For the past couple days God has been telling me to “Just
live in the moment. Don’t worry about 30 minutes from now, next week, next month… I am
doing something every minute that you don’t want to miss.” I have been thinking
of that and trying to only concentrate on the here and now and not worry so
much about my daily plans being changed… a.k.a. stop being a control freak!
Monday April 9, 2014 I had the choice to do that or continue
in my ways of schedule, schedule, schedule. I went to the feeding program like
every Monday afternoon but after we were finished with our Romans 8 lesson and
the food had all been eaten, Milene Jean Louis approached me to tell me that
she just reached 6 months of being pregnant but for the last 3 days
she had some bleeding. I am not a nurse and have never been 6 months pregnant
BUT I do have the Holy Spirit inside of me that set off a warning. I actually
listened, canceled my plans & since I knew an American doctor team was at
the Pierre Payen Hospital nearby we rushed there and with urgency they put us
right in for an ultrasound. This was the first ultrasound either of us had ever seen and
unfortunately it will be the worse, there was no heartbeat. I had to tell
Milene who is 31 with 3 living children that her soon to be 4th was
going to have to be delivered the next morning and it would not be alive. She
threw her hands up in the air, almost like she was giving up or admitting
defeat which brought tears to my eyes. This was her 4th miscarriage.
We hugged and began to cry together.
That night I told Fritznel that we HAD to get our pregnant
women checked… the “what if” bug was flying around my ear… all the “what if’s”
wecould have done and “what if” we could have saved a baby. Tuesday morning at
6 o’clock, Milene was induced and a precious baby boy’s body was delivered.
On my normal “ministry work day” I went to Bo Lise and
gathered all the pregnant women in our community. After getting the women registered, tested for
AIDS (all NEGATIVE!!) and syphilis we began the waiting game. Waiting for the 1
ultra sound machine to come available. Waiting for Milene’s blood work, lab
tests to be done & fluids administered. Waiting for the emergency patients
to come and go while I prayed for the peace of God to flood them. Waiting with
6 friends who had never seen an ultra sound machine nor understood they COULD see
the little human growing inside their bellies.
What took 6 hours because of emergencies in and out, one by
one I brought the women in to see the life that God had entrusted them to
steward and care for. The sweet Dr. Kim from Nabraska was patient, loving and
very descriptive in telling me everything we could see on the computer screen
so I could translate it to the proud mama’s. I had tears many times as I
watched my friends take their 1st, 2nd and 3rd
look at the baby they were carrying. They couldn’t get enough and couldn’t
smile any more than they were. Little head, legs, waving hands, heart beats and
little feet were clear and beautiful just as God’s love showering down on us
that day. Best of all each mom was far enough along that we know the gender of
all 6! There is only 1 princess coming to us this summer and 5 warriors coming
to protect & serve. I can’t wait!
I keep thinking of how blessed I was to share these moments
with these 6 friends and saddened when I remember that Milene wasn’t able to
take her new baby home with her to meet his brother and sisters. It was tragic,
unfair, unexplainable and unreal but God brings peace that surpasses all
understanding. Through the loss of Baby Jean Louis we were alerted to bring
prenatal awareness to a new level and we’re learning how to care for the mama’s
in new ways that will prayerfully prevent another tragedy like this. I am
overjoyed that 6 mama’s got a new experience and get to wonder “HOW CAN GOD DO
THIS IN MY BODY?” God is truly amazing and “Works all things for the good of
those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.” Romans 8:28
Please be in prayer for Milene, her children and the rest of
the family & friends as we mourn and grieve this loss. Pray for Fritznel
& I as we continue to live in the moment of everyday life without being
worried about “what if’s” and “when this” and “when that”. Lord help us to
“lose control” and just be.
We were placed here for such a time as this and I can
honestly tell you… it’s all worth it.
A special thanks to Maureen Day for Heaven Born Ministries.
She has a beautiful ministry for helping women cope with the loss of a baby and
we were able to use it to help Milene. God’s people are a blessing!
http://www.heavenborn.com/
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