As a New Year begins most of the world news is bad, but there are also less well-reported stories of remarkable love and kindness. The story of Manoly Viravong and Veronica Buttigieg is wonderful and so encouraging. A few years ago, Manoly and Veronica met for the first time one summer at a mutual friend’s wedding anniversary party. Manoly, who had two teenage children, told Veronica that she had been waiting for a kidney transplant for 5 years. A close relative had said he would donate one of his kidneys but had changed his mind. Manoly was on dialysis for 8 hours every night and the need was becoming urgent.
When Veronica heard Manoly’s story she said, “Why don’t you have one of my kidneys?” Two months later, the operation took place and Manoly was restored to health and strength. Veronica said, “I barely knew Manoly but after talking to her, and hearing how desperate she was, I felt it was the right thing to do. We all knew there was a chance I could die, but I wasn’t worried at all. I am a Christian and I felt that God said it was right. I had real peace about it because I knew it was what God wanted me to do. I felt completely calm.” Manoly said, “I can’t really thank Veronica enough. We are very close now, like sisters. I’m really very grateful to her and I count my blessings every day.”
The story of Manoly and Veronica reminds us of the wonderful love of God. One of the best-known verses in the Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Many people think the message of the Bible is mainly about God telling us what we should do. But Christianity is not about what we do, but about what God has done in giving us his Son. Jesus came to give us the gift of eternal life. The Christian life begins for each of us when we gratefully receive God’s gift of Jesus to be our Saviour.
We can never repay God for his amazing love in Jesus, but when we receive him as our Saviour, our hearts are filled with love for him which overflows in love for other people. That’s why Veronica gave her kidney to Manoly. She had experienced God’s amazing love for her in Jesus and wanted to show that love to Manoly. This is a love we can all know and show.