My husband and I had been married only a year and a half after I gave birth to our first born child, a boy. We had so many hopes and dreams for him until…the moment he was born. The doctors were bewildered with shock with no answers, presenting speculation with a thick medical textbook for what type of syndrome he might have. He looked different, and no one had seen anything like it.
After a two-day wait, we received a diagnosis that our baby boy had a rare craniofacial condition called Apert Syndrome.
Ten days later, this diagnosis landed us in the hospital warranting a full reconstruction of his skull…as a twelve-day-old baby.
While we were in the surgery waiting room, the plethora of emotions seemed to drown me by the minute. Will he live? How did this happen? What is going to happen?
About midway through the surgery, a young lady walked into the tiny waiting room and approached me. She asked, “do you have a baby in surgery that has Apert Syndrome?”
I was taken aback since the doctors didn’t even know what his diagnosis was for two days, so how does this stranger know anything about Apert Syndrome?
She continued, “We heard there was another baby here with Apert Syndrome having surgery. That is my husband right outside the door with our daughter who also has Apert Syndrome.”
I looked over and saw him and he lifted his hand from his daughter’s back to wave while he held her. She was about three years old, and had some sort of contraption device attached to her skull.
“He didn’t want to come in with her while she had the halo device on, in case it was too overwhelming for you. We were discharged to go home, but I wanted to come find you.”
She then knelt down in front of me and looked me straight in the eye and said, “God is going to take care of your little boy, and He will get you through this.”
Tears glistened in my eyes. Who was this precious young lady? How brave of her to approach me, not knowing anything about me, how I would react, or treat her, despite her own stressful situation. Her daughter recovered from surgery and they were given the green light to go home, yet she took time and effort to go out of her way to find me. She didn’t know me. I thought about the stress of our child enduring such a traumatic surgery, and it was all I could do to keep myself together, much less think of anyone else. She could have gone on her merry way but instead chose selflessness and compassion.
The Bible gives us Christ’s example of humility in Paul’s letter to the Philippi, saying, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:1-4, ESV).
Her words were exactly what I needed. She was an angel sent from God to give me hope. That’s how great our God is. We seek Him searching for miracles to our lofty requests, yet the answers are sometimes right looking us straight in the face, telling us…I’m right here, and I won’t leave your side, no matter what. Sometimes they’re obvious, and often they’re little hidden gems.
I have never forgotten her and the gesture she gave, as simple as it really was…just a few words of hope and encouragement.
I found this young lady sixteen years later, thanks to social media. I reached out to her to thank her for her encouragement, faith and hope that she shared with me on that fateful day.
Even though I saw God at work in my life numerous times after that, (for some pretty big prayers), this one simple gesture kick-started my faith into gear. I truly believe God places people in our lives for different purposes…the time may only be fleeting, but some perhaps for seasons.
And, although I could rave about the doctors and all the medical staff who took superb care of our son over the years through his multitude of surgeries, it’s the simple everyday acts that I hope I don’t lose sight of. These moments, albeit small, prove to be impactful when you encounter them.
May you never lose sight of the small divine gems God places in your life.
“I lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2; ESV)
Blessings,
Lisa D. Brown
