Loving unlovely things

“It is comical to think we can do God’s work or Him. It’s all about grace. He allows us to participate with Him, and so there is always enough. He showed me how much I needed Him and the Body of Christ. He is calling us to complete humility and gentleness. It is never about us; It is always about Him. We need patience for every person we encounter in ministry, that we can be long-suffering, bearing with one another in His love, able to love the unlovely. He is our only hope. He is out Lord. Our faith is in Him. We are baptized into Him. We lay down our lives. We die to ourselves in baptism. We are raised new creations in Christ. God is calling each of us to walk in the mercy and grace He has given us. He prepares us for works of service. Do we see what He sees? So we feel what He feels? Can we hear the cry of His heart for the lost? This is poverty of spirit. God is calling us to be poor in spirit. When we are poor in spirit, we no longer compete. We no longer jostle for titles. When we have no drive to be noticed and known, we are not offended by lac of attention. We find no satisfaction in ministry status. Then we can walk in unity, preferring other above ourselves. Our only desire is o live the life of a humble servant- lover of our Lord Jesus.” – Heidi Baker

I was reading a book that a friend of mine gave me just before I left. It is called “Always Enough” By Rolland and Heidi Baker.

These two people are pretty incredible in their walk and obedience to God.

Absolutely blows my mind and really encourages me in so many ways.

When I came to this chunk of my book I kept re-reading it.

I underlined it.

I read it again.

I folded the page down so I could keep reading, but continue to keep going back to it.

I then wrote it in a word document.

I shared it with a friend.

I wasn’t quite sure why I kept going back to it.

I mean it’s not too deep.

It’s pretty straight forward, but it was something I needed to be reminded of right then.

A couple weeks ago a baby named Misach was brought by his mom to Ekisa. He has been brought before when he was born, which was about 10 months ago. He was born with hydrocephalous and AWFUL spina bifida. He go surgery right away and went home to recovery.

He now was at Ekisa because he had malaria and was malnourished.

We took him in seeing that he was 10 months old and only weighing 4.5 kilos.

He was tiny.

Barely moving cause he was so weak.

We poked him so many times trying to get blood, put in an IV in his little little veins, and give him proper treatments for his malaria.

Not once did he cry because he had no energy to.

He was not getting much better and having some more symptoms and our nurse said he also had meningitis.

Then it was time to really start looking after this kid.

A feeding tube was put in.

IV’s were hooked up and the shifts began.

He was to be fed every 2 hours of either medicine or milk.

He was so little and barely hanging on.

So every day for about a week and a half or maybe longer we all took turns feeding him around the clock.

I had some long nights staying up with him watching movies, cuddling with him while I got to feed him and change his diapers.

This kid is a major fighter.

At the end of last week we finally started to see him get bigger and stronger.

He was finally beginning to move his hands tugging at his feeding tube.

He was smiling and crying at the painful pokes.

He was up to 6 kilos now.

Really amazing.

This child has my heart.

We have many snuggle nap times in my bunk.

We sing and laugh together all the time.

It really is a beautiful thing to see him get stronger each day.

God’s beauty through this child is extremely comforting.

His mom is required to come every Tuesday and Thursday to see him.

And honestly it’s hard for me to be patient with her and love her after seeing her child so sick and SO malnourished.

Then this quote and Ephesians 4 kept popping up in my head.

I remembered it had said:

“We need patience for every person we encounter in ministry, that we can be long-suffering, bearing with one another in His love, able to love the unlovely.”

Hmmmm

How true.

It doesn’t matter that she did something that was wrong.

I am to be patient with her and love her hoping that the Lord will work through the others and me and show her love.

Show her we care.

I’m definitely still working on loving her because it hurts my heart to know that she was starving this precious beautiful boy I ADORE, but the Lord is working hard in me.

I have been seeing a difference in the Mother as well.

She is joyful and excited to see her child be so healthy and alert.

She will try to speak to me with the little English she knows.

She thanks us all continuously for helping her child.

Then I think.

It’s not about me.

It’s all about God’s grace, just as Heidi had said.

It’s about the Lord working in Mamma Misach’s life.

Allowing her to see her child alert and smiling.

It’s beautiful.

Baby Misach is a fighter.

He is a blessing in my life, and God has used him to humble me and show me how to love the unlovely.

Misach is STUNNING!

His beauty is unreal.

His beauty is comforting.

Ephesians 4:1-6

Baby Misach before feeding tubes 

Him finally smiling right before taking the tubes out! 

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! 

 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”