HER SONG
Rayko Batista
28
My sister had leukemia when I was 22. Her name is Raisa Batista. At the time, Capital Records and Atlantic were considering signing my band. We were on tour most of the time, but I dropped everything to take care of my sister. I believe in family first, always. I also believe that bigger opportunities are around the corner. I love my sister more than any success I can have. We found out after I got back from tour. I took my sister to the beach for a picnic one day. As we walked off the sand, she stopped walking. She said she couldn ' t move. I put her over my shoulder, and carried her like a cross to my car. She looked horrible. My family took her to the hospital, and they gave us the news the following morning. She had leukemia. I ' d never been tested so much in my life, but to whom much is given, much is tested. I’ d been in a coma before, and was in a wheel chair and all that, but it was easier to deal with because I had control. With my sister, I was mad at everybody. I felt hopeless. I sat with a native tribe and took peyote for a prayer healing a couple days after finding out. I wanted to talk to God. I was mad at him. After taking the native medicine, I resisted for hours. I was yelling and possessed by my anger until I finally let go. I looked up at the stars and said, " Thy will be done, God. If it is part of your plan to take my sister from me, only you know why. Like I respected you for bringing her into my life when I was baby, I will respect your decision to take her from me. I just pray for clarity.” I sat by the fire the entire night without a word or thought, and discovered God’ s silence. A little while later, I was in practice with my band sitting behind a piano. My manager stood behind me coaching me, but I was numb and in shock. I hadn’ t told anyone what was going on. Then I wrote her a song.
I believe in friends, For you, you know I ' ll fight until the end, And everything I feel will never end.
I believe in you, You know I never tell you, But it ' s true, And everything I do, I do for you.
Maybe one day when the world disappears, We will meet again just right here, Just promise me that you won ' t be, Consumed by your fears,‘ Cause I will protect you.
That night, I finally had my first real cry since finding out she was sick. I had to talk to her. I sped over to the hospital and rushed into her room crying my heart out. She was crying too. All I could do was tell her how much I loved her. I told her no one else deserved my time but her, and that God gave her an older brother for protection. I told her she was perfect, and that this was just a test. I told her she was stronger than the sickness. The next morning, after I spoke with her and prayed for her and hugged her like my life depended on it, they let her walk out of the hospital. I learned a lot of the power of Love through that experience. Pure love can move mountains, and compassion stems from the understanding of suffering. Compassion cannot exist without suffering. It is a love that comes from the understanding of those battling the hardships of life. Those who have lost a loved one to cancer have an angel watching over them. But those currently facing the battle have an angel who is living – someone to share love, compassion, and understanding with. My sister is my inspiration to go forward. She is my angel.