It all happened so suddenly.
One moment, our small family was enjoying the sunshine in the backyard. CUTIS, the gentle farmer with a big heart, had just finished feeding our baby monkey, Miko. The next, the world turned upside down.
Mom had collapsed in the kitchen. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t move — just her eyes, wide with fear. Dad rushed her to the hospital with trembling hands and a pale face. The ambulance never came. There was no time. Just Dad, the truck, and a desperate prayer. Then they were gone.
Now, CUTIS, only 14 years old, is left at home — alone. Alone except for Miko, the tiny baby monkey we rescued only two months ago. And this house, once filled with laughter and the smell of warm soup, feels too quiet.
CUTIS is doing everything he can to hold it together.
He doesn’t cry in front of Miko. He keeps feeding the little monkey with a bottle, holding him close during thunderstorms, whispering, “It’s okay, buddy. We’re going to be okay.” He lights the fire at night and boils sweet potatoes, even though he barely eats himself. He checks Dad’s phone every hour for news — anything. Just a text. Just a sign.
But the silence is heavy.
The baby monkey doesn’t understand. He clings to CUTIS, whimpering when left alone for even a second. He wants his comfort, his warmth, the only sense of safety he knows. And CUTIS gives it to him, even when his arms are tired and his heart is breaking.
The neighbors brought some rice yesterday. They heard what happened. One old woman left a note at the gate: “We’re praying for you. Stay strong.” CUTIS put the note on the fridge. He reads it every time he walks past. It’s something — not much, but something.
The nights are the hardest.
When the world sleeps and the stars are too quiet, CUTIS lies awake, listening to the monkey’s breathing and the wind scratching at the window. He wonders if Mom is still fighting. He wonders if Dad has eaten. He wonders what will happen if… if neither of them comes home.
But in the morning, CUTIS gets up. He lights the fire again. He warms milk for Miko. He tends to the chickens and waters the tiny garden Mom loved so much. Because that’s what she would want.
“We’ll survive,” he says, mostly to himself. “We’ll make it.”
But the truth is — they’re struggling. They’re surviving on love, scraps, and sheer willpower. So please, if you’re reading this, say a prayer. Light a candle. Whisper a wish. For Mom. For Dad. For CUTIS and the baby monkey.
Because sometimes, the smallest family holds the biggest hearts. And right now, they need your strength.
Please pray for them. 🙏
