What is a Christian? The Story of Baby Wanted
by When your faith is challenged a lesson is learned. This is a story of the days I learned my way in life. Am I a Christian, because I don’t go to church on Sunday?
I found my answer through a newborn child.
I felt cold; I was full of sadness for that young couple, I was also a little angry but then I did not give birth to Baby Wanted, I was only his nurse, and who was I to judge what they were going through. I was sad that they left a teddy and walked away, for nearly eight days not one enquiry came his way from any member of his family, he was wanted and unwanted at the same time by his family, how tormented they must have been.
I went on duty for the night shift, I bathed little Wanted and we settled into a chair for his feed, his feet stuck into my armpit and his head resting on my arm, his comfy position. I noted he did not feed so well and that his whimpering was weaker, I reported to the doctor on call that he might be needed later and to be on standby for my call, he decided to spend most of the night using our unit as his base, I did like this doctor he had a bedside manner others could have learnt from. At ten fifty five I noticed baby Wanted was struggling, his little arm was rolling side to side, I called the doctor over and he decided to get sedation for the child, his distress was obvious. When the doctor came back into the room he said he saw a tired , pale face with tears running down it, he was only needed to sign the death certificate, it was over baby Wanted had passed away in my arms.
I made the requested call to his family, they thanked me for calling and that they would make special arrangements for his collection, I asked if they wanted the teddy with him or put aside for collection, they told me to keep it, they didn’t want reminders, as I say I still have it to this day thanks to admin office. I asked if I would be allowed to attend the funeral, the Grandmother said they would like that but I was not to approach their daughter, she was to be protected from ‘all this’.
I went to the funeral, I sat at the back, it was a very elaborate funeral, every flower picked, every song sung with gusto and every prayer chanted with full force, a Christian, church going family buried their child with pomp and ceremony yet not one had looked into his diamond blue eye.
I no longer beat myself up for not going to church on a Sunday, I know I can be a Christian in my own way and follow what I feel is Christianity for me. God gave me my role, he showed me what he wanted from me, to do the right thing wherever I may be. Baby Wanted taught me strength of character, he was a teacher of man, he was a gift for eighteen days, and eight of those were a gift for me.
This is not an article to set off a debate of whether it is right to go to church or not, it is purely the story of my life and the path I have been led down by something special that happened. Whenever I doubt myself, I get out the teddy bear and am reminded of the gift of strength and love I was given.
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Post Commentlynn high
On August 12, 2008 at 7:47 am
Amazing story. Very sad and filled with emotion, yet very comforting knowing that the baby had you. Thank you for sharing.
tonisan60
On August 12, 2008 at 9:37 am
Sad story, but very well explained, if I understood well you are a nurse, that is a terrific job, maybe the best one in the world, it takes a lot of patience and empathy to do this kind of work.
Thank you for sharing it, keep writting about your experiences in the nurse proffession.
On the other hand, I think that Christianity is a call of service, it is more about helping other people than going to church everyday, don’t get me wrong, I think that going to church is important but not the most important thing to do, what you do everyday, that is the most important thing, take care of others.
My claps for your work and mu infinitive kisses and sidereal hugs for your shinny soul.
God bless you
Glynis Smy
On August 12, 2008 at 9:54 am
Bless you both for taking the time to comment.
Kaveri
On August 13, 2008 at 7:00 am
That was really touching. YOU are the best nurse ever! How caring! A million regards. I vote for it.
Bye
Kiki Stamatiou
On August 16, 2008 at 11:58 am
This is a very heart warming story. I admire the nurse in the story who became more of a mother to the child and a better one at that then the child’s birth mother. I like the fact that the nurse stood by the child throughout his painful ordeal up until the child’s funeral.
Take Care,
Kiki Stamatiou (Joanna Maharis)
Carolyn Ann Aish
On December 26, 2008 at 1:48 pm
A well-written account, Glynis. How nice to have written it all down and to be able to recall it so well. How caring and loving you are! I weep for many reasons; for the babe; for the parents and family – for what they missed; for the joy and grief you have in little ‘wanted’s’ brief life — I weep for the understanding of God’s will in all of this… Sometime, some day, we will understand but not now, not yet…
Glynis Smy
On December 26, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Thank you all for your kind words, there is not a day goes by where I don’t think of this little guy, he gave me an inner strength.
Glynis Smy
On January 5, 2009 at 2:32 am
There is a fix in for this article, plus I have asked to add a photo of the teddy
louie jerome
On November 15, 2009 at 7:02 am
A very moving story.
The BEDBUG Blog
On November 16, 2009 at 8:39 pm
How sad that the couple’s faith wasn’t enough to sustain them so that they met their child’ needs. Thank goodness that poor child felt the comfort of human companionship and caring in its few days on earth.
Christine H
On January 6, 2011 at 7:28 am
I can’t imagine how you can endure your job. I don’t think I could bear it. But I thank God for giving us people who can be such solid blessings and caregivers when we need them so much.
I wonder what happened before the birth, if the doctors had advised her to have an abortion and she refused because of her faith, because it sounds like she disconnected emotionally long before the birth. I know that if it was my child I would still have tried to hold him and do something for him; you probably would have been prying me off him to avoid hurting him. But then, I wasn’t there and didn’t see the defects you mention. I can understand how it must have been that the family just couldn’t cope at first, but to go that long without even asking after him is more than heartless, not to mention hypocritical.
I can’t believe the pastor didn’t even inquire after him, or a grandparent, or somebody.
You are right, Glynis, that many churchgoing people are wrapped up in ritual and litany, stained glass and Sunday best, without being able to apply that faith in the midst of life’s realities. To be fair, many just aren’t raised to be real or in the world, such as that young mother seems to have been protected by her mother from the ugliness of her son’s birth defects. But many of us are trying very hard to apply our faith and be the real hands and feet of Christ to those who need us. The purpose of going to church is to be part of a community that will encourage us to do just that, and to support each other and be accountable to each other, and to care for each other when we ourselves need lifting up. It’s also to keep people from falling into heresy, imagining some vision or new interpretation of the Bible alone in their room.
So, just to explain why community is important, though you probably already knew that.
Thank you so much for sharing this story, and for being Christ every day.
Glynis Smy
On January 6, 2011 at 8:39 am
Christine, thank you for reading and taking time to comment. Yes community is important. My community here in Cyprus is my expat and Cypriot friends. We live alongside each other, the language of care, love and support needs no words.
Sarah
On February 26, 2011 at 8:04 am
I can’t imagine walking away from my dying baby, but like you say, it didn’t happen to us.
I’m glad that Baby Wanted had the comfort of your strong arms as he passed.
A heartfelt story, thanks for sharing.