Precious arrived on Tuesday. Precious is my son Charles’ second child, a beautiful 6 pound boy. We have been awaiting his arrival. He was named shortly after his parents knew he was coming. This is a common name in Malawi, for a girl or a boy. He was three weeks overdue and we were praying diligently for him and for his mother, Alinafe, who was struggling as she waited, anxious that the baby was well. That is a major concern here in Malawi when delivery is late. The doctor decided to induce labor. This, too, is anxiety producing in Malawi, but all went well.
Alinafe went to her doctor’s appointment at 9 a.m. on Monday knowing that this was a possibility. She called me about 9:30 to tell me that the doctor wanted to admit her and induce. We had talked about this, but there was still anxiety in her voice. I assured her all would be fine and that I was on my way. Charles was with her, so she was not alone. She is much more like a daughter to me than a daughter-in-law, so I was not surprised that she wanted me there. As she was getting settled in the labor area of Blantyre Adventist Hospital, she heard a nurse talking to another patient who had been induced and the labor had not started. The nurse assured her that was nothing all that unusual. Inducing does not always work but there is always a C-section. That was no comfort to Alinafe. We prayed and that helped her a bit. The nurse prepped her and they began an IV drip. About an hour later she sent me home. She said she was fine; Charles would stay, and this might take time. So off I went, to work at home and to wait for a call. It didn’t come, so about 6 p.m. I called Charles. He said nothing was happening but minor contractions and that he would call when he had news. He is a man of few words, so I knew not to push for details; there would be none. I checked again about 10 p.m. and the story was the same. But at 12:30 a.m. I got a call from a breathless son proclaiming, “It’s a boy! It’s a boy!” He instructed me to come at once.
Only in Malawi does the grandmother get preferential treatment from the hospital staff at 1 a.m. when she wants to see her new grandson. Security greeted me and ushered me to the maternity ward. There was a beaming mother and a proud father. He was not only proud of his son, the pray of his heart, but of himself for being there for the delivery, not a typical Malawian father’s place. I was proud of him, too. He is quiet and modest and this was a real stretch for him, but it was what Alinafe wanted and he was able to do it. When I walked into the room, Charles was holding the baby and immediately handed him to me. There I stood, holding this tiny life, less than an hour old. As I looked at his perfect little fingers wrapping around mine, all I could think of was the David’s words from Psalm 139.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
I knew that full well as I looked at that precious little one. Precious he is!
Precious at just a few hours old. Yes, a boy, but a pink hat. This is Malawi. Color is not important
