Gaby´s testimony

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIVING WITH OR WITHOUT GOD!

My name is Gaby Rubio, I am 48 years old and single. I am from Guadalajara Jalisco Mexico but I´ve been living in Los Angeles, California since 2007.

 

Today I want to share my experience of this pandemic with you. It has been a difficult time as we all know.  This pandemic has caused insecurity, fear, despair, illness and death and has paralyzed the entire world.  Five members of my own family died of complications from the virus, in a period of just 6 months. My family was devastated.

 

As human beings of course it hurts, and it hurts more when we do not have God in our lives, I saw how my family was overcome with grief, but I also saw how Jesus strengthened me for them, through prayer. That was when God gave me the ability to see the difference between living with or without him, how prayer is our support, my support. I remembered Jesus’ words: I am with you, in good times and bad, in health and illness. When I look at the circumstances and our fragility Jesus helps me understand just how vulnerable we are without God.  My family is now more aware of that too. Despite the circumstances we have become more united, more supportive of each other and more sensitive to the pain of others.

 

Last December 2020 the mother of my best friend and sister in faith died. Her death, instead of leaving pain behind, created unity amongst more than seven parish groups, because despite the fact that we´re from the same place we didn´t know each other beforehand. There  I understood  the importance of being fraternal with each other and loving your neighbour as yourself. At her funeral I understood what death is but also what life is. When you are in a living relationship with Christ, who in the middle of pain urges you to live, who wants you to live not to simply survive, even through your death you  can witness to Jesus, to our Father in heaven who fulfills his promises. I realised, with tears of joy, that this is the Resurrection, when your life speaks of Him.

 

During  this time all the parish groups have worked together to support  all the families who have suffered bereavements. Some are cooking for our COVID patients; others bring food to the front door of the homes of the needy or sell all kinds of food to raise funds for funerals. My family and I are also doing our bit to help by preparing and donating pantries. Family of God, I know that all this will come to an end but my experience after all this crisis is that God has united us and has rescued the values that we were losing. We have to keep working, to unite our families, our youth and our children more and more.Let’s keep building! I feel with all my being  that we can be happy in these circumstances, of course we can. You may ask how. The answer is by praying and loving

God bless!.

 

clwakeling2Gaby´s testimony