He-She

I believe the times we grow closer to God are when we are faced with trials and have no other alternative but to fully rely on Him. No doubt He allows situations to come into our lives for reasons that we often don’t understand. “He-She” a hermaphrodite baby caused my husband Jim & I to rely on God like never before.

I will never forget the day I was hailed down by a young mother longing for advice. Her anxious voice cried out for help. Not certain as to what sex her 10-month-old child was, she sought me for advice. I hesitated and longed to find an excuse to avoid this situation. With only 7 days left in Ethiopia, my eyes had seen enough.

Not able to escape the clutches of the panic stricken mom, I examined the wee one. I lifted up the tattered tunic that laid limply on the little one’s torso to discover that the male genitals were intact. Yet, I questioned. Upon closer examination, I did take note of how there seem to be an absence of the male organ within the folds of skin.

I was convinced my calling was to share the gospel but I knew I was not to shun this little one. A visit to a doctor deemed necessary.

After being examined, it was confirmed this wee baby was indeed owner of both female and male sex organs. He-She was in need of surgery.

Because of the culture, the Doctor decided that this baby would have a better chance if it were to become a he. With 7 days left in Ethiopia, we now faced a major time crunch and a financial problem.

The operation would cost $1,500 US. Both Jim & I knew we were not able to meet this cost. After much deliberation and discussion, the hospital and doctor agreed to donate their services leaving us with a bill of $500.00 US to pay.

Knowing we didn’t have the finances, we began to pray. The thought did come to my mind. What if we were to contact people back home to help out, but as one would know, God made it very clear that we were to place our trust in Him. A miracle was needed.

Days 1,2,3,4,5 and no finances. Not sure what God was trying to prove, we continued to pray. If HE-She was going to experience a life change, then God needed to bless us.

Day 6 came with the blessing. Not aware of the crisis at hand, an American couple provided the money. God answered! A miracle!