My Christmas Miracle!

It was a Saturday morning in December and Alicia and I were out on the town picking up last minute items we wanted for Christmas. Alicia’s phone rang and it was Matt wanting us to come home because he wanted me to look at a sick baby. I am a baby lover so my heart did a little jump. We finished up and headed home to examine said baby who was waiting on the porch in the arms of her Papa. As soon as I saw her it just tore at my heart. She was so pitiful. Her tiny body was swollen from malnutrition, there was diarrhea leaking out of her diaper. It was obvious that she was in severe pain but she was so weak that when she tried to cry it just came out as a pitiful little mew. Matt asked me to examine her and see what I think so brought her inside and opened her diaper to change her. What  I saw sent prickles all over me, her little bottom looked like it was almost rotting away! The skin was peeling off in sheets leaving raw bleeding sores and the diarrhea was burning it. It was just awful. This poor baby was totally stiff, she couldn’t even move her limbs. I just knew this baby was not going to last long in this condition and that’s what Matt felt too; so that is how a precious little love story began!!

Just look into those fearful, pain filled eyes!

The first days and nights were a challenge but I loved every minute! I followed the instructions for re-feeding that I learned at the Missionary Medical Intensive classes I took before coming to Haiti. Every two hours around the clock I fed her two ounces of diluted milk and sugar. I could not give her more for fear of overloading her malnourished body. That first night I spent all night pouring over her feverish little body, praying for her and just asking Jesus to please show me what to do for her. I gave her a warm soapy bath then massaged her for a long time with coconut and lavender oil. She was so tiny and precious and helpless. We rocked and sang hymns for hours just like Veronika and I used to. The intense care and the feeling of helplessly relying on God for healing brought back so many memories of Veronika’s baby days! Once again I saw God’s healing touch on this small baby’s body. He cares so deeply even for tiny, sick, babies! Within days baby Jenny had lost a lot of fluid and was a lot more comfortable, not so stiff all the time. She quickly recognized and preferred me and her eyes became a little less anxious looking every day!

 

And then she began to thrive and gain healthy weight! She began to smile and even giggle. I fed her soft nutritious foods, avocados, bananas, cooked carrots and lots of little veggie stews, cream of wheat, liver pate… I was so thankful to my sisters for sending me a supply of real butter and coconut oil which is all I used for her. Its no wonder she loved to eat! She got so excited when she saw me stirring up little messes on the stove!

 

Jenny was such a dear, dear baby! Perfect in every way; getting healthier and happier with every passing day! Her and Veronika got very attached.

Her eyes got all sparkly and she lost the stiffness in her limbs. She became very soft and cuddly!

One day she even got to try fries and ice cream! Veronika taught her how to open your mouth really wide so as not to lose any ketchup when the fry goes into your mouth and I taught her that if she screams really loud after every bite of cookies and cream ice cream the next bite will come bigger and faster!! That little girl adored ice cream!!

I kept trying to get cute pictures of my two babies together but the results were always a bit topsy turvy! So we tried this:

But that wasn’t the most flattering moment for any of us either!! So we mostly took separate pictures!!

These were darling days filled with precious baby love!!

Just look at those bright joy-filled eyes!

The little princess is sound asleep! Her tummy is full of warm cream of wheat! She fell asleep while she was eating and slept for hours!! And look at that smooth baby skin, as soft as angel breath from all the coconut oil!

And then the time came to say, “ Goodbye.” Baby Jenny was strong enough to go live with her Papa again.

I held her tight and tried to just absorb everything about her; her smell, her wet kisses, her tiny hands touching my face. Dear baby girl, how I love you!

Then there was nothing more to do but give her one last bath, dress her one last time, one last bowl of warm mush, one last snuggle, a couple pictures…

and then she was gone.

The month that I had baby Jenny is a month that I’ll always remember as one of the highlights of my life. She was such a perfect baby- crying when she needed something and happy when her needs were met. She was soft and cuddly and playful!

I am so thankful to God for thinking about starting people out as babies and so thankful that I had the privilege of loving and caring for another tiny girl even though it was not nearly long enough.