This afternoon, I woman came to the clinic in labor but she didn’t look it. She was too calm and seemed very tired. What was going on, I wondered.

Once I got a translator to help, her story started to make a bit more sense. Her labor started five days ago. The contractions got strong and then stopped this morning. She had very little to eat for five days and was near exhaustion. She walked five days to get to us. Five days. (She could have been in labor five days and walked two days… i’m not sure. But either way, not good.)

Her blood pressure was uncomfortably low (88/63) but she showed no other sign of shock. I rechecked it thinking my equipment was faulty. It came back 86/59. Low.

The fetal heart tones (FHTs) were also disturbing. They were consistently in the 60’s. (*note: FHTs should range from 120-160.) They were so low, I thought it might be the mother’s pulse I was hearing… but it wasn’t. I had a severely compromised baby on my hands.

I prayed while I put in an IV line and moved the mom around in various positions. My assistant got her some 50% dextrose ready and gave it intravenously.

I asked God for a miracle since He knows I never want to deliver a dead baby. We have this sweet agreement. He won’t give me more than I can handle. I can’t handle dead newborns. So I knew He was going to do something. But what He did surpassed my expectations.

Once the IV was in (I was watching the clock), exactly two minutes later I check all her vitals again. They were markedly improved. Her blood pressure went up to 130/70 and the FHTs jumped to 140!

I can tell you two minutes is not long enough for a significant change like this to occur but with God….

When I checked her dilation she was only 3 cm (70%, 0 station, but tight cervix) and her contractions were funky. I can’t tell if her uterus had given up or not. But she insisted that labor had been going on like this for 5 days and all her other babies came out after 2 or 3 hours. Something was wrong.

I decided to induce her with oxytocin in her IV fluids and barely let it flow when her first serious contraction started. And after 10 minutes, I shut off the drip and let her labor on her own. All vitals were normal so I left my assistant to watch her while I got lunch.

Not 20 minutes later he came running to tell me the water broke. Excellent. Progress. As I was going to check FHTs again, he runs back to me again saying the head is out!

What?

I get there to see the membranes bulging and a mama making grunting noises (good sign) but fortunately no head. I ask her to breathe through the contractions. Last thing I want is her trying to push too soon.

Ten minutes later a baby boy was born! When I checked the chart, she dilated from 3 cm to baby out is one hour and one minute. Remarkably fast.

So this is what happens when God is the midwife. Miracles!

They named him Yom Sabet until they can think of a better one. “Sabet” means Saturday the day he was born.

A few months back we had a spell of drama in our community. One of the Episcopal Pastors got a young girl from his congregation pregnant out of wedlock. She was only 15. Her brothers found out when her belly couldn’t be hidden anymore and retaliated by beating the pastor’s brother with a club.

He died in our clinic later that night.

Revenge killing is common in this culture. They don’t kill the offending person but someone close to him. They want to cause the offender as much pain as possible. If you only kill them…they won’t suffer nearly as much.

When there is a revenge killing in this culture, everyone goes into hiding–especially the relatives. Anyone can be victim. Mothers. Cousins. Friends. They try to find a close relative to kill but if they can’t they will take anyone they can find. But there seems to be a rule to all this killing. It must be done within three days.

Pastor Peter, when he learned of his brother’s death, decided to retaliate as well. He  (and a friend) couldn’t find any of Rebecca’s brothers within the time limit, so he found an old man from her village and killed him instead. He then ran off with Rebecca without paying the bride price. The whole town was a stir. The church was in shock.

Scandal. Rumors. Gossip.

A few weeks later, Rebecca and Peter were caught and BOTH put in prison.

I asked the locals why they would put HER in prison, as well, since her only sin was getting pregnant. The answer I got surprised me. They explained that it was all her fault since she could have refused him. (! Insert bitter sarcasm here and a few choice words! @%$^#*! This may be one thing I’ll NEVER understand in this culture.)

Fast forward a few months to last night.

Just as I was wrapping up for the day, Rebecca waddled in with her mother. She spent the first few minutes of our conversation on the floor in a strong contraction.

I didn’t recognize her right away.

Slowly, as we talked of contractions and ruptured membranes, did it occur to me this was THAT Rebecca. I couldn’t help but smile inside. Finally, something beautiful was coming out of this chaos and pain.

I checked her into the clinic even though she was only 3 cm along. I wasn’t sure how fast she’d go since this was her first baby. I guessed she’d deliver in the wee hours of the morning. But I was wrong.

She dilated to fully in only 3 hours while laboring almost exclusively on her knees. She pushed like a pro and breathed her baby’s head out! It was amazing!

When she was done, the smile on her face was contagious! She was radiant! What’s more is…she was delighted! It was a joy to see! Beautiful!

So yes, this bouncy baby boy may have started his life in rumors and heartbreak but I don’t think it will end that way. He is the proof of the transgression. But he is also proof of love. The love of his Heavenly Father that knit him together and filled his lungs with air!

My prayer is that he will one day praise Him with those lungs and show the world what forgiveness and grace REALLY looks like!

Pray for Rebecca and her mother Mary…. and of course No-Name-Baby-Boy!

Pray they’ll be accepted in the town they are moving to and have enough to eat.

Pray God will provide all of their needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.