18 May Perfect Timing
I am sitting on the airplane. . Leaving a country that has become so dear to my heart. . We have just finished the first of 5 summer mission trips. . This is the first year that we have tried a May trip. . Most schools are still in session. . So this trip was small. . I now understand why God planned this trip very different from the others. .
Three college age girls traveled with us. . One has been before. . The other two her friends. . We had 17 sign up for the trip. . But 14 ended up not traveling. . Lots of people asked if we would cancel the trip because of small numbers. . My reply was simply no. . If three want to go serve. . Who am I to deny them that amazing experience? As we had our final night together last night. . We discussed God’s perfect timing and the Holy Spirit’s presence in our daily lives. .
We now have three college age girls equipped with so many leadersip talents. . In love with the children of Honduras. . Counting the days until they return. . Planning to fundraise so they can come back and serve again. . Yes we prepare to serve with open hearts. . But we leave with our hearts filled and overflowing because of all that God has allowed us to experience. . Things that change the course of our lives forever. . Things that no one can truly understand. . Because stories can’t replace compassion and experiences. . They can’t replace the sweet Spirit’s nudge and His vision that He casts through us as we open our eyes and ears to see and hear like Him. . To simply allow His presence to flow through us in order to know how to love and give. .
We experienced lots of sweet moments at Copprome with the kids playing soccer. . celebrating 8 May birthdays. . drawing pictures with chalk on the sidewalks. . painting fingernails. . And in Olivos. . Loving on and playing with the kids. . working alongside the men building the church. . teaching some of them English. . helping cook lunch for the children. . All of it with hearts of joy and compassion. . .
But the experience of receiving a phone call at 12:40 am that Miriam from Olivos was in labor and she needed us. . Was the newest and unexpected experience. . And one of the main reasons God called us to Honduras with a small group of girls this exact week. . You see, her due date was May 26. . But God knew exactly when this sweet boy would be born. .
So. . Let me share with you the details of this experience. .
Gabby’s phone rang at 12:40. . I had just told her lights out, we need our sleep! She heard it ring and said “who is calling me this late”. . I whispered Miriam. . We had already discussed it with Miriam. . She was supposed to call so she could have the baby at the public hospital. . It was Will, Miriam’s brother on the phone announcing she was in pain. . So Shelton, Gabby and I jumped up. . Threw on some clothes and headed to Olivos. . If you have traveled there you can imagine the visual. . If not, imagine going down several miles of dirt roads with no electricity and praying not to get a flat tire (very common on those roads). . We discussed along the way what we might find when we arrived. . A village awake and chaotic?. . Miriam passed out in pain? . . No. . What we found was a sleeping village and Miriam being ushered out of her house with a tiny little cinch bag bent over in pain but calm. . We helped her into the van and she layed her head in my lap because she was feeling nauseated from the pain. . I got a wet wipe and wiped her neck and face as she endured. . Shelton is speaking to Miriam in Spanish. . In a kidding tone. . but not really. . “Keep that baby in there just a little while longer”. .
I am asking questions about Baby Rhonda’s birth two years ago. . She went into labor at 2am and did not have her until the afternoon. . So in my mind we were ok. . Within 5 minutes she sat up and her feet began to tap as she rubbed her tummy in pain. . No screaming. . Just an obvious intense look on her face. . My arms are now on her stomach as I began to pray for this delivery and sweet baby. .
We finally arrive at the hospital. . No one in sight. . We have never been there to admit someone and Miriam had never entered at night. . Finally another car drove up to a gate. . The gate opened and we just drove in behind them. . We jump out of the van and head to a door that has a light on outside. . We walk through the deserted halls opening every door we saw. . We were on a mission to get her taken care of. . No one in sight. . Miriam is pacing and wringing her hands. . It was obvious she was in alot of pain. . We finally found a door that had a nurse behind it. .
Miriam was taken in and we sat down on a bench outside wondering what to do next. . In a few minutes the nurse came out with a list of supplies for us to go buy so she could deliver. . What? We had to find a pharmacy open to get gloves, pampers, tylenol, etc. . This was a public hospital. . They have doctors and beds. . But you supply everything else. .
We were shocked but determined. . We jumped in the van and took off to purchase the items. . NADA. . Nothing is open at 1:30 am in Progreso. . We stopped at a 24 hour medical clinic and they wouldnt sell us the supplies but they told us we could bring her there and they would deliver her and PROVIDE the supplies. . So off we go back to the public hospital with a new plan. . We would pick up Miriam and take her to the clinic. . Of course Shelton said several times. . “They can’t just tell the baby to wait. . The baby will come with or without the supplies”. . True statement. . We returned and told the female security guard, who was now stationed outside the door, that we could not get the supplies so we would have to take Miriam to the clinic. .
She poked her head into the mysteriously closed door and exchanged a few words. . Looked back at us with a smile and said. . Too late the baby is here. . Its a boy! (in spanish of course) . . A sweet lady had given her bag of supplies to them for Miriam because she was in early labor. . God’s perfect timing. .
I said “can we see them”? She said. . No. . Not until the morning. . And I guess she felt sorry for us. . Our faces must have been pitiful. . She poked her head back in the closed door and said “uno momento”. . We sat down and in a few minutes the nurse brought out the baby and handed him to me. . With tears in our eyes we looked at this baby born 10 minutes after Miriam arrived. . We had barely made it. . Perfect timing. . He was now about 20 minutes old. . 7 lbs and very healthy. . They gave us this sweet moment that will be cherished forever. .
We left the hospital with hearts full of joy and feelings that are indescribeable, hoping to sleep for a few hours before meeting our group for breakfast on our last full day. . Oh. . And also. . A piece of paper with the list of items we promised to bring back in the morning for the sweet woman who we never met. . Who was willing to give up her supplies to a stranger who needed them. . Not really knowing if they would be replaced in time for her to give birth. .
God gave us strength and joy to get through our final day with energy. . He also gave us rain and cooler temperatures which we were grateful for. . Yes His timing is perfect. . Always. . .
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