No, it's not who you are thinking of.
Yes, there is another Sabrina out there who needs much needed prayer.
From time to time I speak about one of our missionaries from our church back home. I'm not sure if I've ever spoken here about Ben but we started supporting him from the beginning of his ministry to Brazil. For a while he was just a single guy with a heart for God and the country of Brazil. Then he met Dani. They've been married a couple of years now and not too long ago, Dani received news that they were going to have a baby.
They named her Sabrina. Then came the bad news. The baby wasn't doing well. She would have to be delivered immediately or she would die. It was much too soon they thought. Her chance for survival was grim. It could be done, but who knows what might happen. Ben sent us all an urgent prayer chain request.
Please pray for Sabrina.
Then tonight I got this second message.
Sabrina News
She wasn’t 27 centimeters but 30! Just under a foot long! It was 1:24 and not 1:27 in the morning (minor detail). They took the oxygen tubes out! J She is breathing on her own except for a little bit of oxygen being pumped into the incubator. They were finally able to get the IV into her arm. She has not had any problems in her breathing lately. She has lost weight during these 5 days which is normal, she is down to 950 grams, almost exactly 2 lbs. They noticed today that her temperature has been varying a lot lately which concerns them, so they are going to do some tests. She is receiving Dani’s milk through a tube, and her body is accepting it. All the other tests have come back with no problems. But the neatest news! I got to hold her for the first time. She felt so light in my hands, but as I looked down at her, all the responsibilities and tough decisions of the past days melted away. Let me tell you a little bit more about that day, and please keep praying! We appreciate those prayers.
“Responsibilities of a Husband and a Father”
We were dumbfounded by the news that Wednesday morning. As we waited for the results to be typed up from the ultrasound, and made our trip to our doctor, we knew that the situation was serious, and the questions swirled around in our heads. As the doctor began to explain and to show the serious of the situation, I asked him question after question trying to get my finger around the situation and understand what was going on and what our options were. My wife was sitting there quietly until the doctor looked over in her direction, and said “What do you think about it, Dani?” Tears began to well up in her eyes, and she said, “I am leaving those types of decisions for my “husband” to make.
(There was another big decision to be made that most do not know about as it wasn’t mentioned in the last update.) We drove home from the doctor’s visit trying to let the fact that Dani was going to have to deliver the baby tonight sink in. The ride home was quiet, neither wanting to say anything for fear of crying. As we came home with only a few hours left, we cried, we did up our suitcases, we made phone calls, and then...after talking with a co-worker of mine, we began to talk about the question of whether we should go to Sao Paulo (a better hospital but further away: 2 hours) or stay in Sorocaba. We prayed together, and once again I was left with a difficult decision to make, but not just as a husband but as a “father”. With Sabrina’s life hanging in the balance, I did what I believe any father would do. I did whatever I could to give Sabrina a better chance of survival, and we took Dani to Sao Paulo. Yes, it will mean lots of sacrifices here in Sao Paulo of time, money, and even ministry. Worth it? My wife just gave me a hug just a half an hour ago and said “Ben, you are being a great father, and a great husband.”
I pray I continue to be one in the future, because it is a big responsibility of being a husband and a father.
Not proud to be Ben, but Dani’s husband, and now Sabrina’s Dad.
(I will send pictures probably tomorrow. I would have sent them today, but our luggage with my camera has still not arrived in our new place yet.) And my two hours of internet at the shopping mall are almost up, so I had better send this email quick! J