Yesterday I went to the hospital to sit with a little boy named Cedric. He is 7 weeks old and has breathing problems, a heart murmur, and a hernia. His mom just gave him up to the children’s home because she couldn’t afford to feed him or pay for his medical care. They said she was so broken, but she knew she had to give him a better life. So the children’s home put him in the hospital right away. Right now he needs 24 hour care, so me and a few other girls on my squad are going to take shifts to take care of him.
At first he cried a LOT. I felt so helpless. After the crying kept going on, my sympathy started to turn into frustration. I was frustrated at his mom, I was frustrated because it seemed like there was nothing I could do to make him feel better, and I was frustrated that I came all the way to the Philippines and I was sitting alone in this tiny hospital room with this baby who would never even know my name. I was thinking about how the rest of my squad was probably in the streets playing games with all the older kids, kids who would get to know them and appreciate them.
But I felt like God said to me, “April, are you doing things to get recognition and seek credit or are you being the body of Christ.” Hmmm…. I thought about that for a moment…
If this was my own child I wouldn’t mind so much, I would love taking my time to be with him, I would feel like it was my responsibility.
So if I am trying to act as the body of Christ…
and we are all Christ’s children…
Cedric is Christ’s child…
and I am representing Christ…
isn’t this my responsibility?
shouldn’t I love spending time with him?
My attitude completely changed within a matter of minutes. I think Cedric could tell because he looked right into my eyes and as our eyes locked, he immediately stopped crying. I felt an incredible connection with that precious baby and I was so happy to be able to step in and fill the role of his mother… even if it is just for a little while. That is what the body of Christ is about.
I am now praying that God will teach me to do even the little things with GREAT LOVE, even the things that no one sees. I know that is what Jesus would do… and I am here to represent him.
