We’ve had this child named Janani in ICU for quite a few days now. Janani is not an ordinary child. Like most others in ICU she is sick and fighting to stay alive. Unlike many other children, Janani has never been a normal child. She has severe cerebral palsy. At 11 years of age she has severe microcephaly (very small head). Her limbs are bent and folded. She stares vacantly. Her back is twisted. She has to be fed by her mother. She can’t even sit up in bed by herself.
And now to make things work she’s been admitted with a bad pneumonia. She needed artificial respiration with a ventilator for a couple of days and although we took her off the ventilator she just kept worsening. Now we had to make a tough decision. Since the nature of her illness was irreversible we offered the parents the option of taking the child home. From a simple human point of view here was a child sho never even recognized anyone and was totally dependent on her parents for each activity. What’s the use of just going on…
The mother then made a decision. “I want all the treatment that is necessary. I will pay for it even if it costs me everything. This is my only child and I had her after many years of infertility. I’d rather die than watch my child die….”
That is love. I could not but equate it to what Christ did for me…. I was worthless…incapable of any good. A parasite. Yet He loved me enough. He paid the full price for my redemption and cure. “I’d rather die than watch this child of mine die” He said and laid down Hid life for me. He loves me as though I am His only child..
What an amazing lesson I learnt……..