Never Negligent

"Let's run up to the nutrition center and visit two of our babies up there," I said since we had a free afternoon. Everyone agreed, so we loaded up in the car and headed that way. 

We have a partnership with the local nutrition center because we send a lot of our severely malnourished infants to stay there under supervision. The mothers or caregivers receive counsel and nutritional education in a friendly environment with other mothers and babies, and the babies get weighed and monitored for growth and development. 

When we arrived, we found the first infant, Namwinbele, happily kicking on the bed. "You are looking so big and strong!" I said as I patted his little belly and tickled his cheek. "I remember when I first saw you and you were so tiny and fragile and sick," I said. "Now look at you!" His caregiver smiled at me and chuckled, and even though she didn't understand what I was saying, she could tell I was delighted. 

That's when I noticed the other baby laying sprawled out and motionless on the other bed. I walked over and saw that his eyes were cracked open, only showing the whites, and he had vomit in his mouth and running down his chin. I wiped him clean and gently woke him up, and as soon as I touched him, I could feel that he was burning hot. 

"Where is this child's mother or caregiver?" I asked. The other lady made a motion to indicate that she had left. 

I went to the car to get a thermometer and returned quickly. 104. The baby was limp and barely responsive. Just in time, the caregiver came waltzing in the room, and I spoke with her kindly, yet urgently. "We need to take this baby to the medical clinic," I said. 

Upon arriving, I explained the situation to the nurse, who didn't seem to be very interested. They wanted to give the baby an injection to break the fever, but I wasn't satisfied with that. 

"Why do you think he has a fever?" I asked, trying to be respectful but already having a diagnosis in the back of my mind. 

"I don't know," he said. 

I waited, but he never continued. "There's a malaria test on the table right there. Do you think you can give one?" I said. 

The nurse started to explain to me how the test wasn't necessary because they had seen this baby a week ago and the test was already done at that time. It had been positive, therefore it wasn't necessary to do a test again. 

What I knew is that people often don't know how to follow up on their medications for malaria, so I insisted that he do another test. I felt like I almost had to beg. Positive again. 

This time around, with my help, the baby got the medicines that he needed, and then we gathered around the baby and caregiver to pray. I then realized that God had a bigger purpose in our going to the nutrition center that day. We just wanted to see babies and do a casual visit, but God knew there was a child up there in need of immediate care. 

I was amazed at the negligence of the caregiver...that she would fail to follow through with medications for the baby, but also that she would leave her child alone and unsupervised in such a state. I was also amazed at the negligence of the medical staff...how they didn't seem to care about such a high fever, and that they would make excuses to get out of doing their job. 

And then, in my frustration, I learned a simple truth: our God is never, never negligent. He knew that baby needed help, and he sent us up there to see to it. I think about Hagar when she called God by a new name - "You are the God who sees me." 

Our God sees us - every bit of us - our physical and emotional needs and all, and he is never negligent. He never neglects; he never abandons. He always sees and looks and loves and responds. What a perfect Father. 

I have since visited this precious little baby, whose name is Raynaud. I have watched him regain his health and strength thanks to the grace of God. 

Somedays I wonder if the small things really make a difference. Then every once in a while, I have a day like this one where I know that God has used us. Maybe even to save a life. It's just more evidence of the faithfulness and never, never negligence of our Father, the Lord who sees us.