Kaliyah muttered in a depressed state. Her words snapped JB back to the present.
"We don't have enough money either," JB said with a forlorn smile. He was curious to see if his sister had any idea how they could get food.
Just when Kaliyah was about to fall into despair, her face lit up as if she had found the solution to her problem. What could be better than turning to Father God for provisions and blessings? "Let's pray first," Kaliyah said immediately.
Both got into position and closed their eyes in prayer. Kaliyah then began to pray., "Father God in heaven, we thank You for this new day that You have given us to glorify You. Thank You, Father, for keeping each one of us safe and sound. We ask for Your provisions and blessings. We know, Lord, that You open the gates of heaven to provide for Your people. You clothe the grass and feed the birds when they are hungry—how much more will You provide for Your children, whom You created in Your own image? We trust You, Lord, and we worship and praise Your mighty name. In the name of Jesus, Amen."
After praying, Kaliyah stood up and whispered, "Lord Jesus Christ, please lead us to where we can find the Father's provisions."
She turned to her brother, JB, who was watching from the side, and commanded, "Get up! Grab the baskets, the bucket, and the shovel—we're going hunting and gathering foods."
While her brother fetched the items she had asked for, she took a knife from the kitchen and changed into pants and a sweatshirt to protect herself from insect bites.