Lorinda was born as one of twins. Her twin brother is Lourens and they have an older brother Johan. She was beautiful, healthy, lively, fond of sport, talented, intelligent... sounds like a fairy tale. But is life always a fairy tale?

She fell ill at the age of 12 but was diagnosed with mitochondrial dysfunction only 5 years later when a muscle biopsy was sent to America. The prognosis should have been devastating news. The consequences of the disease would result in her inability to walk at a later stage, she could lose the use of all of her limbs and she would possibly be unable to speak, swallow or eat. The disease would, however, not affect her brain functions.  All these predictions realized, but a different miracle occurred.  The more ill and the weaker her body became, the stronger her spirit grew and the more her inner peace increased.

We had two conversations while she could still speak that I will never forget. I asked her how she felt about this diagnosis. She answered: “I just want to be in heaven one day, because that is the most important thing.” Her condition deterioted rapidly – she often fell and was sometimes grievously hurt. I had a second intense conversation with her and again asked how she felt about her disease. Her answered amazed me: “Mommy, there is something that you really don’t seem to understand. I can lose everything in this life: my health, the opportunity to get married and eventually have children of my own, my ability to eat and speak… but if I don’t lost Jesus in the process, I have lost NOTHING! I can have everything such as good health, fame, money and such, but if I lose Jesus in the process, I have lost EVERYTHING!” I then realized that divine insight and grace were determining her thoughts and her life as a whole. She had discovered a truth far beyond human thinking or reasoning.  Her body was sick, but her spirit was healthy and sound.

Later, when she couldn’t speak any longer, she used the spelling communication method we had: “Mommy, do you know that my name is written in the Book of Life?!” 

Physically she endured difficult and tough times but her incredible peace and unfaltering trust in Jesus increased despite her illness. She loved Jesus with her entire being. He granted her a few divine experiences so that she could declare with conviction that heaven are a reality. During the final two years of her life, she often looked up sideways, stared at a specific spot while smiling beautifully with a divine peacefulness. When asked what she has seen, she always spelled, “Jesus’ Light.”

She inspired everyone around her and everyone who knew her. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 mirrored her life on earth:

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen, but the things that are unseen.  For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”  (English Standard Version)

On the evening of 18 March 2018, at 19h30, this peaceful angelic young lady breathed her final breath as I sat next to her bed and 

left this earthly with that incredible peace beyond all comprehension. I know the Angels were already waiting to receive her spirit. She is safely with Jesus who has held her in His love for so many years. We can declare justly and with convictions that she was a true heroine of the Cross as nothing could separate her from the love of Christ.

The WONDERLIG Group Project is dedicated to her for her unwavering and unfaltering trust in Jesus Christ!