As a single mom, it wasn’t a hard decision to travel to the warm climate of Guatemala to escape a snowy Indiana March in 2000.  A friend of mine had traveled with Hands of Hope the year before. She told me not to even bother bringing my stethoscope since I was going to work in pharmacy. 

On our first clinic day, word came back to the pharmacy that an eight-week old infant was dying and needed to be hospitalized.  I volunteered to go with a group to the emergency room.  The drive seemed longer than the hour it took.  We rushed her into the hospital where the doctor listened to her chest and as he walked away said that the baby was going to die.  He made no attempt to do anything for her.    

I just couldn't accept that.  In disbelief, I said that they had to do something for her.  Another doctor, a pediatrician, came in to see what all the noise was about.  He explained that they just didn't have the equipment or staff to treat the baby.  I explained that I was with a large American medical team.  He agreed to admit her, provide basic measures until the team could offer their support.  

When we returned to the hospital, the situation became clear  The hospital was severely under-staffed and poorly equipped.  There were no respirators, no x-rays had been taken, and there weren't enough staff to care for baby Teresa properly.  If she had been in the United States, she would have been in a neonatal intensive care unit. Instead, she lie helplessly in a filthy infant bed struggling for life. 

Dr. Gary Pitts went to look for the pediatrician to discuss transferring her to a hospital with a respirator.  A breathing tube was inserted to help her breathe.  For five hours, I helped squeeze breath into her tiny little lungs.  Finally we were able to get x-rays.  Her lungs were full of fluid. 

When Gary returned, he was able to talk with the mother.  He told Teresa’s story.  The twelfth child of her family, six had already died. I couldn't imagine the mother's loss.   Gary reassured me that we had done everything and that we "had to give her back to God.” He prayed, I cried.

She was breathing about 1-2 times a minute. By most medical standards, she was gone.  Her skin was gray-blue. We explained to her mom that we had to leave them in the hospital, but we would return in the morning to take them back to the village.   When we returned to the group that night, I told everyone she was gone. 

The next morning, the pediatrician told us that Teresa’s condition improved.  She was still alive and it was amazing.   We gave the hospital antibiotics, after showing the hospital staff how to administer the medications and we left to check on them later.

We checked on Teresa as we left the area.  As her mom’s eyes and mine met for the last time, there was a genuine connection.  We told her we would be back the same time next year and would try to find her.  For a month after we got home, I didn’t sleep.  When I closed my eyes, I saw her face, I smelled her smell, I felt her silky hair on my fingers, I heard her mother’s cries.

I challenged God that if I went back and Teresa was ok,  I would listen to what people had to say about Him. I would at least go one more time to see just what kind of God He was.  There is NO medical data to support why Teresa is still alive and ready to celebrate her fifth birthday. NO reason, except God.   God used that beautiful baby as his tool to bring me to Him.  Today, I have traveled eleven times with Hands of Hope and continue to do what I can as a nurse and Christian. 

 

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