Highs and Lows

Maybe you'll remember this sweet baby boy that I've talked about.  He came into the hospital very ill and undernourished. Because his eyes were so big in his head, we called him Baby Bird. He was skinny and scrawny and miserable.

This is the earliest photo I have of Baby Bird.

Many of us have had the joy of holding and feeding and loving on this little guy.  Because he was sick, he had to be fed by NG tube slowly.  It took a lot of time. Which meant a lot of holding and snuggling and singing and squeezing. And praying.

Sleeping though a feed just before Christmas. Shortly after this feed,
Baby Bird was "Baby Jesus" in a Christmas play.  He performed perfectly.

Baby Bird was improving, albeit at a snail's pace.  The doctors wondered if he had a problem with his lungs and so an amazing visiting surgeon took him to the OR to fix the issue.  But the problem wasn't THAT problem and we all continued to wonder at why he just wouldn't grow.

Just after surgery with plenty of monitors and leads on his tiny body.

In the past month or two, there had been slow but steady improvement.  He was sitting up on his own. He began smiling at us. He was gaining weight a little at a time.  We all celebrated when he finally hit the 5 kilogram mark!  

Me and the Little Man, just before bedtime one night.

I love this photo of him. He looks so great, sitting up like a big boy.

 A couple of weeks ago, Cindy, Sarah and I went out to his village.  He'd been staying at the hospital (or with Sarah and Kelly) for about a week or so because his momma had to return to their village to take care of another sick child.  Since she hadn't seen him in over a week, we thought we'd have a little visit/reunion.

We sat on little wooden stools outside their home of mud huts.  Two dogs lazily slept under the trees while chickens pecked here and there.  We watched as family member after family member arrived to see him, hold him, smile at him and love on him.  It was so good for us to see him being loved by his family.  They wanted him to stay but there was just no way.  This village doesn't even have water, let alone clean water, or a way to care for his special needs.

This past Saturday, I popped into the hospital to do some work while the kids were at French Club.  Baby Bird wasn't feeling so good.  Fever, diarrhea, that kind of thing.  While I worked away on the computer, he sat in his little bassinet beside me until his eyes got heavy.  I wrapped him up and rocked him to sleep and then put him back down.  When I left, he was fast asleep in his little bed.

And that's the last time I got to see him.

He passed away on Sunday. 

Oh, Baby Bird. Such a sweet boy with so, so many obstacles to overcome. 

His real name was not Baby Bird, obviously, and though I can't share what it is, I'll share what it means:  Hope.

He is currently, at this very moment, living the HOPE we claim.  Baby Bird is with Jesus.  And he's perfect. And happy. And loved beyond comprehension. Therein lies our peace and our purpose. And why the amazing doctors and nurses and workers here will continue to love and serve and work and not.give.up.

Because of our hope in Jesus.

The last time I posted, I had such good news to share.  This time, not so much.  There are highs and lows in every corner of the world.  This is a big-time low.

This one, this loss, is a hard one. 

Having a little fun with our boy.

Yet there is that stubborn, persevering, uncompromising, tenacious, persistent Hope that we cling to that keeps us afloat.  I hope you know Him.