Gloom to Bloom
Uma* had lost her husband to COVID-19. A year later, her son died in an accident. Recently, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. During a home visit, she shared that she had become too unwell to care for her plants.
This story is written by Kavithra, who, together with her colleagues, journeyed with Uma by spending time with her and replanting fresh flowers just outside her home.
She rarely left home, only stepping outside for hospital check-ups. She avoided people altogether, even her own family. And when she lost her hair, it robbed her of her confidence. It seemed that gloom had surrounded her.
During a home visit, she broke down in tears. She was fearful: what would happen with her illness, her children, and her uncertain future? She spoke of missing the energy and joy she once had. I sat quietly, listening, and realised how much a simple visit could matter to someone in a place of hopelessness.
But she also spoke about the little things that used to bring her happiness. She loved plants and gardening. So we decided to spend time together planting flowers in the pots just outside her door, and watching for new life to sprout.
We brightened her home with shared stories and laughter. Slowly, she started to smile. She began stepping outside again, enjoying the fresh air, talking with her neighbours and sharing small moments of joy. Each step was a meaningful victory over fear and isolation.
Her journey reminded me of Ezekiel 37:5, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.”
I see it in her now. Where bones were dry and lifeless, hope has returned. Courage is quietly growing, and joy is finding its way back.
Cancer is still part of her journey, but it no longer defines her days. She is living in hope again through God’s love demonstrated through our small acts of shared laughter, presence and care.
Who would have thought of it? God’s creation of blooming plants touched her heart, breathing life where it had been lost. Just like the plants we tended together, slowly blooming and reaching toward the sun, she too is coming back to life, renewed, and ready to embrace each day with a newfound hope that can only come from God.
*Name has been changed to protect identity.