After a long day at work Hannah and I go to the rancho, where we eat our meals, to get ready for dinner. While we are catching up with other volunteers on how their day went our boss comes up to us and says he needs a favor.
"There is a very sick baby at the hospital and I need you two to stay the night with him to monitor him."
Of course our answer was yes because we came to Guatemala to do whatever needed to be done. Tonight was just an inconvenient night. We had so much laundry to catch up on and tonight was one of the nights that we worked out. Sometimes though, inconvenience is more convenient for our souls than we think.
We were dropped off at the hospital at 6:45 p.m. When we walked into the infirmary we saw that the baby was Obdulio, a baby that was rescued two weeks ago and one that we have been spending time with the past two weeks. He is only about two months old and is very malnourished. He was hooked up to an IV with his arm strapped down to keep the needle in his tiny vein. The nurse told us that he got sick early morning and has been crying the entire day. Along with that, he has also had diarrhea every ten minutes and throws up everything that he drinks.
"We can do this", I thought to myself, "besides, my dream growing up was to be a neonatal nurse so now I can get a dose of what it feels like".
We stood over his crib and watched him cry so helplessly. First thing was first. Hannah and I grabbed hands and laid a hand on Obdulio and began to pray for this precious boy.
For the first two hours we both towered over Obdulio's crib not saying a single word. We had no idea what we would experience tonight. All I could think of was why me, why us? We are in our early twenties with no kids and are very inexperienced with sick babies. There were so many other volunteers on campus that were moms and nurses that knew what they were doing, unlike us. So why us? I think that is a question that a lot of us Christians ask God at some point in our lives. Then again, why NOT us?
We spent all night in a small room that served as an office, examination room, x-ray room, the ICU, and medication room. People were in and out of there all night with their sick screaming children.
This night was an unplanned adventure that The Lord led me to. I have been praying months before even being in Guatemala for him to open up a specific door for me. I did not see it being like this in any way but I know that this experience was definitely God opening that door for me.
After a weary 13 1/2 hour shift watching over precious Obdulio, I felt at peace. I am a very impatient person and I surprised myself with how patient I was that night. Through all of the screaming, crying, and around 37 diapers changed, I remained very calm. I felt like God was using me. Never would I have thought that being the hands and feet of Jesus would look like staying awake all night in a foreign hospital watching over a sick baby. You never know what The Lord will call you to next. No matter how hard it may be to say yes to him, we have to be selfless and go.
>>You cannot live to the flesh and at the same time be available to the spirit<<
Obdulio is still very sick but getting stronger each day. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he keeps fighting.
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