Olga, a West Virginia mountain woman shared a bit of her life with me the other day. Decades ago she was left a widow with three young children. Shortly after that her husband’s good friend told Olga her husband had asked him to marry Olga to take care of her and the children.
Olga did. He didn’t. He was an abusive philanderer. During the years they were together she supported the family working as a nurse while giving birth to two more children by him. Eventually he left her for another woman. Olga didn’t seem too unhappy about this.
Years later she came home from work to find him in the home. Her daughter (and his) said he had a fatal illness. She wanted to drop out of college and with Olga’s permission – and help – care for her father until he died.
Olga already worked a physically demanding job. The last thing she wanted to do was to come home to another person needing nursing care – especially not this person. At the same time she wanted to support her daughter in doing the right thing by her father.
Here’s the prayer she prayed. “God, I don’t want to do this. But if you want me to do this and will give me the strength to do this, I will.”
He must have because she and her daughter cared for her ex-husband for five years until he eventually passed away. Then her daughter finished college and got a good job. And Olga smiles when she tells the story.
Olga’s love for her daughter and her obedience to do whatever God asked of her are remarkable. What a selfless life she has led.
I doubt that I could be so selfless, but I pray that I would be if this were to happen to me. Thanks so much for sharing this story my friend!