A Life Lost

“I have no right to question God. I know that His plan and will is perfect, and in all things God works for the good of those who love Him”

“Even in my sorrow and grief, I stand firm on the promises of God, that he fills me with the strength and peace I need to carry on, the kind that can only come from Him.

These are the amazing words that the mother spoke the morning after she had lost her baby.  I went over to see her early in the morning, and sat with her for a while, talking, listening; giving her the time she needed to talk about what had happened.

I was called just before midnight to observe a delivery over in the clinic. Second baby...progressed quickly...no problems...excellent I thought.  Within half an hour a beautiful boy was born, but as soon as I saw him I had a knot in my stomach...something wasn’t right.  As he was on his mother’s chest being dried with towels I noticed a couple of abnormalities in his appearance. His parents were overwhelmed with happiness at his arrival, and thanked God that he was born.  He made some efforts to cry, but I could see that he was struggling and still very pale.  I took him over to the counter with another midwife and listened to his weak heart rate and we started to resuscitate.  As we were working on him we noticed further abnormalities that indicated a syndrome of some sort- I didn’t know which.  We spent half an hour trying to resuscitate him, his heart rate sometimes rapid, sometimes very slow, but after half an hour I heard the last.  His struggle had ended, but the parents’ had just begun.  There was nothing I could do...I was completely helpless.  He was clothed and cwtched in a lovely blue blanket and I took him over to the mother and offered her to hold him. I stayed with her as she did so; broken hearted she cried and prayed over her son.  Once the family had returned into the room I left them to have time with him alone.

I visited her early the next morning and we spoke for a while.  She was amazing.  She praised God with her words, thanking Him even in her time of suffering.  Her faith was beautifully shining through her even through tears of grief. She even spoke kind words to me, encouraging, thankful and appreciative words.  As sad as the situation was, it was a privilege to be a part of it and to care for such an amazing faith filled family.

 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.  If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer."  2 Corinthians 1:3-6