Princess Denise: A Miracle

(Disclaimer: The story of how and where Denise was found is all secondhand information. I did not witness these things firsthand. Though all of the post-surgery information is firsthand)

She must be special. I mean circumstantially speaking… she should be dead. Living with untreated hydrocephalus for 3 years. A head so unrealistically huge that I couldn’t even fathom it when I saw it with my own eyes. The pictures don’t even come close to capturing the severity of it. Her brain so under pressure that she could hardly open her eyes. She didn’t cry or make noise. She didn’t move. She was just a lifeless little girl on the verge of dying. This tiny little girl with seemingly no purpose was intimately known by the Creator of the universe. He saw her on that mountain, abandoned by her family, left with a rescue mission that had nothing to offer her. As she lay on that little mat, facing the wall, left alone with no one to love her, infested with scabies and smelling of her own waste... who could ever love this ugly, unresponsive, dying little girl?

“But those who suffer He delivers in their suffering;

He speaks to them in their affliction.”

Job 36:15

“I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy,

For You have considered my trouble;

You have known my soul in adversities.”

Psalm 31:7

God saw her. He saw her in her affliction, He saw her in her helplessness, and He came to her. He came and rescued her. He divinely orchestrated every detail. He brought Danita to that little mountain, and inclined her heart towards this little girl.

Within a week, there was a surgeon who would be able to do a surgery for her to put a shunt in her head that would drain the fluid in her brain into her abdomen. BUT… the surgeon said she was too far gone and he wouldn’t do the surgery. However, God sees beyond what mere man can see. “Is the LORD’s power limited???” God, in His sovereignty, enabled this little girl to clap for the surgeon. This gave him a glimmer of hope, and he agreed to do the surgery.

The name of this special little girl is Denise. And she is SO special to her Heavenly Father. The details leading up to her surgery are so miraculous. But it gets even better. Let me tell you just how much this precious little girl means to Him.

Denise is not your average baby. Her head is REALLY heavy. She is around 3 years old and needs constant care and supervision. She is not the type of baby that everyone flocks to and automatically loves. She’s different. She may even be intimidating for some. But God loves her SO much that He hand selected special individuals with the grace, strength, and love to give up their lives for her.

(Forgive me for any of you who cared for her prior to this, but these are the few that I directly know and witnessed care for her)

God picked Kayla to care for Denise after her surgery. Day and night Kayla loved and cared for this little girl. Denise had never known love and affection before, and now she was receiving ample amounts on a constant basis. Kayla did not just love Denise in her own heart and flesh, but God abundantly supplied her with a vast amount of love to lavish on Denise. I met Kayla my first day in Haiti. Brenda and I walked in to a little room where Denise lay comfortably on Kayla’s chest. I sat there and stroked Denise’s skinny little legs as I talked with Kayla. In my heart I prayed, “Father, teach me to love like this.” Kayla literally loved Denise back to sustainable health. But even though Denise was more alive than she had ever been, she still did not know how to smile or laugh. Imagine living the first three years of your life without laughing or smiling.

As the time neared for Kayla to return home, God was already raising up a new caretaker for precious little Denise, named Sonya. Kayla and Sonya shared the responsibility of taking care of Denise as Kayla prepared to leave. Kayla shared with me a couple days before she left that even though she was so proud of how far Denise had come, she wanted more than anything for her to be a joyous child. “I want her to laugh and smile all the time,” she shared with me. On Kayla’s last day, we had a baby dedication service with all of the missionaries and 4 of the babies. Denise was one of them. We dedicated her to the Lord and prayed so many things over her.

It was hard to see Kayla go, but God had made Sonya ready to care for Denise. God filled Sonya with such a peace, a calmness, a joy, and a strength when taking care of Denise. She was constantly praying over that precious little girl. The same love that was given to Kayla, was amply given to Sonya as she lavishly loved her with God’s unconditional love. As Sonya cared for and loved her, she began to come even more alive. She began to experience joy. She started smiling and laughing more and more. She started being a lot more active and interactive. She would laugh with excitement when you whispered in her ear or kissed her sweet cheeks. God used Sonya so amazingly in Denise’s healing process. But Sonya too, had to return home.

I watched these amazing women love this little girl with a love that was so Spirit-given. I did not have that same love for Denise. I loved her, but not like they did. The time came for Sonya to leave. And as Sonya was leaving, another lovely lady, Dani, entered our midst. She too was given this sweet love for Denise. But something happened on the day that Sonya left. God gave me His love for Denise, too. I didn’t expect it or know it was coming. But as it poured over me like a wave, I felt love for this little girl like I had never experienced before.

I didn’t understand before. I didn’t understand the insane privilege it is to take care of the least of these, until this happened. Daily when I hold and love, sweet little Denise, I feel as if I am the most honored of all human beings to love and care for her. I know that this love is not of my own heart. This is not a love that I am even capable of loving with on my own. God has filled me with His love for her. I cannot even explain to you the vast love that He has for her! Oh! And it must only be a glimpse of His immeasurable love for her!

And it is this love that He loves each of us with. Oh! How He loves us! What a miracle it is that He enables us to partake of such a love, even if only in part. Who am I that He would choose to love this precious little one through? Oh Father, blessed am I of all children to be able to love this little one with Your heart. Honored am I to be Your hands and feet to the least of these. Oh Lord, thank You. Thank You for bringing me here. Thank You for using me even though I am small and weak. It is no longer I who live, but You live in me. God, I only want to be used by You for Your glory, by whatever means possible. Thank You for Denise. Thank You for loving her. Thank You for saving her. Thank You for all You have done and will continue to do in her precious life.

“By You I have been sustained from my birth;

You are He who took me from my mother's womb;

My praise is continually of You”

Psalm 71:6

Denise continues to improve with each new day. I look forward to the updates that lie ahead in regards to her progress. With all the Lord has done to go above and beyond in order to care for this precious girl, there is no doubt in my mind that He is not yet finished working miracles in her life, and that there will be much praising to be done in the days and years ahead.

Watch this video of Denise: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=110473562301284