In October this year, the Little Olive Tree family experienced a loss.
Typically, October is the month that marks the beginning of the end of another school year – a hectic time of preparing and planning. Even though it is marred with some sadness because goodbyes will be said soon, this sadness is always enveloped by a hope that looks forward into the future; a hope that anticipates another year of growth and progress in our young charges; a hope that our circumstances might find us differently next year. At least we will still see most of them in school the following year, right? October 2024 was different, though. This is because we lost one of our students.
Naomi was only 2 years old when she joined Foochow Methodist Kindergarten which eventually became Little Olive Tree (FMC) in March 2024. Being born with an incomplete esophagus and multiple congenital abnormalities, her childhood was filled with time spent in and out of the hospital for operations and sicknesses. Despite her complex medical condition, her parents were determined for her to partake in the joys of childhood as much as possible. They were keen on a Christian school due to their faith and the good values that the children will be imparted with. Thus, they began searching for a school that was willing to allow Naomi to enroll.
The risks were simply too great – how does one even begin to start caring for a child who struggles to swallow – it is an involuntary reflex that most of us do multiple times a day without a thought!
Enrolling Naomi made no sense, but Mdm May Ten, the Principal of LOT FMC took a chance. She saw Naomi beyond the physical ailments that plagued her and loved her even before she could get to know her well. She decided that the year Naomi turned three, she would join the Pre-Nursery class. The possibility of Naomi dying before she started school was a real one, too. Hence, in the same conversation where her parents and Mdm Ten confirmed her enrolment, they also spoke about how the fees paid up for her would be refunded in the event she passes on before starting school. Looking back, this probably went down in history as the most candid but abnormal enrolment conversation Mdm Ten ever had is her 20 years of experience in early childhood.
In September 2022, Naomi was finally old enough to join the Pre-Nursery class. Starting school has always been an exciting but anxiety-inducing prospect for the preschooler, and it was even more so for Naomi. Her starting school meant additional logistics and extra care required. Due to tube feeding and difficulty swallowing, she needed her helper to shadow her in school, and to help her expel her phlegm in a hygienic and safe way so she would not choke on her own spit. Her fellow 2-3 year old Pre-Nursery classmates also needed to be educated on her medical condition, to be gentle around her and to not pull out the feeding tube.
One would think that Naomi and her choking on her phlegm or even her survival kit of the feeding tube and a backpack that she carries around which contains her enteral feeding pump would frighten her fellow classmates. Yet, when genuine care, concern and love was consistently modelled for them, the children embraced Naomi – her needs, yes, but also all her quirks, her sense of humor and her fun-loving self.
Being unable to eat meant that she was fed exclusively through her feeding tube. She must have felt left out observing others eat during meal times but she found creative ways to still partake in “eating”. On one occasion, when she could choose an object to be painted on her, she chose an ice cream so she could “lick” it and allow her imagination to help her enjoy it.
Another time, Naomi brought a hard-boiled egg from home and Mdm Ten found her bringing it close to her mouth. Thinking that she was planning to ingest it, Mdm Ten called out to her in a panicked voice and reminded her that she is unable to eat eggs. Naomi cheekily replied, “I’m not eating it. I just want to lick it to taste it!” This would go on to happen once in a while, even with the fruits that are served in school.
Eventually, Naomi caught serious pneumonia and other medical complications in hospital and her body shut down. In her final 8 days while she was on life support machines in the Children’s ICU, her organs started failing one by one but she could still hear the encouragement, prayers and worship of all who gathered at her bedside, tearing occasionally. On her final day, she departed in the early morning just shortly after her visitors and parents had left for the night.
Losing Naomi is devastating. Even though she is only four, the space she took up in our hearts was so big. She sparked so much joy and the life that she had gave us so much hope. Remember, there was a time when we were prepared for her to pass away even before she was old enough to start school?
Naomi was not the first death of a child that Little Olive Tree experienced and as life would have it, it probably would not be the last. Yet, however short the years these children spent with us would span across so much of our lifetimes. As much as we want their presence with us for as long as possible, for those of us who are Christians we can trust that there is life after death and light after all the darkness we experience. While we want to hold onto hope that we would be rid of sickness and ailments in this life, we can anticipate a day when our bodies will be renewed and life everlasting will find us again.
Naomi has fulfilled her purpose on earth and Jesus has taken her home on 24 October 2024. We trust and believe that one day we will see her again in heaven and she can taste and eat all the ice creams, all the fruits and all the eggs she could ever want.
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