Article from Vera Visevic, Australia > 테마가 있는 하루

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I am the eldest of four children. My brother, Ivan, who was born next after me, was born with a rare disease. As he got older, his disease became worse, until he ended up being both mentally and physically disabled.My family received very little funding and assistance from the Government. This meant that my family had to look after my brother, mostly on their own. We had to pay for most of his equipment, his special food, showering services and everything else. My mother did not sleep a full night's sleep for over four years. We were all tired and worn out. We lost most of our friends because they could not cope with Ivan's special needs and could not understand our journey.I helped look after my brother because I thought it was my duty. I did it because I loved Ivan and I thought it was the Christian thing to do. However, it did not give me much joy and I saw it as my cross. I did not enjoy it.In 2009 I visited Kkottongnae for the first time. This visit changed my life. At Kkottongnae I saw love, I smelled love, I touched love. Love was tangible. I saw a different attitude at Kkottongnae. The Kkottongnae priests, brothers, sisters and helpers looked after the disadvantaged not because it was a duty, but because they saw it as an honour; not because it was a duty, but because it gave them joy; not because it was a duty, but because it was a privilege. The Kkottongnae family does not treat the homeless as the homeless, or the sick as the sick, but they treat the homeless and the sick as royalty and people of great dignity. They treat them as is they were Christ.This experience made me realise that God had especially blessed my family to look after Ivan. We were especially chosen for this important mission. I went home from Kkottongnae to Australia as a different person. I felt honoured and privileged to have a disabled and sick brother. Although I did not enjoy seeing my brother suffer from his illness, I experienced joy in looking after him. I was abundantly blessed.My brother got progressively more sick. In May 2016 he was rushed to hospital with a bed wound, which is usually not a very serious problem. He was in hospital for over 6 weeks with various medical problems. We had to stay with him 24 hours a day , seven days a week. We could not leave him alone. Those six and a half weeks were very difficult for everyone in my family, including Ivan who was suffering a great deal. We had all of our friends praying for us and Ivan, including all of our Kkottongnae friends. I could feel their prayers. Those prayers gave us the strength to go through that journey, and to praise God even during the most trying and despairing times.I believe that God wants to heal, but I also believe that His will is sovereign. The doctors kept telling us that Ivan was going to be okay and that he was going to go home. However, suddenly they changed their minds and told us he only had a few days to live. Ivan died with all of us at his side on 11 July 2016. He was only 42 years old. We are all still recovering and we miss him a great deal.At Ivan's funeral, we told all of our family and friends to not buy flowers, but instead to donate money for the poor. We raised thousands of dollars at the funeral, which we sent to a priest who works with the poor in the Congo. Ivan would have been very happy with this gesture.I am supporting twin orphaned boys who are living in Kkottongnae. The older twin, Juchan, was baptised just before Christmas last year. I was given the honour of choosing his baptismal name, and I chose Ivan. My family now feels as if Ivan is living on in Juchan.I have learnt a lot from Kkottongnae. I used to see someone in need and then pray to God that he would help that person. I now have a new philosophy. I don't think I need to pray anymore for God to use someone else to help the person in need. God wants me to help that person in need. I don't need any more supernatural signs from God that I have been chosen to make the necessary sacrifice to help the person in need. I just go ahead and do what I can to help him or her. If I can't do it on my own, then I try to get my friends together so that together we can help the person in need. This new philosophy gives me much joy and makes me very happy. Kkottongnae has indeed changed my life and it continues to bless me. I am privileged to be a member of the Kkottongnae family. Every time I visit Kkottongnae, I learn more about God's love and how to bless those God treasures most - the poor, the needy, the sick and the abandoned. I am truly blessed !!