Good, Unfinished Stories

 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:10

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9

   "Ummm...I think you need to come to the hospital now..." was my reply to AF, the friend from my last update who decided to keep her baby instead of aborting. She had called me at work one evening to tell me her water had broken earlier that day. Much to my dismay, her reply came..."it has stopped now! I will come tomorrow at 2pm." I tried to convince her that wasn't how having a baby worked, but she had already determined that she was spending the evening at home. I went to sleep that night praying for her and the baby's protection, and for wisdom for how to act the following morning. That next day involved more prayer, asking a friend for advice, and then a drive to pick up a laboring AF, her sister, and friend (who were teasing her to no end while she was groaning in pain) to take them to the hospital. AF's contractions were still at least 30 minutes apart, so after dropping them off and giving the midwife a heads up about when her water broke, I headed home to pray and take a nap. 90 minutes later, AF's sister called. "They are taking her to the OR!" Oh no!, I thought, what is wrong?! I rumbled my moto over to the hospital, changed into the scrubs I packed in hopes that they would let me sit in on the C-section, and made it into the OR just as they were starting. The surgery went well, and baby girl C entered the world with a nice strong cry of protest. Getting to be the photographer as the baby made her grand entry was pretty sweet. Praise the Lord, AF's maternal instincts kicked in and she started asking how her baby was doing and wanting to make sure she was ok. God protected both my friend and her little one, simultaneously giving AF a huge gift, even if originally unplanned and unwanted. He is faithful. Happy ending to a good story, right? Well, we all know that there are many more hurdles ahead, as AF learns to care for and raise her baby. But we trust that the same God that wanted this baby to enter the world will take care of her according to His plan for her life. 

Baby C looks a little skeptical of her new world. Praise God for saving a life and pray with me that she, her mom AF, and her whole family would know the true Savior

     A week and a half later found me in the unfrequented maternity side of the hospital once again (as a non-maternity nurse, I feel completely lost in that department and try to avoid it if possible). This time, I was standing by S, Ahad's mom. We prayed together that evening as she was in labor, and I went home wondering if I would find my friend +1 the next morning. Surely enough, when I visited again, she had a healthy little girl!! If you will remember, little man Ahad passed away in the states last November from a congenital heart defect. It is striking what can happen in a year- one can lose a loved one and gain another in less than 12 months. What a sweet gift after such a loss. Again, I would love to consider this a happy ending, but we have yet to wait for one. Even now we are awaiting pathology results to determine whether my friend S might have breast cancer. We pray that this isn't true, and are asking the Lord even more so that, whatever happens, this dear friend would know Jesus.

Isn't baby Kausar precious? Praise God for my friend S's new baby. Pray for my friend S as we wait for pathology results from her biopsy, and that God would open their hearts to His truth

    In between these two events, God did a work that made me smile from ear to ear. 5-year-old R had contracted tetanus, which can lead to seizures and muscle rigidity, among other complications. R recovered from the tetanus enough to be discharged, but remained pretty stiff, unable to walk, and would cry each time one tried to move his limbs, either from pain or the fear of it.  His village was the same as a couple other friends, so off I went to visit and serve as his inexperienced, unqualified, yet overly enthusiastic physical therapist.  Praise the Lord for providing some PT's who gave advice remotely. He even sent one PT friend in person who was able to accompany me on a couple visits and work with R when he came in for his rendezvous! After much crying and victago (similar to icy-hot), many follow-up appointments, and the discovery and treatment of a bone infection that required yet another hospitalization, R's rigidity was gone, along with the tears. The first time he smiled and giggled at me instead of crying when I drew near, I wanted to cry. Thank you God, for sparing this one's life and limbs! R's village is along a pot-holed road that becomes rather tricky during rainy season. The family's decision to come to his follow-up appointments and to allow him to undergo surgery and another hospitalization for the bone infection shows God's answers to prayer. Before he went back home, R made my day by agreeing to stand on his own and even take a few steps! Again, no tears!  His gait is uneven and he needs to build up stamina, but this is yet another story in which I will praise God each step of the way, regardless of the ending. 

Well, he was smiling before the camera came out...praise God for R's life and recovery. Pray that his family would know and understand the Gospel. Lord willing, with dry season coming, I hope to go visit him again and keep working on His gait. 

     A few months ago, during the missionary Sunday evening service, each of us was encouraged with the reminder that our job is not to bring about a particular outcome. God tells us simply to trust Him, seek His guidance, and persevere in doing good.  The outcome will ultimately be His glory, for He pursues that with God-sized zeal. But the ups and downs, twists, and turns along the way are not up to us. Just keep doing good.  I don't know the end of the story with my friend and baby C whose life was spared.  The outcome of my friend S, her husband, and their little one in a home where there would have been two remains yet unseen.  An adorable little boy who is now able to stand without screaming still has an uncertain future. But in all this, I am satisfied. Satisfied that God gets the glory, and that He empowers us do good after the example of the Savior, who makes our good works even possible.  That, in and of itself, is a pretty good story.

These kiddos are back to school! Please pray for wisdom and direction in the kids Bible study, especially with the new school schedule. Pray for discussions from the "questions box," a mailbox where the kids (and some of their moms who sometimes sit in!) have written down questions about life and the Bible. Our first question to tackle is in fact, "What is the Bible?" Pray for good study times in God's word to present it clearly and for understanding as we learn together.

Another good story. Praise the Lord that this preemie, M, after having more than a few episodes of not breathing and having his heart rate drop, went home from the hospital healthy! Pray for him and other little ones who have a hard fight for life, particularly under the age of 5. Pray for an opportunity to visit him and his mom, who professes to be a believer.

    Additional Praises/Prayer Requests

• Continue to praise the Lord with me for my dear friend P and her love for God's word and others. Please pray for her ministry at church among the women and children there. Pray for the Bible study in the neighborhood that P and I share, that God would bring the ladies He wants to be a part of it and give undistracted time to be together in the midst of the demands of a household and work. 
• Praise God for the church group and for those who have been coming recently. Continue to pray for the leadership, that God would give wisdom for how to feed those who come with His word even while outreaching to newcomers.
• Pray for discipline and humility for me to rest and to rest in the right ways.
• Praise God for my new friends that came about through my relationship with AF and her baby. Pray for our study together, and that God would remove distractions to focus on His Word well.
• Praise God for the arrival of new team-members, including a number of surgeons! Pray for the process of them settling in and for preparations for more team members arriving as part of the surgical residency training program early next year.

Thanks for Praying! To God be the Glory.

~Theresa G.