Too Little

Yesterday, we heard that one of the babies at House of Hope had passed away, gone to be with Jesus... died. But which baby was not immediately known. Contact was made with Dr. Tom Bryan (a local dentist from our area who also heads the mission to the medically and nutritionally needy children of La Mosquitia) who revealed that he did not know the child's name, but that she was a baby to whom I had the privilege of giving breathing treatments while our team visited.

Oh. Oh, but NO. To the surface rose the memory of this little girl fighting for breath two weeks earlier, her chest retracting, respiration too fast, and breathing labored. Eyes closed, but filled with tears, I retreated into prayer. Too late for her, but not for others.

While incredibly thankful to have been part of those offering moments of help to this little one, it does not feel like enough. My heart goes out to her mother, her twin brother, and those who joined in her care. Her mama had a look of resignation, but also emotional toughness. How far will that stretch in the confrontation of the loss of her chubby-cheeked, curly-haired, baby girl? For this child, there is mourning. House of Hope's very existence means fewer children who meet her fate. There will be fewer mothers facing the sorrow of a child unaided and lost too soon. For this seed of hope cast in the shadow of grief, I praise God and pray for the continued support of House of Hope.