HER LIFE IS SURELY A GIFT…..Melika’s Story

Zoe means life in Hebrew. We decided to give her this name to remind us and her of what God has done for us. She just loves that being her second name, reminding her of the special opportunity in life she was given. In school she engraved “Zoe” on a little wooden plague which hangs in her room among her special treasures. When I told her that I wanted to write the beautiful story of her life from my heart she jokingly said that I should be careful not to cry all over the computer it might break. She knows when I share or even just listen to this story being told I’m so stirred emotionally that there is always tears running……this will always be the story of much joy and a sweet reminder that grace is not something we deserve but given by God…..

Before Melika was there I felt a beautiful impression that children were a gift from God, it was as if deep in my heart I was asked this gentle question. As if God was offering me the opportunity to receive this gift. I remember us standing outside the pit toilet in our yard with trembling hands awaiting the news on the pregnancy test. What a joy it was when the two lines were visible. A few weeks into this my first pregnancy we were sleeping outside in the yard on a flat wooden platform (a very Central Asian thing to do in the summer). Etienne felt God speaking to Him:”I will protect your child; do not submit to fear.”

We were so excited about having a baby; at eleven weeks into my pregnancy we drove to a nearby town to have a routine ultrasound. The news was not at all what we expected. “I am sorry the fetus has no heartbeat!” We could not believe what we were hearing. It was like cold shivers running up and down my body. What a disappointment……the doctor gave us a medical report saying the fetus was dead and there was no heartbeat……. he even included a little ultrasound photo of the dead fetus and told us we could come back the next day to have it removed…

The news was devastating and we were shocked. We decided to travel to the capital city the next day to get a second opinion.The next day at the Medical Clinic we had a few doctors and midwifes trying to find the heart beat of our baby thru the ultrasound machine….there was no heartbeat, no movement and no life! Thru a medical insurance company we were flown to England the next day to receive medical treatment. As we only traveled to the capital city for a short visit, I was totally unprepared and had no clothes with me to fly to England. I had to borrow some shoes a size to big that gave me horrible blisters and a jacket with shoulders like an American football player, I must have been quite a sight. God provided just the right place for us to stay in England.

We attended a prayer time that Monday morning at a little Chapel in the neighborhood where we were staying. There was a man from Argentina sharing from God’s word. We stood in the back of this little chapel crying during the worship and feeling so desperate for God to touch us. Yet Etienne remembered the word God spoke to him not to fear but God will protect our baby. I can not remember much of what the speaker was sharing about, but it was on raising Lazarus from the dead and Peter walking on the water. He was challenging the people to trust God for “the impossible”; not knowing that “the impossible” was standing in the back of the Chapel. After he shared a dear friend of ours went forward and asked that people please pray for us…..they gathered around us and lifted us up in prayer. Afterwards the man from Argentina came outside into the garden and prayed over us again…this time I heard him shout in English…..LIFE FOR THIS BABY…. I can not say that I felt touched emotionally in any way, rather hoping that his prayer will come true.

We could only see the doctor that evening. My heart was going back and forth, I was not sure what to expect, hope for or trust God for. Was this His plan, what did He want to do? Should I hope and cherish this little baby or is the fetus really dead and should I say goodbye? Etienne went for a walk that afternoon before the doctor’s visit. He came back so encouraged and told met that he felt God spoke clearly to his heart: “I gave your child back to you, you need to worship me….not because I gave your child back to you…BUT BECAUSE I AM GOD”….. I did not sense the same height of excitement as he and was rather nervous as to what the news from the doctor would be that evening. The doctor looked at the report and scanned photo that we brought with us and said that it did not look hopeful……..my heart was so heavy and I at times I wished that this nightmare would just end….. Not wanting to hope and not wanting to give up on a wonderful opportunity for a miracle either. He asked us to come to a different hospital the next day for a clarifying ultrasound. I knew this was going to be the moment where we would know what was going on……Where the doctor will make the final decision.

I remember my hand palms being sweaty and cold laying there on the bed with the ultrasound machine being switched on….what was the news going to be….God did you really gave our baby back to us…. going thru my mind? The lady asked us if we can hear it.........the machine had a rhythmic sound duff, duff, duff, duff……at first I thought surely that must be my own heartbeat……. “This is the heartbeat of your baby!” We gave deep, painful cries of relieve and could not stop crying….the joy, our baby was alive but MORE…..God you really gave our baby back……God you did a miracle…..SHE WAS DEAD NOW SHE IS ALIVE……I could barely focus my eyes thru the tears on the little figure on the screen moving, twisting and turning……there she was…..!!!!!!

With such relieve, joy and gratefulness we received the medical report saying the fetus had a heartbeat and was alive and normal! Wow what a moment in life! The words “Thank you God, oh thank you God” kept going thru my mind. I felt so undeserving of experiencing God’s miraculous power in a miracle like this. He is God and He decided to give her back to us. I had no more answers and no more questions. I knew He was in control and wanted this sweet little baby girl to live…….grow up and know Him.

A friend in deep pain asked me one day, “Why did my baby have to die, why did God not give him back to us?” I was deeply touched with compassion and sadly did not have an answer for her, He gives and takes and we do not understand….but He is God and I choose to trust that He knew why……..

Melika is ten years old this year and a beautiful young lady loving God. I love seeing her big brown eyes lit up with joy and delight when we share this beautiful story. I know God has a plan for her life. She has a powerful testimony to share…… And me? I smile with tears in my eyes….GRATEFUL…. knowing that He is God of my life……