Meet Odette. She is 25 y.o. and has quite the story to tell.
When she came to the Clinic two weeks ago (June 6th), she was 8 months pregnant with her sixth child. But she had not felt the baby move in 4 or 5 days. Upon physical assessment we could tell that the baby had not only died but had already started to decompose...inside her. We sent her to the hospital in town for a D&C or for them to induce labor to deliver the dead baby. And put her on LOTS of antibiotics - the big risk with a spontaneous abortion/miscarriage is that infection sets in and the Mom is at severe risk of getting septicemia (a blood infection which can very easily lead to death.)
Last week (June 12th) when she came in again she looked a lot healthier and was smiling. Happy to still be alive.
She is HIV+ and has already lost 4 of her 5 children and her first husband to the disease - though she didn't know she was HIV+ til coming in two weeks ago. Thinking the reason her family was dying was a spiritual issue, she turned her back on God, stopped going to church and sought out help from a witch-doctor. Who told her that Satan was 'eating' her family and she needed to offer a 'gombo' (sacrifice) of a mother hen and a cock to stop/appease him.
Prudence let me pray and share Scripture with Odette. I'd just read Romans 8 in my Devotions that morning and so much of it was applicable. THANKFULLY I had my Creole/English New Testament with me! I read both from Romans 8 and Romans 9. I explained that even if she had left God, He had not left her, and He still loved her and was waiting for her. That she was His child. We prayed together thanking Him for the plan He still has for her life. And asking for forgiveness, coming back to Him and wanting to LIVE for Him.
We asked some more questions about the witch-doctor and if she'd already offered the sacrifice? She said she had NOT and that, "Mwen chute boko - map viv Jezi" - I've rejected the witchdoctor and I'm living for Jesus."
I was able to get a Creole Bible for her and the next time she is in for HIV meds she will be able to take it with her. Prudence 'happened' to know of someone in a church near to where she lives - even though she is quite far from Vaudreuil - and wrote to let him know about her situation and her coming back to Christ.
When asked if I could have a picture with her and share her story she smiled and said she had no problem with this.
Continue to pray for her and her walk with the Lord. And continue to PRAISE Him for the amazing work He is doing in changing lives!!!
