letting go

Haitian Proverb:

"Kreyon Bondye pa gen gom--God's pencil has no eraser"

There are just some patients that touch my heart a little deeper than others. Natacha is a little 3 month old that I met in the clinic early in February and she has a cleft lip and palate. The day after I met this little one and her momma I saw a posting on FaceBook that another organization in Haiti was going to have a surgeon in Haiti in May to fix cleft lips/palates. I wrote down the information and prayed that they would come to the clinic again, so we could somehow connect them to this organization for the surgery Natacha needs. Thursday I had the pleasant surprise of seeing her again in the clinic and our physician was able to talk to mom about the importance of Natacha having the surgery and the need for her to call and pursue this organization for the surgery. Mom left with a paper that had detailed instructions. While talking to a friend this week I was asked what is the hardest thing about living in Haiti--my answer was removing myself and allowing God to be God. I can't control each situation and in reality I don't want to. This mom is 17. The place for her to have this surgery is far from here. Does she have family that will support her and encourage her? Does she have the money or how will she get the money for transportation? And then I have to remind myself...let go and let God be God for this mom and her baby. He has a plan for her. He knows each and everything about Natacha.

It isn't uncommon to have tiny babies in the clinic. The part that is unique is each and every story that comes along with the little one and his/her mother. The little one below came into the clinic on Friday and weighed less than four pounds at 25 days old. He was literally all skin and bones. As I talked to his "mom" I realized that she was actually his mother's cousin. His mom died when he was only five days old. She is now raising him along with her 1 1/2 year old little boy and she is only 18. She didn't have enough milk to give him, so for the past 20 days each day he got 2 ounces of milk and the rest was supplemented with sugar water. She was doing what she thought was best. We were able to give her formula and taught her how to mix the milk and how often he needs to eat. This was another moment of reminding myself to let go and to simply let God be God. She was already fighting for him and choosing to step-up and care for him. God has a plan for not only the little baby but for his new momma too.

The little one on the left is 25 days old, on the right 26 days old.

She is one day older and double the size

So tiny and precious!