My Journey With The Cross

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My life journey started from the day I was born…I was beautifully made by him, inside and out. But to say it has been an easy journey would be a lie. Instead, my journey has been one that is filled with cries, laughter, anxiety, confusions, blessings, love, and faith.

My name is Moniqua Demetrious and I was born on September 18, 1986 to a loving, supportive family. I was born into a family that cared for me tremendously. However, my life was different than most children surrounding me. I was immediately introduced to a father who was special and different than most, who was the founder & priest of St. Mary’s Coptic Orthodox church on East Brunswick, New Jersey. Because he was a priest, I had to share him & my mom unwillingly with others who loved them just as much as I did. I also met him with health issues that would get worse each year, which oddly enough felt normal, since it was all I knew. Crazy to think.

My life has been a roller coaster filled with overwhelming love– my father & best friend passed away Feb. 10, 2009; my world crashed. I was 22 years old when he passed away. I was then diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at the age of 23 (known as “UC” for short) in Jan. 2010; my world crashed yet again. Ulcerative colitis is a “chronic disease of the large intestine, also known as the colon, in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores, or ulcers, that produce pus and mucous.” The struggles and life’s “promises” became so faint and untenable that I was unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

This will forever be my cross and I’ve chosen even when days are hard, and there are many, I still choose to share my journey openly and honestly.