Walter

So many tears have been shed these past couple days— tears of worry, tears of sadness, and plenty of tears of happiness! Today, I sat and wept with Walter’s mother who was so thankful for the cleft palate surgery he received at Hope of Life today.

As she wept, she shared the story of how many children in her village have died from complications due to cleft lip/palate. She wept as she remembered that 10 years ago, she was one of those very mamas who had lost a baby for this very reason. She wept as she reminisced of the day four years ago when she handed her one month old malnourished baby over to me. She couldn’t come with her baby because her husband wouldn’t allow it. When she ultimately refused to abandon her baby, he left.

When sleepy post-op Walter opened his mouth and she saw the new little palate, she wept again.

Today was all of the feelings.

In these remote areas of Guatemala, health issues are common and healthcare access is rare. On this #WorldHealthDay, I’m so proud of the work being done at Hope of Life to provide this basic human right to families who are unable to afford it but more than deserve it.

And more than ever, I am in awe at the beauty, the bravery, and the strength of these Guatemalan mamás. Providing what is a very basic service (in our eyes), is literally the life-changing help that keeps children alive and in their own families.

Thank You, God… for putting Your goodness on display through sweet little ones like Walter. 😭💞🙌🏻

How to Save the World

Spoiler alert : you can’t do it alone.

We’ve all heard the cheesy story about the starfish, right? Here’s a condensed version — a father and son are walking along the beach, and there are hundreds of starfish that have washed ashore. The starfish are dying because they are out of water. The kid begins throwing them in one by one, the dad makes a remark about how ‘you can’t save all of them’ and the kid replies ‘yeah, but I saved that one.’

I’ve come to realize how true that really is. A few weeks ago, I shared on my instagram a story of the ripple effect that helping others has. I’ll share it below:

Several months ago, Hope of Life rescued a little baby girl named Estefani. She was malnourished due to feeding problems related to a birth defect. Months later, she is healthy and now awaiting a surgery date to repair her double cleft lip and palate.
Her precious mama told us about her neighbors who just gave birth to two tiny, precious twin girls. “They are chiquititas, como Estefani!” she reflected on when Estefani was first admitted into our care. Yesterday, Hope of Life arranged for the little 4lb babies to be brought in. They are our third set of twin girls this year, and I’m so proud of Estefani’s mama for making us aware of them.
This is why you do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. Helping others is not some sort of debilitating crutch that leads them into a life of dependancy… Rather, giving help is an extension of your hand to lift them out of their current situation. If it is done in grace, love, and with some education, it can truly change future generations. Empowered people empower people. [Acts 20:35]

Update

This picture brings me to tears. Sweet William continues to grow and thrive. Although I so loved his precious cleft lipped smile, I love even more the world of potential that is contained in this precious miracle baby.

He gives power to the weak, and strength to the powerless. Isaiah 40:29

William’s story is just starting to be written, but you can read about where it began HERE.

I am thankful he was in my arms when his heart slowed to a barely perfusing 20 beats per minute. However, make no mistake, the glory is not mine. The glory belongs to God for having His hand over William’s life and every doctor and nurse that was present during his care.

I have started two other blog posts that I want to share with you all, but could not move forward without showing this little miracle first. More to come later this week… 🙂

You are loved,
Whitney

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