Sabina Paradi

(e-mail from B. Parady)

Let us celebrate the short and wonderful life of Sabina Paradi. Sabina passed away today at 3:45 pm at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York.

My prayers are to commend her wonderful soul to the Lord, and comfort for her mother's inconsolable loss. The Lord's blessings to all who prayed for her, and those who cared for her.

Quote from the Back Flap of a Letter 6.28.04

"A possibility was born the day you were born, and it will live as long as you live."

                ~ R. Burak

I posted this quote, which I think is relevant in context of Mr. Parady's last update. But let us continue to pray wholeheartedly that she be returned to us fully so she may realize every possibility she can ever dream of.

Prayer from a Friend

(e-mail from Philip Wilson)

Dearest Paradi Family,

My name is Philip Wilson and I was a resident at Westminster House along with Sabina at UC Berkeley. In that time I was able to get to know her from a distance, and her sweet disposition was evident to all around her. Her gentleness shone like a diamond in dazzling sunlight, and her words always carried a kindness and dignity that I truly admired.

My prayers are with you in this difficult time, dearest brothers and sisters in Christ. I believe in miracles, and know that our Mighty Heavenly Father is watching over Sabina and caring for her. I am thrilled to read reports that Sabina is on the road (albeit a bumpy one) to recovery.

Dear Jesus, Divine Physician and Healer of the Sick, we turn to You in this time of illness. O dearest comforter of the troubled, alleviate our worry and sorrow with Your gentle love, and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden.

Dear God, we place our worries in Your hands. We place dear Sabina under Your care and humbly ask that You restore Your servant to health again.

Above all, grant us the grace to acknowledge You and to know that whatsoever You do, You do for the love of us.

Amen.

I pray the grace of our Lord Jesus and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you. I and my family send you our love and our promise to keep you in our prayers.


With love,

Philip Wilson

From the Front of a Card Dated 5.21.05

To know someone
with whom you can feel
there is understanding
in spite of distances
or thoughts unexpressed...

                                       That can make
                                 this life a garden.

                    - Goethe

More Pics of Sabina

More pictures, courtesy of Clare Robinson, one of Sabina's good friends from New York. They show the more convivial side of Sabina:

Pictures of Sabina

Thanks to Angeline from Apostles Church in New York for these pictures, taken during lunch at their Apple Picking outing last October.

Poem from Italy

Hey everyone!

Just another testament to the impact she's had on our lives: people are praying and thinking of her throughout the entire world. Here is a poem from her friend in Italy, Sylvain E.

------

Quando una dolce pensiero avvolge il mio cuore,
Quando il sole risplende nel cielo,
Quando nella notte milioni di stelle si stringono attorno a me,
Il mio pensiero é per te....

------

If anyone knows Italian, I'd love to have it translated!!!

Excerpts from Letters

(from a letter by Sabina dated July 8, 2004)

I missed your call yesterday because I worked at Joyce's from 11 am - 7 pm and then went to dinner at Lisa's place. The informal Bible study / dinner she hosts is called "Community Group." We had some really good conversations last night. There's usually about 10 of us there (maybe 11 if you start coming =) no pressure...).

Last night we talked about how some of us feel like there are no modern-day miracles and it is often hard to see God in our daily lives. In Biblical times people rose from the dead, the blind saw, etc. Then I brought up that today we spend so much time being busy and multitasking that it's easy to miss the miracles.

To me, just waking up in the morning is amazing sometimes. How God has helped you is amazing. How God helped me through high school. And the list goes on.

How great is it that something as big and powerful as God works on such a small level as me and you. I mean, there are billions of people out there.

(from a letter by Sabina dated July 10, 2004)

I think I've told you this before, but I feel so lucky. Maybe I just appreciate things more than other people. Maybe I'm easily satisfied. I really don't know. But whether the future is better or worse, I will always love life.

Maybe it's the "artist" in me, seeing life as a lump of clay. With God's help, I can mold it to great things. Sometimes the sculptures fall apart, but there is always that potential to recreate. I guess my metaphor is pretty trite, but I leave the beautiful writing for you to do =).

Written Late One Evening

Miracles

they are not pillars of fire by night
nor clouds by day

but rather, the fact that you are still here

and the memories that are summoned
when looking into your eyes now,

like seeing us share a cup of coffee
early some long-past morning.

~ 6/3/07

Morning, May 17

(e-mail from B. Parady)

First morning after surgery.

The report from Shelly is wonderful. Sabina is as alert as she has ever been. She is "very very alert." She seems to be watching the television and paying attention.

She is still sedated from the surgery, and is still on the respirator for post-surgical recovery.

They have her scheduled for a shunt on Monday. They plan to watch her during the next 3 days and decide whether to implant the shunt. If not, they will simply cancel the Monday surgery. Expect her then to take a quick trip to Helen Hayes.

So given the news, I decided to include a photo of the bridge over the Hospital from Joon for your enjoyment, in spite of the fact that it will clog your email.

My thanks are offered in prayer to the staff of Columbia Presbyterian.

A Passage

(e-mail from J. Song)

I want to thank all of you in New York for your prayers, love, and steadfast support of Sabina through these four Sundays. Please know that you are not alone, that all throughout the United States people are praying for her--that whole church congregations and communities have been brought closer together through this remarkable young woman.

I can only imagine what it must have been like in the waiting room during those first few hours, what it must have been like to see her so quiet on her bed. Waiting for infrequent updates from thousands of miles away has also been difficult, though I am so thankful for the miracles that we have already witnessed.

There is a story from the Bible that I am reminded of when I think of Sabina, and her role in all of our lives. In Genesis, there is a story of Abraham and his only son, Isaac. God spoke to Abraham and, as a test of his faith, commanded him to take Isaac to the top of a mountain and sacrifice him. On the appointed day, Abraham and Isaac set out on the journey.

Isaac knew there was going to be a sacrifice; only, he didn't know that he himself would be the sacrifice! They got to the mountain, and Isaac noticed that they didn't have an animal to offer. Then, before Isaac knew it, Abraham bound him and put him on top of an altar of stones. Abraham was about to plunge a dagger into his son when an angel called out to him to stop, that Abraham had passed God's test of faith. The angel pointed out a ram caught in a nearby thicket, which Abraham sacrified in thanksgiving to God.

Because he was ready to offer everything, Abraham and all his descendents were blessed.

Before the accident, I did not consider myself very religious. I tried a few times to go to church, to pray, but I found myself doubting, not believing. I was too lazy to go to church, did not feel that my prayers would be answered. But I myself have recently had some incredible experiences, have heard of inspirational prayers and powerful dreams. I have become convinced that she will not be sacrificed, but that she will be returned to us.

And I am reminded of the person she is, and of the progression of her life I have alternately been told and been privileged to experience first-hand. Though I can't start to claim I know the meaning of all this, I believe in my heart that she still has so much work to do in this world...

look at the changes that been wrought in all of us.

If you have any prayers, dreams, or thoughts, please share them here. And let us continue praying, and sending her our love, and giving praise for the miracles that have occurred and those that will surely follow.

Prayer/Affirmation

(e-mail from C. Stauffer)

I told my friend Judy (a writer / musician) about poor Sabina. She wrote the following affirmation / prayer - which I think works for most religions and / or agnostics. I am passing it along in case it might be helpful, also 'cuz it's pretty.

            The surgery is successful
            the healing has begun
            the dark shadow of trauma has passed
            like the shadow of the great earth against the moon
            she will awaken with the dawning spring
            she will awaken, she will awaken
            with the greening earth and the dawning spring
            she will awaken the healing has begun