Sadiatu

This gorgeous little one was one of my patients I cared for on my first shift back on board the ship.  Sadiatu is almost two years old and was brought to us by her mother because she had a protrusion from her forehead.  It turns out that Sadiatu had an encephalocele, which is actually a neural tube defect where a portion of the brain protrudes through an opening in the skull.  Back at home, these defects would be corrected through surgery when a child is an infant.  Without surgery, Sadiatu would likely not have lived into adulthood.  The week or so following surgery was difficult and painful... not just for Sadiatu, but for her tired and caring mother, who had to watch her child suffer... in pain, eyes swollen shut, made to go through multiple painful procedures.  

And it was a reminder to me of patience in suffering.  Because in this, as in many things in life, things actually looked worse before they looked better.  And sweet little Sadiatu definitely looked much worse... and while it was only for a few days... to her and to her mother, it probably felt like much longer.  

During these days that I cared for her, she would cry even at the sound of my voice.  I could see the exhaustion on her mother's face and reminded her that she would continue to heal.  That this was hard, but that it would pass and Sadiatu would return to herself.  And even as I reassured her, I could not have been prepared for the transformation that would take place in the next few days.  Imagine my surprise by the end of the week to have this little one giggling, toddling up to me, letting me hold her and laughing when I tickled her!  Praise God for physical healing! 

And praise God for His patience in our suffering.  As a Father, He must feel great pain watching His children hurt... but He knows the end result.  And so He is patient.  As we walk through challenges and trials of many shapes and sizes. Because He loves us enough to allow temporary suffering for much more lasting joy.  Perhaps in this context, it is easier to understand the exhortation in James 1: 2-4:  "Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."  

May we have the courage to trust in our Great God, even when things may appear to be getting "worse" in our eyes.  May we endure, may we allow the process, and by His grace, cooperate with Him in becoming mature and complete, lacking nothing.  Praise Him for the work He did in Sadiatu's life!  And praise Him for what He is doing in yours!