Agnes.

You never know what you are going to get with Agnes and that is why I love her so much. She has attitude, she can give it right back, yet she will jump up in your lap and snuggle. Her laugh is contagious. She has a way of saying “auntie dacia” in a very gruff voice that make me laugh every time I hear it.

Agnes was diagnosed with epilepsy several years back. She has been on very good medicine and has received great treatment from our doctor here in Jinja. The seizures have not been as frequent. Yesterday though we had quite the scare. Agnes was in school when her seizure came on and she fell and hit her head on the desk. The teacher took her immediately to the nurse and usually Agnes will come through it shortly after the seizure but yesterday her little body was not responding as usual. They brought her to the hospital late yesterday afternoon. She was not responding and I believe she had more than one seizure. She was not responsive and all of hearts were so worried.

The doctor assured us he would watch her carefully over night. I though, was so restless all night. I hate it when one of ours is so sick. I hate knowing that we cannot run a MRI to see what exactly is going on in her little brain and to know what the effects of the seizure would be. Instead we have an IV of glucose and penicillin to get through the night. This is where faith comes in. The type of faith that I don’t have to tap into very often at home. The faith that all I have really is Him. The faith that ultimately she doesn’t need a prestigious doctor or MRI’s but ultimately she just needs His hands. Hands to hold her in the night. Hands to welcome her to sit in His lap and know that His heart beats for those such as her, an orphan. When we can’t, He can.

I woke very early to make my way to the hospital and I was fearful of what I was going to find. I walked in and there she was sitting up. She didn’t respond to me but her eyes were open and she was sitting up. Grace. I went to get her food and after she ate she began to be more responsive. I was so relieved to see her use both of her arms, although the right is not moving as fast as it once was. I asked her for a “bongo” which is a fist bump and she gave me one. I breathed deeply of His presence that we begged to fill the room. He was there. He did heal.

I went back later to find her awake again. This time the doctor was there and he was explaining to me what the side effects are of her case. One is depression and sadness. As I looked into her eyes, her very young eyes and thought she is too young to have to deal with this. To deal with all of it. Not only epilepsy but to not have her momma there. I looked at the sweet Auntie that has stayed by her side faithfully and has held her hand even while she sleeps and I quietly say, “thank you”.

I reach for Aggi and bring her into my lap. She fights me. The doctor warns me that she might fight me due to the symptoms he just explained to me. Fighting or not- I am going to hold this child in my lap. That is what my momma would do. That is what my daddy would do. They have done so many times…when I don’t want to be held, they held me. Tightly. So i fought her and we sat there for awhile until she finally laid her head back up against my chest and I do not add this for dramatic effect, she smiled.

For the Lord, He is good to the weary. For the Lord, He is good. The Creator is living in her. She will do more than conquer…she will go and tell. Tell of His endless, furious, and boundless love for her.

Please continue to keep Agnes in your prayers.