We Run for Women That Need Love

HEARTLINE BIRTH
Written by Beth McHoul in September on the day David was born.

Today was the end of a long journey. It ended with a beginning. The beginning of a life that almost wasn't.

Mom isn't educated, she's poor, she has a hard life, she has been pregnant 6 times and is only raising two of her children. Men have used and abused her, other women have belittled her. She came to us pretty broken. She came wanting birth control.

We gave her a pregnancy test first and it was positive. She melted down at the news. She wanted the easy way out - a very dangerous route in Haiti. We begged, pleaded, and prayed with her. We found sponsors to pay for her housing and food. We offered to take the baby once born if she would follow through with the pregnancy. Finally, through lots of rocky emotions she agreed it was best not to end the pregnancy.

Then came more news. News that no one on this planet wants to hear. We do routine labs and HIV is the first result we look for on the page of results. Positive. Can't this woman get a break?

Extremely poor, very vulnerable, not skilled and now HIV positive. But like in all God stories through the ages - hope makes an appearance. Love shines through the darkness. God shows up.

Today this woman was surrounded by loving midwives who helped her cope through labor and brought an incredibly beautiful boy into the world. He cried only to let us know all was well and then he sucked his thumb and melted into the arms of each midwife. A peaceful baby. An unusually peaceful baby.

He will go to adoptive parents. A Christian family will love him and cherish him. Bio-mom insisted that she did not want to hold him or keep him but smiled in his direction and named him David. David it is.

She goes home to a one room cement hut with her two little girls. She continues on her antiviral drugs and may live a long life in spite of HIV. David will go to our children's home and on to his adoptive home.

Our lady knows she is loved. She will continue to be part of our program although she is no longer pregnant nor will she have an infant at child development. Some ladies are meant to stay in our lives, know our love, continue in our care. We pray she sees the love of the Savior in our love. We pray she sees the hands of Christ in our hands.

It is so like Jesus to lift up the hurting, the lost, the outcast. It is so like Him to love the unlovely, touch the untouchable and I am humbled and honored today to be His hands extended.

Today, I caught a baby - the mom caught grace.

~~~~~~~~~

In January many of us will meet in Orlando, Florida to run 13 or 26 miles. We are blessed to be able to do this. What an honor. Truthfully, it will be a fun time for us to meet up with others who love Haiti and have a connection to this beautiful country. We're excited to do it.

But we're hoping that it will be more than just fun and fellowship and running.

We're hoping to raise money for the vehicle that we so desperately need, we're hoping to bring attention to some of the needs in Haiti. But more than that we are hoping and praying that along the way many of you will begin to follow these stories of strength, endurance and redemption - each women we serve has a story to tell - each woman needs our love and prayers.

In January we will run for David's mother and many others like her.