Meet Arthur

This is my friend, Arthur. Arthur is a patient at Living Hope’s health care center. He was admitted about two months ago with cancer. Upon his arrival, Arthur completed his first round of radiation. Just recently, however, he found out that treatment will not be continued as the cancer has spread too far into his body and is incurable.

Although this begins as a sad story, there is hope in Arthur’s life. I received Arthur’s permission to share his story with you, as it is one of forgiveness and restoration …

Arthur’s pastor pays regular visits to the health care center to visit him. Against Arthur’s wishes, his pastor contacted his long lost family members to inform them of Arthur’s state. Arthur has an ex-wife and a daughter, whom he hasn’t seen in over 32 years. Arthur was married for approximately three years and had a baby girl, named Wendy. When Wendy was two years old Arthur left his family to live a life on the streets. Arthur’s life was consumed with drugs and alcohol. He spent his time in and out of various shelters, having absolutely no contact with his daughter.

To Arthur’s utter surprise, Wendy contacted Living Hope after hearing news about her father. Once Living Hope confirmed Arthur was a patient, she sent him an email - the first communication in over 32 years!

I sat with Arthur on the porch of Living Hope and listened as he tried to process everything that was going on. “I can’t believe this is happening after all of this time”, “I wonder what her life has been like”, “What do I say back to her?”. After hours upon hours of thinking, the only thing that Arthur could come up with was to start off his letter by saying, “There is not enough paper in the world for me to write how I feel.”

Arthur told me how he thought about his baby girl everyday for the past three decades. He just couldn’t find it in himself to contact her. What would she want to do with a man who left his own child? Wendy, however, had been trying to locate Arthur for years. Who was her father? What was he like? Was she like him?

Wendy’s initial email began a slew of correspondence between the two; with regular emails, letters and phone calls. Arthur has shared his letters with me as he proudly shows off the pictures of his beautiful daughter and granddaughter. He lights up when Wendy’s name is mentioned and he can’t wait to brag about the new happenings that are going on in her life. She is a school teacher, a published author, a mother and a wife. What I find most fascinating is that Wendy has no resentment towards Arthur. She had a blessed upbringing with a father who legally adopted her through marriage to her mother. Wendy has forgiven Arthur… and that is pretty powerful!

There is one thing, however, that Wendy asked Arthur to do for her. She sent him a blank birthday card and asked him to sign it and send it back to her on her birthday, acknowledging her life. He sent it back after sketching a few doodles and expressing her worth to him.

Being a part of this reunion was incredible. Here is a woman who has shown the most amazing example of forgiveness. Here is a man who has received a second chance at having a family. I pray for restoration to continue in Arthur’s live and that he finds peace, joy and abundant love in his last days here on earth.