| Mercy Claire DouglasDear Bloggery,
Let me start at the very beginning. It was late March when my Dad called
me at school in Idaho, telling me that my Mom was expecting a child, due in
late December. This would be blessing number eleven. I was
elated.
Months passed, after an ultrasound we found out she was a girl. It's
early November and I'm back at school. Dad calls me, this time with
different news. They had just discovered that my sister has Trisomy 18, a
genetic disorder. She would not be expected to live long after
birth.
Looking back now, I don't think any of us could comprehend our feelings then,
because we have never experienced anything like this before. We trusted
in God, and prayed for a miracle, but we did not know what to expect. But
as we have seen now...God had special plans...
We got to spend Thanksgiving together as family, which although emotional, was
very pleasant and comforting. I went back to school on Saturday. That
Wednesday, Dad called, Mom just had an emergency C-section (she had never had
one before), a month and a half before she was due. Mercy Claire was born alive, but was only
given a few hours to live.
It was at this time that God really began to move in mighty ways.
I was 2,000 miles away from a sister I thought I might not be able to see, and
my family. It was at this time that God brought some dear friends (Leah,
CJ, Donny, Jesse and Jacque) there to assist and comfort me. I was able
to get a 6:00PM flight out of Moscow
that night. Only to show up at the airport to discover the flight was
canceled, the next one that would leave was the following day at the same
time. But I was able to get a flight out of Spokane (an hour and a half away) the next
morning at 6:00AM. Thanks to the Williams family's hospitality, I was
able to stay at their house that night in Spokane.
I woke up the next morning, talked with my Dad and Claire was still hanging in
there. There was still hope. I had another flight cancellation,
followed by two more delays, missed another flight, but was finally able to arrive
in Dallas that
afternoon at 4:45. I called Dad, he told me to come straight to the
hospital and forget my bags. It was at this time that they had lost
her. Claire had stopped breathing. I made it to the hospital,
rushed into the room and there was Dad, holding her. She was alive!
This was the first of many miracles and blessings that God would work.
The Doctors Gave Her Hours. God Gave Her Days.
I spent several hours at the hospital, then went home to be with my siblings.
We woke up the next morning, to find that Claire was still hanging on. So
I take everyone back to see her again. Saturday morning, Claire was still
hanging in there. Since she was exceeding expectations, the doctors did
tests to see if there was anything they could do to help her. But nothing
could be done. Her organs were not developed enough, so it would only be
a matter of time. But with Mom feeling better from surgery, we could take
her and Claire home. That afternoon, Abbie was able to come, and take
photographs of Claire, and our whole family together. These were two huge
blessings that we had prayed for, that God had answered. That we could
bring her home, and we would be able to get pictures taken.
Sunday morning comes, and Claire is still with us. It was during all of
this time, that one of our family members was always holding Claire. She
was never put in a crib or a bed. She was held through the nights.
Monday, and she was still fighting. We kept holding her. Praying
over her. She passed away peacefully that night, in our home, in her
mother's arms. She was 5 days old.
We were able to bury her on our own land, on top of a hill with a magnificent
view, just a few hundred feet from where our new home will be. This was a
blessing as well. This is land we will
keep in our family, and will be passed down for generations.
I can't really put into words adequately what this whole experience has done
for me and my family. Being the oldest of 10, I have really come to
understand the blessings of children to the fullest that only an oldest brother
could. But Mercy Claire changed this in so many ways. She was a
blessing beyond measure or understanding. Everywhere she was, she was a
testimony of God's faithfulness.
When most families discover they have a baby with Trisomy 18, the baby is
either aborted, or left in the nursery in the hospital. When we left the
hospital, doctors and nurses were crying. God used her as an instrument
to display His masterful plan not only to our family, but to the
community. That we would be drawn closer to Him, and be more trusting
than ever before.
It was also during this time, that God used the means of prayers and support
from so many friends and members of His church, to sustain and strengthen
us. I'm serious, we could feel them. There is no way that we could
have gone through what we did without His power.
This past Saturday, we held a memorial service for Mercy Claire. We made
it like a worship service. Scripture was read, psalms and hymns were
sung, and an amazing sermon by Pastor Gene Franklin was given on...what else?
The blessings of children.
Here is a statement which my Dad wrote, that was put in the orders of worship
for everyone to read. I couldn't say it any better:
Thank you for joining
with us today to give praise and glory and honor to our great God and King for
the life of our daughter and sister, Mercy Claire Douglas. This memorial
service is not a grieving service for Claire or her family. Claire was a
child of the covenant who this very day enjoys the peace and comfort of her
heavenly reward. She lives in a place where there is no death, mourning,
or pain. She will never know sorrow, or loss, or separation from her
heavenly Father. Some might refer to Claire’s five-day life as short, yet
what is the sum of our days in light of God’s eternity?
Claire was made in
the image of God. She had the countenance of an angel and the heart of a
lion. She was a blessing. We will miss her. We will never
forget her. We will love her forever. Our family has been changed
by Claire’s brief life and God has been faithful to us in the process. We
have seen our faithful Christian community and the broader Christian community
from Moscow, Idaho to St.
Petersburg, Russia
rise up to pray for us and the needs and desires of our hearts during this
time. Many are the stories I could share of God’s tender mercies to
us. Our faith has grown and continues to grow. God has revealed
Himself to us in ways we never thought possible in the midst of testing we never
imagined. We serve the one, true, great and faithful God. We do
consider it all joy to have been tested by this trial.
May I exhort us all
(as we pray, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, hear the Word of God
preached and participate in this memorial season) to remember that just like
Claire, we were all once knitted together in the image of the one true
God. That God became an infant man to communicate His great love for His
children and propitiate their redemption. Being made in the image of God carries
obligations of faith and repentance, obedience and service. We can
respond with faith or folly. Our lives can be a blessing or a burden to
our family and friends. Claire’s life should remind us all that time in
this life is short, that God’s blessings for faith, repentance, obedience, and
good works are true and the alternative is unspeakable.
Thank you all very much for your prayers and support. Your comforts have
strengthened us in so many ways that they are incomprehensible.
Our family is doing well. Please pray
that God will fully utilize these instances for the spreading of His gospel and
the sanctification of His people. That this story will be a testimony of
His faithfulness, and that it will change people.
Mercy Claire was the most beautiful child I have ever seen. To think how
much she was loved here, and then compare it to the love of our Father...is
truly amazing. May He be glorified.
 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them! -Psalm 127:3-5  Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." -Luke 18:15-17
"Count it all joy my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds,for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete,lacking in nothing." -James 1:2-4
<>< Nate
|
