The Family of God

Recently I had the blessed privilege of being part of  a small anointing service for a dear friend and sister who was struggling with an illness.  ( James 5:13-16)

As a small group of close friends and fellow missionaries gathered around the sick bed it just struck my heart how miraculous it was that such an unlikely group of people all the way from Canada and across the US would end up together like this, close like a family. All of us with different backgrounds, different personalities, each of us with our own strengths and weaknesses but all of us adopted into the family of God! Just as parents delegate responsibilities to their children so our Father God has called each one of us to this spot on the earth at this time and season of our lives to fulfill the work he has for us. On this common ground we stand each one us doing our small parts to make up a bigger part.

It was a precious and beautiful time, gathering in the cool, airy room just as the evening shades fell closing another day. We began with a time of singing, opening our hearts in worship to Jesus. The spirit of God was present as the healing oil was applied. We gathered around the bed knitting our hearts together in unity lifting up our dear sister to the great Lover and Physician who alone can bring deliverance and healing and comfort to the brokenhearted and the wounded and give joy to the oppressed! A tight circle of heads bowing low, healing hands reaching out to minister.

Afterwards there were songs again and blessings! Our hearts bound together like a family with God our Father and Jesus our brother!

Thanksgiving for grace flowing down rich and free to clean, open hearts. Thanksgiving for times of testing and trials that draw us closer to each other and closer to God; that make us more homesick for heaven, that help us put things in perspective. We are the body of Christ and this is why I wouldn’t trade my life for anything in the world!

Saturday Morning With Veronika

It had been a hard week and I was looking forward to sleeping in but at 6:00 I was awakened by a small girl standing beside my bed, “ Mama, look,” she made a little downward motion with her hand. I looked down in time to see yellow liquid running down her legs and forming a rather large puddle at her feet right beside my bed. I cleaned her up while trying to stay in a state that would allow me to take up sleep again right where I had left off. Meanwhile in the tiny cradle beside my bed a small boy was stirring. I quickly tucked Nika back in her bed and crashed on mine hoping the baby boy would not wake up. Two seconds later Nika was beside my bed, “ Mama, babys crying!” I soked her back into her bed and stumbled out to the kitchen to fix a bottle. I took the baby to bed with me thinking I could still keep sleeping while holding his bottle but once again the little girl appeared beside my bed with the request that no parent can refuse, “Mama, potty!” I just groaned and rolled out of bed, leaving the baby with a propped up bottle ( bad mommy, I know! ) While Nika teetered lengthily on the edge of the toilet seat I sat on the floor with my head leaning over on the tub I closed my eyes once more in hopes of a couple minutes of rest. After a long time I finally pulled her off and said she can finish later if she’s not done.

Back in the bedroom I eased back into bed so as not to disturb the baby but Nika was jealous about the baby being in bed with me so here she comes with her pillow and blanket!! Oh joy! I pulled her up on the bed then lay down once more and covered my head with my sheet in a desperate attempt to block out reality. But no such luck was in store for me! one second later the sheet gets pulled back and Nika peers underneath to let me know the baby is crying again! I slowly pull the baby toward me and comfort him in my arms meanwhile Nika has gotten off the bed with her blanket and spread it out in the closet. Now she gets her dolls and lines them all up facedown on the blanket, she gets up and finds the spanky spoon and proceeds to spank each one while solemnly telling them, “No, no, don’t do that!” (I’m  not sure what her dolls did as I thought it was her who was doing everything!)

I closed my eyes and opened them a couple minutes later to see her climbing up a wicker clothes shelf in our bedroom, grabbing a wad of balloons from the top shelf and stuffing them into her mouth! I knew she was headed my way and sure enough there she was with a handful of slimy balloons begging me to blow them up. I blew one up and said we’re saving the others for her birthday. I close my eyes one last time but open them again when I hear her chanting, “ Micheal Jordan, Micheal Jordan!” I thought I couldn’t be hearing right but I was! She was using her balloon as a basketball and chanting the name Micheal Jordan!! Not exactly what I had envisioned my daughter to be chanting at 2.5 years old!!

Beside me on the bed was  a not so fresh smelling baby boy still squirming and complaining… At that point I gave up the idea of sleeping in and decided to just get up. It was now 7:00 am on a saturday morning!! How exciting!!

Time behooves me to tell of the rest of the day and the activities of one small girl. I’m surprised I don’t have any grey hair yet.

The Climb

About six months ago while hurricane Isaac was ripping through Haiti a baby boy was born in a little house way up at the top of the mountains of Peyi Pouri. In many ways this baby was just like his three older siblings except one thing, he had no hands or feet. The culture he was born into is steeped in superstition and immediately everyone was saying that this baby is from the devil and its God’s judgment coming down because he was conceived in sin. His mother was shocked and horrified and not knowing what to do under pressure from family and neighbors she actually considered taking the life of her precious son. But God’s hand was there in that tiny mountain hut and he had other plans for this dear baby.

Several staff from our mission went there several days later and found the dear mother still in shock and weeping and but willing to at least feed her baby. They prayed with her and blessed her and encouraged her to care for and love her baby just like any other baby. Even though she tried to give us her baby right away we wanted to let her have the experience of caring for him and seeing him grow and develop like a normal baby created by God for his glory. Although I never saw this baby I immediately felt a strong attachment to him and had a strong burden to pray earnestly for both him and his mother.

So for the next 6 months I prayed and prayed for that baby. Every couple weeks when someone from the mission went up the mountain they would stop in and check on things. Just as we hoped, the baby grew by leaps and bounds and mom started bonding with him and caring for him like she does her other three. And she named him Kristof!

I wanted so badly to see Kristof and his family and where he lives but the only way to his home is a strenuous 3 hour climb up the mountain, on foot. For three years I’ve pretty much been sitting here at the kid’s home so I knew I was very out of shape but I was determined I could do it. I could do it for Kristof. So, Sat. morning surrounded by a group of dear friends, Veronika and I started off.  Shea, a strong young man who can run up and down the mountain carried Veronika on his back and everyone else carried their personal supplies in backpacks.

We left early in the morning when it was still dark. Someone drove us to the foot of the mountain and dropped us off. First we crossed a rocky river bed and then suddenly the the ground rose steep in front of us and there we started up and up that rocky mountainside. On and on we trudged everyone bowed slightly forward because of the weights on our backs and so we wouldn’t tip over backwards and roll down the mountain. No one talked. Slowly the atmosphere got lighter and lighter and then in all its glory the sun burst over the rim of mountains and flooded the world with light! It was glorious to look out over the valleys below us and see the dawn rising to create a new day!

Here and there we paused for about 2.5 seconds to catch our breaths and to drink cool water and then it was on and on, up and up over large rocks and loose dirt  willing our weary feet and legs to take one more step and then one more. Sometimes the trail widened and sometimes it was one lane only. Friends, I seriously thought I would never make it. My legs and shoulders ached, my mouth was always dry from breathing deeply, my whole body was screaming to lay down, to drink cold water… to just rest. I pitied everyone else that I was even along as they all steamed ahead but were too kind to leave me. And Shea who could have run circles around everyone stayed always behind or beside me doing his psychological trick of matching his strong, size 12 footsteps with my quivering ones. We stopped once for a nice rest under the spreading arms of a strong, gnarled, old tree. Then on we went again.

When we finally reached the last hill I was sure that any minute my legs would give out and I would die on that mountain side on that beautiful morning surrounded by my daughter and a handful of friends. Inside I was one quivering mass of misery, I was screaming and blubbering and crying but on the outside I was calm and  quiet uttering only small exclamations of distress now and then. We passed several ladies who were harvesting beans, they looked up and stared as we strode by. Then across a small flat area and we reached our destination, exhausted but happy!

We stayed at the home of some kind friends and that first day we just stayed close by. It was a cold day on the mountain so we huddled around in sweaters, ate huge bowls of spaghetti, sat around, talked, slept some, hiked a little to see some ruins from an old fort, pulled teeth out of an old horse skull, and talked some more and watched a little boy chase a pig and talked some more and Veronika kept picking coffee beans and sucking on them until her eyes were bright from the caffeine rush! In the evening we ate large helpings of rice and beans then sat around a fire and talked and sang and drank sweet lemon grass tea. When one of the ladies who had come up from town arrived home the whole family rose to welcome her and relieve her of her burdens, they lifted heavy baskets from the back of her tired donkey and they fell with a dull thud on the dusty ground.

The next morning which was Sun. morning we woke to a gorgeous new morning! After getting dressed we sat around while our coffee beans got roasted with sugar then we took turns pounding them in a large mortar and pestle till it was a fine ground powder. It was then made into a delicious, syrupy sweet coffee and we had coffee and bread for breakfast. We sat dunking and eating while listening to the pitiful screams of several pigs who were getting castrated that morning much to the horror of my daughter who couldn’t stop fussing about the screaming pigs! I felt sorry for them too!

Walking to church was kind of like a nightmare to me as it brought so many flashbacks from the day before but I held together and I totally enjoyed visiting a sweet mountain church. As soon as church was over we headed out to visit my baby, Kristof which was the whole reason I came in the first place! It was hard, the climb. But the trail and the breathtaking views were amazing! In some places the trail got so narrow and tight it was not only one lane but also no wide loads! Once on the edge of a little drop off the trail was the width of one of my shoes because the rest had broken away! That would all have been so cool and fun if it wouldn’t have been for my dumb legs. But it was worth every step for this:

Beautiful, dear, darling Kristof!!

We spent some time there just loving on him and talking to his mom! I saw direct, clear answers to my prayers as I watched him and his mom making good eye contact, smiling and even kissing!! They are obviously bonded to each other!

I pray that this dear lady would come to know Jesus as a very real and close friend who loves and cares for her and her children. And that she would see Kristof  as created by God for his glory and honor!

Pray for Kristof  that God would show us how to best help him and his family. It is very difficult for someone with missing limbs to survive in the primitive and harsh conditions of mountain life where their very survival depends on gardening and farming. We want to follow God’s leading in this situation so that his name will be lifted up and his plan fulfilled in this small boy’s life. Whatever the outcome, I am so thankful that I get the privilege of praying for and loving this dear lady and her special son!

Oh, and by the way- we made it safely down the mountain, slip sliding the whole way on loose gravel, falling into cacti, skinning knees and hands and  bruising legs! And it was worth every step!!

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.

A Motherless Baby

There is nothing that stirs my heart like a motherless child. Could there be anything more lonely and empty to a child than to be with out the touch of its mother? Such was the case of Lovenie a nine month old baby girl who lost her mother last month due to an extended sickness. One day she was a cared for and nursed by her loving mother and the next she was suddenly left hungry and crying in the arms of her father. Her father loved her enough to make the most loving choice he could find- to let her go.

Lovenie is a sweet, cuddly little girl and it is a joy to care for her!

I’d say Lovenie is pretty happy with this Mama!

Just look at that smile! Ergo babies are happy babies!

Polenta a la carte

The latest food craze I’m on is this simple dish made quickly with inexpensive ingredients probably found in almost every kitchen. I simply call it polenta with fried eggs but if you want to be fancy it could be called Polenta a la carte!!

To start with you chop some onions and garlic and sauté them in oil or butter if you’re rich enough to have that on hand. Next add either chicken broth or water with chicken bouillon cubes and salt. Bring that to a boil and add cornmeal- any texture you want, its delicious with course grits or with fine ground it just depends what you have on hand. Cook it for a while and then add some milk or cream just like a half cup or however much you need to make it nice and creamy but still thick.  Then put the lid on and let it sit while you fry the eggs.

For the eggs- melt butter or margarine in a pan and let it get hot but not too hot then crack your egg open right in the middle of your butter or if your paranoid you can always put it in a small dish and then transfer it to the hot pan. However you do it please be so careful not to pop the yolk. After you have it in the pan hover over it with eagle eye, adjust the temperature accordingly to cook it nicely with out making brown crispy edges. When the white part turns white gently take a spatula and expertly flip it to the other side once again being ever so careful with that golden yolk. Leave it for about 2.5 seconds and then grab a plate put a big pile of polenta in the middle and then lift the egg and place it right smack in the middle of the polenta.

You will feel quite excited at this point which is normal! Grab the salt grinder and grind madly over the egg and then repeat with the pepper grinder. Sprinkle lightly with cayenne pepper and a good size pinch of fresh chopped parsley. Whisper a prayer of thanks to Jesus and then dig in!!

Just look at that liquid gold running out warm over the hot, creamy polenta! Its exploding with flavor and unexpected richness pared with  fresh parsley that adds a touch of freshness! And its all common simple ingredients put together in just the right way to create a masterpiece that will make your taste buds sing and hearts happy!

Devensky

A couple weeks ago I had the blessed privilege of caring for Devensky for two days. Devensky is a small boy maybe 4 or 5 years old and he came to our cholera center along with a group of others who came for treatment. They had to travel for hours to get here and by the time they got here small Devensky was almost gone. Thankfully the nurse who was on duty got an IV started right away and saved his life. The problem was that he was so severely malnourished we were afraid his body couldn’t handle all the liquid and indeed within the first hour his little stomach was big and tight. We wanted to transfer him to another hospital right away but there was no one who was willing to go along with him. None of the people who came down with him wanted to be responsible for him and in fact two men who came with him slipped away quick leaving one old lady here to take care of three ladies and little Devensky. Unfortunately this lady was not interested in wasting time on him so there was no one to take care of him. He was almost dying and needed someone so Mike asked me if I’d be willing to take him till we figure out what to do. Of course I jumped at the chance and I got to take care of this precious little boy.

He was so pitiful and thin laying there on the cot in the hospital all by himself. It just broke my heart.

I thought he was going to break when I gently gathered him up in my arms and carried him to my soft bed. The first thing that was in order was of course a warm bath!! There is little that compares to the joy of bathing someone like Devensky in warm soapy water. When I took the warm washcloth and started gently washing his face he just smiled! He was so dirty the water actually turned brown.

Judging from the bottoms of his tiny feet I doubt that he’s ever worn shoes or socks; not only were they covered with black grime but they were calloused thick like the soles of shoes. Washing those feet and massaging them with coconut oil was pure joy!!

What a beautiful boy! All clean and sweet! Sleeping peacefully!

And then the worms came! I guess they were pretty hungry and decided to go find some food. Out they came from both ends! Unbelievable amounts and some the size of small snakes- even out of his mouth!! It was so awful I just wanted to sob.

The first night we didn’t know if he’d make it through the night but by morning he seemed to feel better so after another bath and some clean pjs he sat up and tried to eat a bit of breakfast.

But alas, every time he would drink a little something or take a bit of food he’d get this sick look on his face and hold really still for a long time and then sure enough an evil worm would come out of his mouth. And he passed fistfuls of big fat ones in his diaper.

Then he stopped eating and drinking all together. We couldn’t get him interested in anything. I even tried a sucker which he took and put in his mouth for about two licks then he was done with that too. He was completely uninterested  in life I got the feeling that he was trying to die.

Finally I just realized he might be more than I can handle right now. What if he would die just because I wanted to keep him and couldn’t admit that he needed to be somewhere he could get more care than I had to offer. So after two days and nights of loving on him I let him go. He is at Real Hope For Haiti which is a rescue center for children just like Devensky who are severely malnourished. They were delighted to have him and I trust he is doing well under their experienced loving care.

I am so thankful I got to be a small part of his life. I wish many times I could have done more for him but I release him to God and trust he will work everything out for good in Devensky’s life!