Pain into Purpose

Right after getting married, I got pregnant almost immediately. In the beginning, I wish we had waited but God knows best and why I fell pregnant so quickly. I was very sick throughout the pregnancy, the usual morning sickness but lots of throwing up, sweating; I was always hungry and couldn't get myself to eat due to the nausea.

I became very prayeful in my preganncy, I went to challenge bookshop in Accra and took my time to look for a devotional that would help me go through with it. I prayed a lot but I also visited the doctor a lot and everytime he would see me he would tell me what I was going through was very normal.

They don't tell you, but when you're pregnant, you tend to dream a lot... a whole lot.
It was actually an eye opener for me because what I would dream about someway somehow related to my present situation in life.

One strange dream I had, was when i was praying to God to give me a strong healthy normal and special baby. Now how many times do you gets a reply in your dreams, it was like to God. At least I hope it was God. I got a reply, I rarely get direct replies but this one was loud and clear. The voice said your baby would be special and then I felt a warm smile. SPECIAL...what did that mean. I woke up smiling and I told my husband that I had a dream I was talking to God and He said our baby would be special. He replied that was great. But then I began to frown and went into a pensive mode, what exactly did the Lord mean by speical. I became baffled...special could mean anything. Special didn't exactly mean normal but I decided to take the psotive side of that the Lord was going to bless us with a game changer. A baby who would influence the lives of people around in a positive way, a baby who would show unbelievers the power of God, a baby that would change people. Afterall that is what I asked for, a baby with a PURPOSE.

Little did I know what I had asked for is exactly what God had already planned to give me. In my earlier post I spoke about how I had surgery while pregnant. Well this is the preamble to that. My preganancy actually saved my life. Without being pregnant my symptoms of intestinal obstruction would have never shown. That aside, the Lord had given me a heads up about the type of baby we would be having. A fighter, and most of all a special baby.

I went through a lot of physical pain before surgery and after surgery  and then that same pain become an emotional one when baby Giovanni was born. at 3 days old the pediatrican already relaised that he had microcephaly. I remeber going to see her and she asked me to look at my baby and what did I see different about him. I immediately pointed out the curous shape of his head. I realised that the moment he came out and although I had never seen a freshly born baby, Giovanni looked sickly and awfully pale when he came out. I guess due to the lack of nutrients throughout the pregnancy and the surgery.

It was painful to hear the news the doctor gave. That day was frustrating. After giving birth then they tell you your baby is going to have a couple of problems for the rest of his life... It was PAINFUL.

But God had already told me the purpose of this pain. It took me a little while however to deal with it and believe that God had a purpose/ He was on a mission, to change people's lives, to change my life and also my husband's.

Thats what I call purposeful pain. God puts your through things for a reason; to not only make you stronger but to prepare you for something bigger. He puts certain things in your hands because He trusts you. Regardless of the complications during my pregnancy, Giovanni survived. He has quite a number of  medical issues but he's a fighter and the Lord trusts that we (parents) are the best fit to love and take care of him.

Pain is an eye opener: I've been toying around with ideas in my head about how the current health system in Ghana lacks a physiotherapy centre totally dedicated to pediatrics. There is one at 37, osu and apelemkpe but either they do not entirely concetrate on children or they are congested due to pressure on the facility. There is room for improvement. It has also opened my eyes to the Disability Act in Ghana, it is poorly formulated and very vague, it needs to be worked on to help those with special needs esepcially children.

Amazing how the Lord can turn pain into PURPOSE!