No Name

Mariama is learning to share in a very personal way! 

It is 11:30 pm. Five minutes ago, a grandmother came to the door as the four-week-old baby girl in my arms, tiny and fragile, drank from the last bottle she would take from me today.  Five days ago I offered the same service I give Mariama because this little one's mama needed surgery, and her father (a Bible translator in his language) and grandmother would need to attend to the mama. I ask you to pray for this baby as I have had the joy and struggle of doing throughout the last five days and nights. She has no given name because they feel they don't know the outcome and culturally won't give a name to a baby who may not live. Mama will be discharged tomorrow, but baby girl still needs a lot of care.

Please pray that God would give her life, breath, help her body to accept both the mother's milk I'm offering and the supplementary formula.  Pray for strength for everyone as we fight and pray for life to win...and for a name to be given.

The angle told Mary to give this miraculous baby the name Jesus.
This baby may not have a given name on this earth, but I like to think that God knows the baby girl's name.
Here we celebrate the Christmas with our second advent candle lighting...and two baby's to help us remember how God became man and made his dwelling among us.