I sat on the phone talking to the young pregnant mother, explaining to her that all the signs pointed to her water having broken and coaching her through contractions. Still early in the evening and only in the beginning stages of labour, she hung up saying a friend would get her to the hospital and she would call in the morning. A couple hours later my phone rang again. She was panting so hard through contractions and so panicked from stress it was difficult at first to understand what she was even saying. I soon discerned she had failed to find a ride and was progressing rapidly. After breathing with her over the phone and trying to figure out the situation, she finally gasped out "Will you come fetch me?"
And so Nick and I found ourselves in Masi, trying to navigate in the dark and pouring rain. The township seems to take on an entirely different aspect in the late hours and is difficult to navigate, or distinguish people or places. By a miracle we found her. The poor girl was so stressed she could hardly sit or buckle her seat belt, and we rushed to the emergency room while she squeezed my hand and we breathed together. At the hospital she wasn't even given a wheelchair, but had to walk with me from one end of the hospital to the other. Once we reached the maternity ward she was dressed and left to labor alone across from another mama also preparing to deliver, with only 1 sister (head nurse) and a nurse on staff. Before leaving we prayed together for the birth, for herself and for this new life, and I left to catch some sleep.
I didn't sleep very well as my dreams were full of babies. First thing the next morning I received her call again. The baby had been born barely 20 minutes after we left! It had gone quickly and easily, and both mama and baby were doing fine. As soon as the hospital would allow I drove over for a visit. It is always a miracle to see a new life, never ceasing to amaze me. But this precious baby was accompanied by something almost as miraculous. Her mother was making an adoption plan.
In South Africa and surrounding African countries, there are countless single mothers and unplanned pregnancies. And it seems the numbers of abortions performed and babies dumped are only on the increase. We meet with women daily in various circumstances of crisis needing options. But regardless of situation and desires, it seems adoption is seldom an option.
In a culture where family responsibility is so strong, the stigma against adoption is tremendous. The general opinion continues that regardless of a woman's circumstances or reasons, the most selfish and irresponsible choice she could make is to give her baby to another family. Every week I sit in abortion counseling and discuss other options with these women and girls, but the general opinion still seems to be that it is better to end the child's life than "give it away". The Baby Safe team has prayed without ceasing that the LORD would move on hearts and change the stigma and fear towards adoption, and that mothers would begin to choose life. And recently, these prayers have begun to be answered!
We can never comprehend the feelings of a mother making the ultimate sacrifice so that her child can have life. But we know the LORD understands, and time and time again we see these mothers' countenances miraculously change as He ministers to them HIS heart. We are all the adopted sons of the most high God, and somehow through this process, we all get a new glimpse of Him. We pray daily that the old stigmas will begin to break, and in the lack of other options more families will be willing to make this courageous choice.
