I remember years ago locking the door to my clinic after an extremely difficult day had ended. I had lost 2 babies that day in my clinic. Their parents waited too long to bring them. They died right there in front of me. I wrapped them with white sheets and watched their mothers fall to their knees in anguish.

There were also two young girls – a 7-year-old and a 9-years-old with AIDS who had less than a month left to live. Here they should be jumping rope with their friends, playing games in the dirt, & singing silly little songs! But they were too weak to run – too weak to play – too weak to just be the beautiful children that they were.

Feeling completely helpless I remember sitting on the clinic floor and crying out to God. I can’t really explain it but in that moment I felt Him reach out His arms and physically hold me. His arms were strong yet gentle. He held me tight so that I knew that He was there with me. He didn’t let go until I was ready to stand-up.  His embrace that day was something I would never forget.

Yesterday I met a little girl named Natacha in my clinic. She is absolutely beautiful! No more than 5 years old – Natacha is very sick. In fact her father carried her over 2 hours just to come and see me. He told me his daughter has AIDS and is dying. The mother has already died. She is all he has left. So he carries her everywhere – looking for healing.

My eyes filled with tears as I saw the love this father had for his precious little daughter. He had been everywhere trying to save her. He heard there was an American clinic in the Mole and so he carried her to me. She could barely lift up her head and her pulse was thready. Her time here was coming to an end. I could see he put all his hope in me. I run a simple little clinic. I don’t have the means to save her.

I found myself with that same hopelessness that I felt all those years ago – sitting on the floor in my clinic. I can’t explain it but to say that in that moment –  God wrapped those same loving arms around me and reminded me that He is there. I could feel His presence right there next to me.

But did that father know that He was there?

He had put his hope in me – but that precious daddy needed to put his hope in Christ. In that moment I saw that God brought him on a 2-hour walk  – all the way to the Mole – not so I could heal her – but so that HE could save their family.

I spent the next 30 minutes with tears talking about Jesus. How he wants the little children to come to Him! That Jesus is waiting with His arms wide open to embrace little Natacha! That she will run and play again – in Heaven.

He told me he had been to the witch doctor but he couldn’t save his daughter. He has been to the hospitals and they can’t save her. Someone must save her. Please save her.

I told him about the Great Physician – that HE will save her and HE can save him too.

Through the tears we prayed together and I encouraged him to come back and talk with our pastor.

He asked me what should he do right now?

As her respirations were few and far between – I told him to spend the next few hours holding her, kissing her, and singing her into Heaven…..