I looked at Alfred and asked him to show me the rest of the meds. 4 boxes. All unopened. All sitting under the child that desperately needed it. I felt my cheeks grow hot as what was happening began to dawn. I was buying medicine for Althea and she wasn't getting it. I spent 15 frustrating minutes talking to doctors to discover the glitch.
Glitch discovered.
There's a lot of corruption in this broken world.
In a place where babies with sepsis are left to die, children with malnourishment aren't given food and kids that cant pay for scrips are SOL, it's a little disheartening.
As we left I had to count the blessings. Nigel and Shaina are going home tomorrow. God healed them and those kids are back to being healthy. But sweet girl, Althea, has emphysema and pneumonia mixed with a case of starvation. Her blinking eyelashes that scream for my help are seared in my heart. I can't get her mom out of my mind either. When I look in her eyes I see fear. I see confusion. But I also see a crap ton of love. I don't know why a baby gets to the point of severe malnourishment and I don't think her mom gets it either. When I walk into the hospital, her mom clings to me. She loves me and I love her. I love her because she didnt mean to hurt her baby, she just didnt know. Maybe us loving her, will bless her more than any money or medicine ever could.
I keep learning that some things just can't be explained. But while I'm on this green earth, I'm going to fight for every last one of these kiddos.
I'm taking the nurses cookies tomorrow because Mother Teresa was on vacation and Mother Rambo came calling when I found out my babe wasn't getting properly cared for. I know it's cliche to fall in love with the kids and I am very aware I can't take them home with me.
But.
While in Tondo, I'm going to pray like a warrior on a mission and provide whatever I can.
Shoot. Love. So stinkin complicated.
Yet it's not.
God's love for me isn't complicated. Its unconditional. So that probably means I need some extra shots of love for the nurses. And an enema of love for the doctor. But I can already feel some softening going on so tomorrow should be safe for them to roam the halls when I come back 🙂 All joking aside, I forgot my Jesus glasses earlier because my heart got interwined in these children livlihood.
I'm going to be a fiercely loving mom. Yep, that is a fact. But as frustrated as I was with everyone, I couldnt help the feeling of crazy love for these people. The Filipinos will never be far from my heart or my mind. I'm in love.
My precious friend Jackie is also mom to the famous Justin. I just gotta brag on my girl! She lives under the bridge in a cardboard room with her babies and she splurged and got me a Bday present! That sweetheart about brought me to tears! Me, KK and Emily went calling later that afternoon and found out that Justin's grant for his surgery fell through (another hot shout out to this broken world) and my heart went to puddy. Again. So we are currently praying for miracle financial donors and wisdom on how to help her sweet little 5 year old.
Jackie inspires me. She lives in the foulest conditions I've ever seen, has two kids from a hubs who skipped out on her and yet she loves Jesus more than anything. She's always looking for ways to bless people and to speak life over us. Goodness she is such a precious princess of a proud Papa.
Tonight was no exception. We had a youth rally and Jackie came to cheer us on and translate for the teens.
Below is our Everything skit. Yours truly is in it as is Jake, Noah, Jason, Jenni and Allyson.
It's pretty intense. Hope you love it!
Em was our director and photog and rocked the house as usual!
