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No Room in the Inn...21st Century Version

It is the Christmas season 2009.  Like Joseph and Mary 2000 years ago, a young couple are on the virge of the birth of their first baby boy.  Although they are doing everything to prepare for the big day, it still catches them by surprise.  Instead of the regular 40 weeks, the baby is arriving six weeks early.

Because they are not expecting it this early, their bags are not packed nor is the nursery fully furnished.  Safe for an early morning warning in a dream to the father to prepare to be in a delivery room and with assurance (from the Lord) that it would be o.k, the day started off as any other day.

At 6:00 AM, the couple prays together for about 40 minutes in their home in Victoria.  They take showers.  At about 7:30 AM, the husband goes to work briefly from his home office while the wife prepares something for their breakfast together. Within a couple hours they will have a routine prenatal doctor's appointment.  Later in the evening the wife's sister and her two beautiful girls are supposed to visit for a new year's watch together.

At 9:30 AM, they take off for the ten minute drive to the hospital for the doctor's appointment.  Unlike Joseph and Mary with their Bethlehem boy, the ride is not on a donkey.  It is in a nice Honda CRV.  Of course modest by every count.  They are excited about the baby and count-down ...forty three days to go and...he will be here!  But then the husband reminisces once again with his wife about the dream he had last night about being in the labor and delivery room and the baby-boy being born healthy. 

Everything at this point feels really good and normal for the mother and she has no anxiety whatsoever.  For the moment, they think it is because of their high anticipation for the baby that dad is having such dreams.  They chuckle about it as she presses him about the labor and delivery room details.  Even so they pray and ask God to protect the baby and themselves.

A few minutes later, they are visiting with the doctor.  As the she examines the mother and the baby, the routine checkup that should have taken a few minutes turns into an hour, then two, then three.  Eventually the doctor determines that the mother must be admitted for further observation and tests.  The hours have turned into a full day.

But before the day can be over, the doctor determines that the baby boy has to be delivered immediately due to a potentially serious medical condition for the mother..pre-eclampsia.  The mother's blood pressure is reading something like 195/110 and has stayed that way for over five hours.  What a surprise and quick turn of events!

They are at one of U.S's top 5 % Medical Centers in the nation.  For a moment, although surprised by the quick turn of events, they are calm and collected. They are confident that everything will be alright given the high-end quality of care available to them at the Suburban hospital. 

But then the nurse comes around and informs the couple that although there is room for the mother, like the first century baby in Bethlehem there is no room in the nursery for the premee baby to be born.  It is full.  The couple needs to be transferred to a different hospital.

Lucky for them, in spite the absence of a room at the best hospital, there is an ambulance to give them a quick ride to another facility 45 miles away.  Definitely a luxury that Bethlehem's new parents could never have afforded.  The paramedics load the young pregnant wife onto the truck. The young man climbs into the co-driver's seat.  The flashing emergency lights turn on.  The sirens start blurring.

The roads are icy and slippery from all the Christmas snow fall.  They still cruise at 75 miles an hour down the highway.  Rush-hour trafic gives way and within forty minutes, they arrive at the alternative hospital. 

Although the facilities are not the same first rate as the previous hospital, they would make for one in most other countries.  They are quickly settled in.  The mother's blood pressure is stabilized.   The doctor starts the inducement.  Because the cervix is pretty much at zero, it is expected to be a long night...and day...and possibly another night.  A great friend of the wife named Elizabeth (Beth) arrives to wait with the couple.  They patiently wait for the safe and joyful arrival of their little bundle of joy.

It is painful.  It is excruciating.  It is ...well...labor for the mom.  The husband stays with her.  He speaks comforting words of encouragement and rubs her back as necessary.  All night.  All morning.  All noon-day and then some.  Finally at 4:30 PM on New Year's eve, little baby boy is born born at a whooping 5 pounds, 171/2 inches. On the third day while the boy continues to receive neonatal intensive care, the young parents name him Samuel David Jr. saying, "For the Lord hears His beloved and answers him with a mighty thunder (Ps 29:3-4; 1 Sam 3:9).  They reflect on a prophetic word they received concerning the boy before the ultra sound confirmed it would be a boy, "The child shall be a boy and he shall stand hand in hand with his dad in ministry!" and, "The boy is going to be a great vessel in God's hands."  Wow, what an amazing development. 


That is our true developing Christmas and New Year's story!  Pray with us for the baby's development as he is premature.  Thankfully he has started breasfeeding and scoring high scores on just about every front.  The mom is doing great!  Glory to God!  The best thing to happen to us all year takes place the last day of the year.  Blessed be our Lord!

Happy New Year 2010 to you my reader!

Comments

  1. We are praying for and with you. It is well. we await the good news of the arrival of the baby.
    Pastor Ken and Sis. Joy Kimiywe Nairobi, KENYA

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations!! What an awesome end to a wonderful year - and at the same time a blessed beginning to our new year that we have been given. May God be with you all as you sit in amazement at His provision. We will continue to pray for each of you as you ...
    Blessings,
    Sue and Sam Rima and family

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congratulations Sammy and Suzie! So glad to hear all is well with you and new baby. God is good to us! We'll look forward to hearing more..

    Love and blessings --
    Sam and Pam

    ReplyDelete
  4. "When we walk with the Lord and in the light of His word what a glory He sheds on our way, when we do His good will He abides with us still."

    Dear Sammy, Suzanne and baby, the words above from a familiar hymn come to mind as I think of you and your walk with God and how He continues to paint every strain of your lives with Himself. Once again, I rejoice deeply with you all. Looking forward to all that He has in store for the Wanyonyi family.
    Carole

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congratulations! 15 years ago, our firstborn was a New Years baby boy too. Can't wait to meet him!
    The Sweeneys (Jim, Andrea, Alex, Owen, Lily, Eli)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Sammy and Suzie,
    Praise Jesus for the safe arrival of your precious blessing, Samuel David, and for His assurances of His plan for your son's future in His service! What a wonderful testimony to His hand in the precious details of our lives and the honor He gives for our faithfulness. Our God is so good! Congratulations and abundant blessings to you!
    Michele Benyo, FMSC

    ReplyDelete
  7. Congratulations, Sammy and Suzanne!
    Happy for you both - very cute boy!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Missy HarpelJanuary 14, 2010

    What a great story! Thanks for sharing the details. God was so faithful! Still is!

    ReplyDelete
  9. irene wanjalaFebruary 04, 2010

    Irene Wanjala
    It is amazing the kind of things that the Lord does to a soul that chooses to trust in Him. He does exceedingly abundantly than what we ask or imagine. It is well with you guys. U are blessed.

    ReplyDelete

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