Little Julianna

Congrats to Ephriam and Annie!!

If you have been following our blog for the last 3 years you will remember Ephriam is a young man Nathan met during street ministry and led to Jesus.  On fire for the Lord, Ephriam immediately began sharing the message of God's love with his Malawian friends and soon started meeting with them in his home - followed by 2 baptism ceremonies... then Ephriam went back to Malawi to fetch Annie and Nathan officiated their wedding here in Knysna.  Then we celebrated Annie's baptism.

Saturday 29th of June... Ephriam called at 11:30 to say that Annie went to hospital by ambulance to deliver their expected baby.  I rushed to the hospital to find her already in the delivery room (for my American friends - notice the comfortable surroundings for delivering a baby here... NOT!).

Annie was only dilated to 1 cm - but contractions were coming 90 seconds apart.  From midnight until 6am EVERY 60-90 seconds I encouraged deep relaxing breaths through labor... at 5:30 they gave her nitrous oxide and we caught 15 min of shut-eye. .  The Doctor arrived to check her at 6:30 only to find her dilated to 6 and not going any further - a C-Section was needed for this baby to come out.  From 7-8 I slept in her post-operation room while she gave birth.  I was sending Ephriam sms's throughout the 

night to update him of her status... Just as she was wheeled into her recovery room he arrived at the door... God directed him with perfect timing as there was no cell phone service where he was staying and he only received my messages a few minutes before in the taxi!

During labor I asked her if they had picked out names and could she share with me what they were. (Some African cultures to not pick a name until after the baby is born - in The Gambia they did not announce the name until the baby was 2 weeks old.)  Annie said that Ephriam chose the boys name and they had a girls name... but she didn't seem to want to share what they were and I didn't push.  Only when Ephriam arrived did he tell me that her name is "Julianna... because I was there to bring her into the world!"

I didn't even get to hold her cause I had to rush home with the car for Nathan to speed off for church (he was a few minutes late).  Ephriam, committed to fellowship with the Lord, arrived at church a few minutes later and apologized to Nathan that his baby was not a boy... "he would have been named Nathan!" 

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing"

(Psalm 127:3)