I had spent the night working on A Taste of Rainbow. When my family gave me their full support, I knew there was no time to waste. Everyone is ready, they’re just waiting for me to be ready, too.
I woke up with a song in my heart, with an unexplainable peace and certainty of God’s healing in my life. There is a children’s story in the bible, about a big boat called Noah’s ark in a huge storm when the earth rained for 40 days and 40 nights. When the rainbow appeared, God said it was His Promise that the earth would never be flooded as such again.
I woke up, had breakfast, skipped my early morning ride because my legs and head needed rest, and knew that God’s rainbow was for me, too. I had His assurance, that that chapter in my life had ended, and that storm would never flood my life again.
As I stepped out of my home to cross the road to the train station, I saw a familiar shadow which made me stop in my tracks. Dry hair, yellow skin, with arms and legs so emaciated that her joints were far larger and more prominent than her muscles. The veins and tendons in her neck protruded out, and there was a thin layer of lanugo hair growing all over her, a result of chronic starvation. She dragged her feet as if they weighed a ton, and lumbered by slowly, like a sleepy bear. Her arm was caving in under the weight of a plastic bag filled with groceries, like baked beans and other foods.
You are speaking to me, God.
I knew that sight. It stopped me. For months I hadn’t seen anyone like that and suddenly within a week, I saw two.
I walked past her, then turned back.
” Hi, I know this is really weird, but hello, my name is Wai Jia.”
I’ve done that so many times to strangers it no longer felt awkward. I always expect the worst, like a glare, retort or curse. But she looked at me, so tired and almost pleasantly surprised.
“Hi, I’m Wai Jia,” I tried again, mustering up some courage,” I used to be like you.” I said it softly, gently, uncondescendingly, almost as if I were afraid that a louder voice might shake her.
Her eyes met mine.
I smiled, “Are you seeing someone?”
She immediately understood what I meant. “Yes.”
“At the Life Centre?”
“Yes.” She smiled, looked into my face, surveying me as if searching for some hint of a past that proved what I said. I knew she would find none. But I also knew she believed me.
“Dr. L?”
“Yes.”
“What is your name, dear?”
“S.”
It was a beautiful name. “I’m Wai Jia. Get well soon, okay S?” I smiled back, reassuringly, encouragingly and turned to leave before she called out, “How long were you ill for?”
“About a year or two.”
“Oh. For me… … not so long.” She said very quietly.
“Get well soon S. Get well soon. I might see you again sometime.”
We parted, and as I watched her shadow move into the distance, with her left hand still struggling under the weight of her groceries, and her right hand shakily holding a drink, I thought to myself, that it’s time.
Second draft of A Taste of Rainbow is ready.