3 minute read
The Gift of Life
It was a sunny afternoon on the peaceful compound of the Ile-Ife Adventist Hospital in Nigeria. My brother Joshua and I, three and five years old at the time, were walking with our mom to the nearby market. As we passed through the hospital halls, one of the nurses rushed out of the maternity ward and frantically called, “Dr. Lohr, we need you now!”
As my mom hurried into the ward to help with the complicated delivery, she motioned us into the nurses’ station, where we were told to sit still and wait for her.
Joshua and I obeyed at first. But as the minutes dragged on, we became restless. We made our way down the hall to the delivery room and came to a sudden stop when we saw a woman push out her baby into our mother’s arms. Our eyes widened as we gasped at the sight. I’ll never forget that moment. It shaped my life. It’s when I knew that I, too, wanted to become a doctor someday.
From then on, I begged my mom to take me with her so I could watch her deliver babies. I couldn’t get enough of seeing little lives enter the world.
I’ve thought of those childhood memories often these past few weeks as I’ve worked in the maternity ward of Kendu Adventist Hospital, where I serve as a student missionary. I’ve had some of the best experiences here.
One day this week, I arrived at work just in time to help take a mother to a C-section. Usually, the surgical team allowed me to be the second person assisting in surgeries, but this time, they thought I was ready to be the first person assisting! It was incredible!
The best part, though, was that the mother asked for my name afterward. When I told her my name, she decided to name her newborn daughter Michaela. It was extra special because it all happened on my birthday!
The magic of birth never ceases to amaze me. Each time I get to help with a delivery, I’m awestruck by how God gives each of us the gift of life.
Not only that, but it says in John 10:10, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Jesus came to Earth to give us a chance to truly live. The more I think about it, the more I realize this is a gift we can’t take for granted. Life has so much to offer, and each moment of each day is a gift we can treasure.
Adventist Volunteer Service
Would you like to help make a positive impact in the lives of others? If so, please consider volunteering through Adventist Volunteer Service, which facilitates church members’ volunteer service worldwide. Volunteers age 18 to 80 may serve as teachers, medical professionals, computer technicians, orphanage workers, farmers, pastors, and more. To learn more, visit AdventistVolunteers.org
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