Big love - big miracle

Missionary John Yeoman writes from Latvia:
We sat together with Pastor Agris and Ineta his wife and watched baby Roberts in his cot. Ineta got up and picked up a piece of paper, “this” she said, “is the hospital report of Roberts from when he was born until he was released from Riga’s Children’s Hospital” Ineta said, “When Roberts was discharged the nurse gave us the report”, and she began to read the contents to us. “In Ogre hospital before his transfer to Riga, Roberts had died! Twice in the ambulance going from Ogre to Riga, Roberts had died! On all of the occasions resuscitation could only take place through manual manipulation as the electrical equipment failed to restart his heart.” Reading this was the first that this couple knew of the seriousness of their new-born son’s sickness.

She continued, “as his treatment progressed and he began to get better, in the hospital in Riga, Roberts was being called by the Intensive Care Staff, “the miracle baby”, and when he was discharged they gave him a card with an inscription, which, roughly translated from the Latvijan reads, “Where there is big love, there is big miracle”. Overall the report covers 2 pages of A4 paper with many diagnosis and treatment details, but it was the opening lines that carried the elements of shock and surprise for Agris and Ineta.

As Roberts now rests peacefully at home, gaining weight daily and with a wicked wide-mouthed, toothless smile, the facts and reality of the “hand that guides and the heart that plans” emerges from the mists of doubt and cares, into the full blazing light of providence and election with a message. The message? “I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord…”

So whilst the prayer request was initially being circulated throughout Latvijan and UK churches, the Lord God Almighty was already working. We may not know the reasons behind this stressful episode in the family’s life, but what a story to tell him as he grows into maturity. Needless to say the Ginko family is settling into the joys of their life together, with elder siblings taking their turns to nurse and help their younger brother, and being watchful eyes over Mum too!