Herbert and Beatrice and Baby...a cute family of 3

We praise the Lord for the safe arrival of another covenant child in our community here.  Baby Eric (*smiles*) was born to Herbert and Beatrice.  Herbert is a student at KTC and maybe you remember when they exchanged marriage vows in a counter-cultural way last December in an effort to glorify God in their marriage.  Currently, they are living in Mbale where Herbert works as a night watchman.  Herbert is a devoted and godly husband who leads his wife in devotions and prayer every day.  He is also a hard worker. In addition to finishing his last year at school and his job as a night watchman, he is also pastoring the OPCU village church at Mazimasa.  He bicycles 17 kilometers every Sunday (each way) to bring the Word of God to the believers there.  Because transportation is too difficult for Beatrice, she attends church at Mbale OPCU.  

Beatrice's labor was very long.  Over 48 hours of hard active back labor.  It ended just after midnight on October 3rd with a c-section because her baby was in distress.  We have all continually praised the Lord that she was not in the village when she went into labor.  It would have almost certainly been a death sentence to her, the baby or both of them.  We were also thankful that she did not have to deliver at the free hospital here in town.  It is a dirty place with chickens roaming free, ladies laboring and recovering on the floor, the stench of urine and death hanging in the air.  To go under the knife there is dangerous at best, deadly at worst.  But because they were in town and because friends in North America have donated money to help with emergency medical needs like this, she was able to deliver at a cleaner hospital.  I was able to attend the last 12 hours or so and the more I reflect on how it went, the more I feel that death came close and the Lord was gracious.  The entire cost of 4 days in the hospital, major surgery and medicine came to $400 USD.  Pennies compared to a similar situation in America... but life to this precious, godly, covenant family.  And as an added awesome bonus...an OPC church in America hosted a baby shower for this couple, so they have nice cloth diapers, sweet hand made blankets and clothes...lots of clothes!  How fun!  :)