This is a blog by a Real Life participant in Swaziland named Ryan Bodine. I cried when I read this, and reminded myself that THIS is why I do what I do – so that baby girls like this one can grow up to have a HOPE and a FUTURE. I think it speaks
a lot to the hope and promise that is in God. The prayer at the end
isn’t just a prayer, it’s a prophesy for this little girls life, and
God will fulfill all of the promises. Please take a moment to read it – I know you’ll be touched.
a lot to the hope and promise that is in God. The prayer at the end
isn’t just a prayer, it’s a prophesy for this little girls life, and
God will fulfill all of the promises. Please take a moment to read it – I know you’ll be touched.
We went to the
hospital today. The hospital is nothing like what we are
used to in
America. They are separated into three different wards: men’s, women’s
and children’s. The wards have different sections that have around 8
beds per section. There is no privacy and they only have single rooms
for patients with tuberculous.
hospital today. The hospital is nothing like what we are
used to inAmerica. They are separated into three different wards: men’s, women’s
and children’s. The wards have different sections that have around 8
beds per section. There is no privacy and they only have single rooms
for patients with tuberculous.
People lay out in the open for everyone to see. It’s very hot in
there, too, so most patients wear little or no clothes at all to stay
cool. Many are covered by just a blanket. It’s miserable for me and I’m
not even sick. Because of their sickness and bad living conditions many
lack self-worth and hope.
there, too, so most patients wear little or no clothes at all to stay
cool. Many are covered by just a blanket. It’s miserable for me and I’m
not even sick. Because of their sickness and bad living conditions many
lack self-worth and hope.
Today was the first time I had been in the children’s ward. There
were some younger kids with broken arms and legs…and after a bit, I
decided to go over to the baby room. Those of you who know me really
well know that I don’t do babies. I just don’t know what to do with
them. They poop, they eat, they sleep and they cry. The first three
don’t bother me but I can never figure out why they are crying. Like are
they hungry or tired or are they just crying cause, well, they’re a
baby and that’s what they do? Its so frustrating! If they would just
tell me what was wrong then I could fix the problem and we’d be all
better.
Anyway, there
was a tiny baby girl that I needed to hold. She was the cutest little
chubby-cheeked baby I’d ever seen. She had the softest little curly afro
on her head too. Just an adorable baby girl. The kind that you see on
commercials and go “awww.”
As I rocked
her I quietly sang “How He loves us” over her and she was soon sleeping
in my arms. She is a squirmy little sleeper and numerous times flashed
her big gummy smile at me. She is beautiful. My teammate Tori and I
prayed over this little life and while I was praying God impressed on my
heart that He knows her name. She is His child and she is not
forgotten. He knew this baby girl and knew, even before she was born,
that she’d be abandoned.
were some younger kids with broken arms and legs…and after a bit, I
decided to go over to the baby room. Those of you who know me really
well know that I don’t do babies. I just don’t know what to do with
them. They poop, they eat, they sleep and they cry. The first three
don’t bother me but I can never figure out why they are crying. Like are
they hungry or tired or are they just crying cause, well, they’re a
baby and that’s what they do? Its so frustrating! If they would just
tell me what was wrong then I could fix the problem and we’d be all
better.
Anyway, therewas a tiny baby girl that I needed to hold. She was the cutest little
chubby-cheeked baby I’d ever seen. She had the softest little curly afro
on her head too. Just an adorable baby girl. The kind that you see on
commercials and go “awww.”
As I held her I read her medical chart so I could say (or at least
try to say) her name and know why she was in the hospital. She looked
healthy to me. I read her chart. Her name: Abandoned. Her age: not
specified. I was right. She wasn’t sick. There was nothing wrong with
her. She was abandoned. Not wanted. Left to die. There was no reason for
her to have a name because she wasn’t wanted. Here I was, holding a
tiny baby girl with no name and no known birthday. A baby that someone
didn’t want, so the logical choice was to leave them to die.
try to say) her name and know why she was in the hospital. She looked
healthy to me. I read her chart. Her name: Abandoned. Her age: not
specified. I was right. She wasn’t sick. There was nothing wrong with
her. She was abandoned. Not wanted. Left to die. There was no reason for
her to have a name because she wasn’t wanted. Here I was, holding a
tiny baby girl with no name and no known birthday. A baby that someone
didn’t want, so the logical choice was to leave them to die.
I asked one of my teammates if she knew this baby’s story and it
goes something like this :: One day her mother asked a stranger to hold
her baby for a second while she did something. The mother never
returned. The stranger not knowing what to do with the precious baby
brought her to the hospital. (If you don’t have at least one tear in
your eye by now then you probably aren’t getting that this is real life
and not just a made up story. Scroll back up and look at the picture of
this beautiful baby. I held her today. She is real. She has no parents.
No one to tuck her in at night and tell her how proud they are of her.
No one to tell her that she is loved.) The nurse came over to me and
told me she was probably around 3 months old and that I should put her
in my pocket and take her home with me. Honestly, I would if I could.
goes something like this :: One day her mother asked a stranger to hold
her baby for a second while she did something. The mother never
returned. The stranger not knowing what to do with the precious baby
brought her to the hospital. (If you don’t have at least one tear in
your eye by now then you probably aren’t getting that this is real life
and not just a made up story. Scroll back up and look at the picture of
this beautiful baby. I held her today. She is real. She has no parents.
No one to tuck her in at night and tell her how proud they are of her.
No one to tell her that she is loved.) The nurse came over to me and
told me she was probably around 3 months old and that I should put her
in my pocket and take her home with me. Honestly, I would if I could.
As I rockedher I quietly sang “How He loves us” over her and she was soon sleeping
in my arms. She is a squirmy little sleeper and numerous times flashed
her big gummy smile at me. She is beautiful. My teammate Tori and I
prayed over this little life and while I was praying God impressed on my
heart that He knows her name. She is His child and she is not
forgotten. He knew this baby girl and knew, even before she was born,
that she’d be abandoned.
He still has a great plan for her life. Just because her mother
gave up on her doesn’t mean that Jesus has. We prayed for Godly people
to be put in her life and that she would one day proclaim the name of
Jesus, the One who never abandons us, and the God who longs for us to
call Him father.
gave up on her doesn’t mean that Jesus has. We prayed for Godly people
to be put in her life and that she would one day proclaim the name of
Jesus, the One who never abandons us, and the God who longs for us to
call Him father.
Just before we left my teammate Katie named her “Notando” which
translates to love. The nurse heard her and wrote the new name down. Her
name is no longer Abandoned.
translates to love. The nurse heard her and wrote the new name down. Her
name is no longer Abandoned.
*Notando, you may have been abandoned by this world, but don’t
worry because you weren’t made for this world anyways. Know that your
Heavenly Father is with you. He holds you in the palm of His hand and
calls you His beloved daughter. He delights in you and loves to see your
beautiful little smile. Even when you cry and feel alone at night He is
there with you. Zephania 3:17 says, “The Lord your God (our God!) is
with you and He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you,
Notando. He will quiet you with his love and rejoice over you with
singing.”
worry because you weren’t made for this world anyways. Know that your
Heavenly Father is with you. He holds you in the palm of His hand and
calls you His beloved daughter. He delights in you and loves to see your
beautiful little smile. Even when you cry and feel alone at night He is
there with you. Zephania 3:17 says, “The Lord your God (our God!) is
with you and He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you,
Notando. He will quiet you with his love and rejoice over you with
singing.”
Oh my goodness, very touching, had me crying and remembering when I was in Africa. Oh how He loves us, if we only could grasp the full meaning of that love. WOW!! Thank you for sharing!
So Beautiful. Notando, may God fill your life with LOVE, that His Love will radiate your life and those around you. You are HIS, a daughter of the KING, and you are BELOVED.