My first outside of the jwdub world and I was amazed at the emotions I experienced. About 50 people were there to support the family in their time of grief
There was a graveside service for a baby that had died this week. She was born April 2 and died April 3.
This was a couple I enjoyed taking care of in the midwifery practice I’m a part of. I had delivered their last child; #3 and we had a wonderful experience together. We had bonded through our respect for doing things naturally, which I was able to help her have the birth experience she wanted.
This couple is in their mid 30’s, religious to the point of being missionaries for their religion. When Honduras had the terrible rains and floods a couple of years ago, they were there. They have traveled to many places in the world on their missionary work. She and I always had a nice chat during her prenatal visits with her past history and me sharing a little of mine.
I had seen them Monday in the clinic and we were enjoyed talking about what she wanted to do this time during this labor and delivery. I was looking forward to their baby’s birth.
She delivered a little girl Tuesday morning, another midwife was on duty, and immediately the baby displayed problems adapting to life outside the uterus. Every effort to resuscitate the baby was being used. Still the baby was not breathing well. A chest x-ray showed that the little girl had a diaphragmic hernia on her right side. This is a condition that while developing in utero the diaphragm has a hole in it that allowed the intestines to fill up into her lung area and not allow the lung to develop or expand after the baby’s born. It’s rare in females and rare to be on the right side. Also several ultrasounds in pregnancy had not picked up on this defect. The baby was flown to a large university hospital with a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) but the defect was not compatible to allow her to live. She died peacefully while her father was holding her the next day.
So today another midwife and I went to the graveside service. The minister read a whole chapter from the bible about Jesus having many rooms for his followers, not just proof texts on what their religion taught. Then a couple sang a beautiful song accompanied by guitar, that was very moving. The mother knew this song and was mouthing the words along with the singers. You could see she was visible comforted by a song dear to her and expressing her emotions through it. The minister again talked about the Grace of God and what his kingdom does today to help people through their tragedies. The father got up and sang a song to his daughter, playing the guitar himself.
It was very moving emotionally but also comforting to hear people say they don’t have all the answers, but are looking forward to being with loved ones again as Jesus promised.
It was not the usual jw scene at a funeral at all. It was nice to see everyday normal people sharing their time to help one another grieve. The mother has a nose ring, many men have nice beards, and no one cared about the length of anyone’s hemline. Just a lovely little church group made up a decent people. It was filled with love and respect for this family and what they are going through.
It was nice to witness other people’s display of Christianity and a service that spoke from the heart.