CHANGE

_CHANGE

By Laura Davidson, August 14 2017

I am sitting here on my bed, trying to write a blog post while nursing Hannah. Mournful wails are emanating from the bathroom “I need someone to take care of me.” My very capable three year old would rather have Mommy help with every little thing. She does it on her own half the time and we are trying to encourage her to be more independent.

“Mommy!!!! I need you!”

“You can do it by yourself this time, I have to write a blog post.”

“Why?”

“Because I have been needing to write a blog post for weeks!” Or has it been months! I am mortified and embarrassed that I have not been doing better at keeping you all informed.

“Mommy, I would like to go swimming!” Kathryn starts announcing as she is looking in her drawer in her room, choosing what to wear for the day. She has spotted her swimming suit. We are enjoying Grandma and Papa’s pool and have started the process of teaching Kathryn to swim.

Swimming, laundry, doing art projects with Kathryn, grocery shopping, meeting with friends, taking care of Hannah, all these things delightfully fill my days and I just find it hard to make the time to sit down at my computer and write.

Change….. most of us don't like change. Why is change so hard sometimes!? Not a whole lot is changing, but enough details are up in the air that it is hard to know what to tell you, because the details may change tomorrow.

Edwin talked with Uncle David Gates on the phone this morning. It was so helpful, but do we know whats happening now? Not really.

Before we became full time volunteer missionaries, many people who had been-there-done-that told us that the best advise they had was to be flexible, and boy were they right.

Flexibility! I want to be flexible, able to be shaped and molded in the hand of God.

Kathryn has been playing happily on the floor waiting for me. I need to go swim with her for a bit.

*********

Swimming, lunch, bath and nap time routine are completed. Kathryn is in her bed attempting to nap, I have a few more min to write. Yay!

So here's what we know:

• Number one is that we can’t wait to go back to Guyana! And we will, soon, Lord willing.

• James Ash, along with his wife Joy and girls, Jenna and
  

  

  Julianna are retiring from foreign mission service for the time being. Yes, for real, you heard what I said. They have been invaluable in Guyana, how can the work go on without them!? But it must, and the Lord will provide. It could easily be considered that James was doing the work of three people. Doing the grocery shopping (don’t think of grocery shopping in the US, this is way different) and delivering by plane, groceries for many volunteer families, like 13 I think he said. He provided supplies and transportation for the bible workers and medical practitioners out in the jungle, along with transportation for any conference workers who needed to be at special events in remote places. James took care of all of the administrative side of GAMAS (Guyana Adventist Ministries And Services) including helping the many missionaries sort out visa complications and interviewing potential new volunteers. Perhaps most importantly, James provided emergency medical evacuation for anyone and everyone in need. Last week one missionary family’s young son fell out of bed and broke his shoulder bone. There was no way to get the boy to the medical help he

  

  needed. A few days later the father posted on Facebook that they were somehow able to get the boy to Georgetown. I can imagine that there is quite a story of the Lords providence in providing for their needs. The Lord will always provide for His people. The Ash family has been serving selflessly and faithfully for 11 years. It is time for them to be able to let some one else step up to fill their shoes, though I think we need about three people or more to be able to fill the shoes of James Ash. They will be missed in Guyana terribly! 

• David Gates himself will be stepping into the position of Director of GAMAS until someone else can be found to fill that position.

• Richard and Tamara are doing a fabulous job of taking care of things at the flight-base in Georgetown, but they are leaving as soon as some paperwork goes through!

• Uncle David Gates told Edwin this morning that he would like for there to be three working planes in Guyana, Uncle David will also use his Twin Comanche when and where he is able.

• There are four mission pilots in, or soon to be in Guyana. He would like to pair Lincoln Gomez with Daniel Baquerro, And pair Edwin Davidson with Chris Eno. What does that mean? Well, Lincoln’s home village is Paruima, Uncle David doesn't want to take him away from his family and his home village, that is totally understandable. The Eno’s are in Bethany… Uncle David said that he would eventually like us to be stationed down in the southern part of the country. “We will have to see how the Lord leads..” He told Edwin.

• There is another volunteer missionary family living in “our house” in Paruima right now. Housing is in high demand in Paruima. The principle, Steven Williams, asked our permission before he let the new family stay in “our house”. We said "yes".

My first reaction is NNNNOOOOO!!!!! I love Paruima, that is where my heart is, that is where my friends are, I love those people, I wanted to build a house there and live there forever!!!!!!

I was afraid of this. As we were packing up to leave, I had a foreboding in my heart that things would never be the same again. Those last few weeks, living in the duplex that they call “the white house” were the very happiest weeks of my life!

We had the privacy of a place of our own, Edwin was teaching at the school. He was home every day for lunch….Such a beautiful, peacefully and happy place to raise a family. We had best friends living a hop and a skip away….ahhh so many happy memories are crammed into those few weeks!

Why is it that when I feel my selfish desires starting to wrap their clingy fingers onto something, that the Lord takes it away from me. I should have learned by now to live with an open hand, allowing the Lord to give and take what He deems best. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” Job 13:15 But I shouldn't be so selfish to think that it's only about MY heart. The Lord knows the end from the beginning, he knows whats best. What’s best for everyone.

“But when the Savior calls for our possessions and our service, there are many who see they cannot obey God and carry their earthly treasures with them, and they decide to stay by their treasures….We must accept the suffering part of religion if we would sit down with the Suffering One upon His throne." SD page 234

I surrender, I surrender all. I still hope that we can spend at least SOME time in Paruima, but I surrender Paruima. I am willing, all over again to go where the Lord wants me to go, yes anywhere! I DO love adventure and know that I will make friends and be happy no matter where I find myself. We have great friends in Bethany, I am excited at the possibility of being able to spend more time with Crystal Eno and her children, that would be so fun!

Change.

Flexibility.

Am I ready?

By God’s grace, and with His help….

BRING IT ON!!!!!!! 

Hello Hannah by Laura Davidson

Hello Hannah

by Laura Davidson Sep. 7 2017

What a privilege to have the responsibility of raising another child for the Lord!

On May 16, Hannah Jeanette Davidson was born. We couldn't be more thrilled and delighted!

We flew from Guyana, back to the US, when I was 32 weeks pregnant, the last week that expecting moms are allowed to fly commercially, without a letter from a Doctor, stating that she and baby are healthy and able to fly.

April 24 we made our way to my parent’s home in Dunlap TN, and settled down to await our baby’s arrival. I was so excited! Who would this little person be? A girl? A boy? How much would baby weigh? What day would baby choose to be their Birthday?

I had invited my sister Sarah to be present for the birth. She did NOT intend to miss the baby’s grand entrance. She and her family were here at my parents house every chance they got.

My due date came, and went. Baby was so low in my pelvis, it made walking, and life in general, a bit uncomfortable. I felt huge! I was huge! I kept walking every day, as I had been trying to do every day, especially during the last trimester, to prepare my body for the marathon of giving birth.

When I went to bed on the 15th, I started having mild contractions, very far apart. I slept between them. They were just strong enough to wake me up, I would rouse, look to see what time it was, then fall back to sleep.

(Edwin doesn’t want me to go into too much detail…. so, here is an overview of Hannah’s birth day. Cutting out details is going to be hard for me to do!!!!)

About midnight, contractions got stronger and closer together. I couldn't sleep, then they kind of faded away. I was anxious for our baby to be born and didn't want my contractions to stop! I was too uncomfortable to sleep, I was starting to get hungry. About 3am I woke Sarah up. She was thrilled and excited. She made some fresh red raspberry leaf tea for me and got me something to eat. We sat on the couch visiting. My contractions came back, and were just strong enough that I couldn't continue conversing through them.

Contractions became more intense, I became more excited! The front guest room at my parents house was fixed up all cozy for the birth and had all the birthing supplies set out, and ready. Sarah and I went into the front room, I turned on a ball of Christmas lights, rocked lightly on my birthing ball while Sarah rubbed my back and read my birth affirmation cards. “My body was made for this, created and designed by God, to be able to give birth.” “300,000 women will be giving birth with me today.”

It was so serene, the morning birds started singing, the light of dawn crept across the sky. I enjoyed an inner calm while riding the strength of the waves of my contractions. My body and baby were preparing for birth.

Suddenly I felt very sleepy. I sat in my “floor nest” of blankets and rested against the fluffy blanket that was thrown over my birthing ball. I slept for two hours, awaking at 7 am. Kathryn was just waking up. I went and hugged my sleepy big girl, got her out of bed and we all sat down to eat a delicious breakfast that my Mommy had made. I had two more contractions during breakfast.

I was still sleepy, I went and laid down in bed and slept for two more hours.

When I woke up, I decided to go for a walk to get contractions going again, even though it felt like baby’s head was grinding in my pelvis with every step!

We only made it to the mailboxes. We sat on the bench, visiting and taking pictures. We headed back to the house, and that’s when contractions hit. I was glad that Edwin was with me. I felt like I was unable to stand, when a contraction would hit. My legs felt weak. I would kneel on the ground and wait for it to pass. Edwin would help me up. We would slowly walk 15-20 more feet and another contraction would hit. Sarah and the kids went on to the house to start lunch.

When we got back to the house, I collapsed in my floor nest and rested on my birth ball. I was tired, I was hot, I was sweaty, contractions were coming hard and fast.

As soon as I felt rested enough, I made my way to the shower. Oh… what sweet relief. I sat on the shower stool, the warm water running over. The shower was so soothing that contractions became light and further apart. I was hungry, so I sat down and had two bowls of soup with my family.

Edwin went to put Kathryn down for her afternoon nap. I went and rested against my birth ball and promptly fell asleep AGAIN!

I woke in a haze of pain, but I was calm and focused on the task before me. Edwin tried to time my contractions, but was having a hard time knowing when each one started and stopped. I was too focused and didn't want to be bothered by trying to communicate.

When I threw up, we knew I was in transition. We called my Mommy to come home from work. I wanted her to be able to be there for the birth. She arrived about 3:40 pm.

I had been doing well laboring while kneeling, until my legs started to go to sleep. My Mommy and sister helped me onto a make shift birthing stool. Edwin knelt in front of me, with each contraction I buried my face in Edwin’s shoulder and made a low groaning sound. It gave me the focal point I needed. Even though the contractions were strong and there was a burning sensation in my pelvis, I always felt in control, and like I could handle it, (unlike Kathryn’s birth).

When I started to feel my body have a small pushing urge with each contraction, I just went with it, only pushing to comfort.

At 5:09 my water broke. I gradually felt more “pushy” and the pressure of baby’s head moving down. Each contraction seemed to be a combination of long and short urges to push. I didn't want to rush the process. I just pushed when I couldn't help but push, and let fetal ejection reflex take over. It was amazing!

I moved to my knees on my floor nest again.

I was starting to get tired, I was running out of energy! Sarah and Mommy brought me some grape juice and a fruit popsicle. I took a sip and a nibble hoping it would give me the energy I needed.

A few of the songs on the playlist I had been enjoying, started to annoy me. I needed to focus ALL my attention on what was going on inside of me.

Then I reached down and felt the head of my precious baby! (Crowning at 5:40 pm) Oh the joy! I was totally lost in the miracle of the moment, relishing it. “The baby’s head is wrinkly.” I murmured, half to myself.

Everyone burst into talking and action, they had not realized I was that close. I had waited so long to touch my baby, to hold it in my arms, it wouldn't be long now!!!

The ejection reflex was getting stronger, I could feel baby moving down and out.

My hand was on baby’s head as it slipped out, such an amazing feeling! I looked down to see a perfect little face, eyes closed, mouth open… then baby tumbled out. I lowered the baby to the chux pad inches below. I lifted baby’s slippery, vernix covered self to myself. Baby cried almost immediately. I was anxious to find out the gender. “Its a girl! Her name is Hannah.” I announced. I was so happy, I could hardly wait for Kathryn to meet her sister. (5:54 pm Hannah was born.)

Soon I was covered appropriately and Kathryn who had been jumping on the trampoline with her three cousins, my brother in law Eric and my Daddy, came piling into the room. Kathryn came barging in first, she had heard Hannah cry and nothing was going to stop her from running to the house and being the first one to see the new baby, “Kathryn, you have a baby sister, this is Hannah.” She was thrilled and delighted, full of wonder!

I was so happy to have all my family crowding around enjoying this moment with me. My Daddy offered a special prayer for the Hannah.

Later we got settled into the bed, I nursed Hannah, we ate a little supper, we called our family to tell them the happy news.

I had done it, I had had my dream birth, It felt so empowering and healing! Our baby was healthy and adorable! God has made the woman’s body to be able to birth. Praise the Lord Hannah’s birth went smoothly!

About two hours after the birth, Kathryn helped her Daddy cut the cord. It was white and limp, no longer pulsing. I had tried to deliver the placenta several times already, but it wasn't coming. I ended up instant messaging a midwife in one of my birthing groups on Facebook. She was so helpful and reassuring. I had no indications of hemorrhage, I had been taking the proper herbal extracts. We were pretty sure that the placenta had safely detached, but that my body was just tired and wasn't producing the needed contractions to get it out. I will spare you the details, but the placenta was finally delivered about 6 1/2 hours after the birth. I was so glad that I could go to bed. “Delivering Hannah was easy compared to trying to deliver that placenta!” I complained.

It wouldn't be right to refrain from admitting that the first three weeks after Hannah’s birth were horrible. I had three areas that appeared to be blood clots in the varicosities in my right leg. I know, I know, I didn't tell very many people because I didn't want anyone freaking out, but I was seriously freaking out. I stayed in bed most of the time for three weeks, with my feet up, because being upright was unbearably painful. I had help doing hydrotherapy treatments on my leg, which helped ease the pain. I took two capsules of cayenne pepper at each meal to prevent further clotting or complications, we realized after I stopped, that the cayenne was causing Hannah’s colic! Hannah was so fussy and screaming for hours on end, those first three weeks. I still can’t eat anything too spicy. During the first three weeks Hannah also had some jaundice and had to be sunned. She developed a small infection under her arm, she had goopy eyes from clogged tear ducts, her belly button started stinking, Kathryn got sick with a fever, I got sick with a fever, Edwin was gone for a week…..

Yep, I wasn't kidding, it was horrible. And needless to say, I had postpartum depression. But the best part was that I was at my Mommy’s house. She fixed all the meals, helped care for Kathryn, and rocked Hannah while she cried…. What a life saver she was, thank you Mommy!

Now Hannah will be four months old in 9 days. We are all healthy and well. My postpartum depression is gone, at least most of the time. Kathryn adores her baby sister. Hannah is a happy, squealing, smiling baby… My cup runneth over with blessings. Praise the Lord!