It's the little things...

This afternoon I was asked to talk with a young woman who had come to the hospital looking for help with an abortion.  She was unmarried and had recently found out that the father of the baby actually had 3 wives and wasn't interested in a fourth or in supporting another child.  The young woman is unemployed and takes care of her mother who is disabled from a stroke.  She wanted the baby inside her taken away so she would be able to continue to care for her mother.  I spoke with her and prayed with her at length about her difficult situation.  I told her that God knew all these things she is facing and still decided to put that baby inside her.  I remembered that Mary was also unmarried when God placed Jesus inside of her.  I don't know how God will provide for this young woman and her baby and her mother, but I believe that he can and will, if she will trust him.  Please pray for Marie.
  After talking with Marie, I went by maternity ward to drop something off, only to stumble in on a delivery of a 24 week premature baby.  The smallest baby that has survived here was 800g (about 1.75 lbs) and around 30 weeks and this baby was a mere 620g (1.3lb).  Baby didn't ever breathe, but her little heart was going right along.  I asked to hold baby and cradled her in my hands until her little heart slowed to a stop.  (culturally people do not want to touch a dead body, so parents here prefer not to hold their children when they are dying - which makes me feel very sad!)  Not even 20 minutes later, another mother delivered her 20 week baby.
  I don't know if Marie is still hoping to find someone to remove her baby, but I know that life here is very hard and it is the little children who fall prey first.  But I am also reminded that to enter God's kingdom we must become like little children.  And in his measurement, any service to the smallest child is a service to Christ himself.
  So even as tears threaten to fall, I am thankful for these little reminders of what God values, and I ask that He will help me to trust Him and become like one of these little ones to whom His Kingdom belongs.