I always thought that Mrs Ojeda was indeed a very sad woman. I am sure she is actually much younger than what she appears to be. Maybe the sudden death of her husband many years ago had something to do with it. I remember her from the time when they were living next door to us, that must be some 15 years ago, and at that time she already looked as old as she does now. Which is funny because according to my calculations she must have been only in her early forties.

Both she and her departed husband were strict Jehova Witnesses and they tried to raise their three children in the same faith. Two of them were beautiful daughters that were too born completely deaf and subsequently during their whole life had been unable to learn to speak properly. On every occasion they tried to communicate, only strange and somehow comical sounds came out of their mouths which made it really difficult to understand whatever it was they were trying to say. Both of them got married, on the same day, to deaf husbands and maybe for that reason they were very well accepted by their neighbours as none of them ever heard them argue a single time. The party following their double wedding was the most silent one that ever took place at the Valencia Astoria, but not for that reason was less happy. Also the deaf can get drunk, and a drunken deaf man is no less lairy than a hearing one, believe you me.

In the Ojedas house of silence -as we kids used to refer to them- lived also Teo, their youngest child. He was the only one to be born completely healthy. From day one he was the apple of their eyes and no efforts were spared in his education. His good performance at school and great social skills had made him very popular and both Mr and Mrs Ojeda felt terribly proud of him. He even assumed the role of public relations of the family and at a very early age he already represented them at neighbour assemblies. He was the perfect son, had it not been for the fact that in the late years he had quit the church and had always refused to accompany them on their weekly visits to the local Kingdom. They always hoped that one day he would get over what they considered a teenage rebellion and go back to the former Teo, the obedient and God fearing son that he had always been.

In Mrs Ojedas eyes, all the difficulties and pain that one has to endure during this life were nothing more than tests from our Lord. Her Faith never weakened but on the contrary, it became stronger after every test. During the last years she became more and more convinced that she had justly deserved a good place in Heaven. I do not know, but sometimes I suspect she just could not wait to die and finally get her reward for a life of sacrifices. She was to find out soon.

One Sunday morning, right after entering home on their way back from the Sunday Mass Mrs Ojeda suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed in the hallway. She was rushed to hospital and after many checks the doctors diagnosed a death threatening disease. I cannot remember what the diagnose was but what was sure was that she was needing an urgent blood transfusion. That was te ultimate test to her faith, she thought. The doctors tried in vain to convince her. Even a leading member of their church was called in to try and convince her. She would not give in. If that is the Lords decision, she said to whoever wanted to listen, she would die. As the disease progressed and her situation became more and more dramatic her daughters and son begged her to accept a blood transfusion. It was bad enough to lose their father when they were still young, now they did not want to lose their mother as well. Sure God could wait.

One night her condition deteriorated and clutching her rosary and her old Bible in one hand she slip into a coma. The doctors were unanimous. If she did not get a blood transfusion she would never regain conciousness and would inevitably die.

Time was running out and an urgent decision had to be made. After a family meeting with his sisters, Teo decided that his mothers life was much more important than respecting her beliefs. The Lord (if there was such a thing, the thought) would agree that a human life is sacred and that anything had to be done in order to preserve it. Even if that including going against the strict laws as shown in the Leviticus book.

His sisters and brothers-in-law, also Jehovas Witnesses but of a much more tolerant kind, opposed a strong resistance, but eventually ended up accepting his smart little brothers decision.

He was the only one in the famimly with the same type of blood as his mother and that made him a suitable donor.

Two days after she received her sons blood she opened her eyes for the first time. The whole family was around her bed and as she looked around she smiled and muttered, God Almighty! He has tested me once again and I did not let him down. That is why I have been saved....