On a Saturday morning I placed little Michno into the arms of his mother for the last time and bade farewell to the little guy who had come a month earlier, weak and sick. The baby I had prayed over, lost sleep over, loved and cared for. And now two days later bent over the bathtub scrubbing out the Monday morning dirt ring I heard the familiar shuffle of feet coming up the porch steps, the murmur of voices, the little jiggle at the gate… I knew right away.
I knew someone needed me again, someone little, someone sick, someone who needed love, someone who needed healing from Jesus. That little someone was Loudine, a sweet two year old girl. At first glance she appeared to be a chubby toddler but on closer examination it was obvious that she was not chubby with baby fat but with body fluid. She was so malnourished that her little organs were beginning to shut down causing her body to fill up with fluid to the point where her skin was cracking open and leaking fluid. There were cracks at the corners of her mouth and eyes.There were flies and gnats crawling over her and she didn’t even care. She just lay helplessly in the arms of her anxious papa and waited.
And thus began another journey of leading a sick, hurting child to Jesus and watching a miracle of healing take place before my very eyes!! Because it is Jesus, it’s all Jesus. It’s not these hands or the bits of information I’ve collected about how to care for malnourished kids. If I do everything according to the books it is still not enough. If I love with an earthly emotional rush of compassion. Guess what, it won’t cut it. The only thing that is enough is Jesus in us and through us feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, going to the prisoners. ( matt. 25:35 & 36 )
It takes Jesus love when there’s vomit and diarrhea and crying, and peeling skin floating around. It takes Jesus love when there’s worms and stink and black sticky gunk in brittle orange hair. When there’s nighttime feedings and anxious checking and checking and diarrhea again. And it’s a miracle of healing from Jesus when the loose peeling skin turns soft as silk, frail little legs can walk again, digestive systems work properly, new beautiful hair begins to grow, and the crying is turned to joy and laughter.
Today I am thanking God that I get to be the hands and feet of Jesus in Loudine’s journey to healing. She has been with me now for three weeks and has come a long way!! She still has a ways to go before she is totally healthy but she is well on the way and she can’t hide the sparkle that is beginning to show in her eyes and every now and then a giggle even wiggles its way out!
Love does that to you!
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
