miracles in this place

two nights ago in the peacefullness of the night a miracle happened on the ward. .

but let me start at the beginning to this story....baby Obre is another one of our infant feeding programme babies, who weighs in at just over 6.5lbs at four months old. he has a bilateral cleft lip and palate and was sick, very sick. struggling to breathe and give his tiny body enough oxygen. two days ago is got to a point where we were most probably going to loose him...but thanks for a new ventilator that can give non invasive CPAP (ok let me explain to those non medical peeps....basically a tight fitting mask that goes over the babies or adults nose and mouth and forces air and oxygen into their lungs) giving support as a step before using a breathing tube and sedating the patient to breathe for them. 

so baby Obre was connected up to the CPAP in the ICU. for a short while he was improving. his oxygen levels in his blood were increasing, his heartrate decreasing and his breathing rate was a bit more normal. however this didnt last long as baby Obre was getting more and more tired and all of his number were getting worse and worse. he was breathing over 80 breaths a minute, with his oxygen levels being only 60-70%. this wasnt sustainable. so the decision was made to intubate him-to put a breathing tube down his throat and take over his breathing using the ventilator.

so at 12.20am the doctors were called and the nurses we drawing up drugs and preparing the equipment that was needed. during this time the doctors bowed their heads over the baby and gently laid their hands onto his chest and prayed. praying to our heavely provider for strength and healing of this tiny baby.

at 12.25 baby Obre's oxygen saturations rose up to 100% - the most perfect they could be, his rapid heart rate slowed to normal, right there infront of the nurses and doctors eyes - no medical interventions from anybody (the equipment wasnt even ready). the bewildered nurses but down their tools and stood their in wonder at what just happened right infront of their very eyes.

and as the surgeon and doctors slipped away, baby Obre was left just needing some oxygen blowing past his face.- no more struggle, no more CPAP mask, no need for breathing machines and sedative medications, just breathing easily cwtched up in his blanket.
right infront of their eyes this baby was restored, beyond human understanding, with no medical explanation.

there was a miracle here last night. the power of prayer, the power of God. He raised Jesus from the dead all those 2000 years ago, but that same power is still here, still raising babies from deaths door. if only we were to pray first, before jumping in with all of our medical equipment, thinking we know best!



withiin all of the craziness and the sadness and the struggle of the last few weeks, God new that we needed some encouragement....for a little reminder that regardless of how we feel, how useless/tired we may feel. he is so completeley and utterly and totally in control of everything that goes on here in Togo. he is within the small things, within the bigger things, within the things that we can see and the things that we cannot see. he is the ultimate healer and is Sovereign over this place!
and as i type there is a little baby breathing easily, snuggled into his mamma's arms, and his mamma is praising God looking at her baby in amazement. please join her in giving thanks to God! He is a good God, all of the time!