Hi sweet friends of Lily and the Rancourt family,
This is not Emily. This is a friend of hers. My husband and I were in China at the same time as Jacques and Emily to pick up our sweet daughter. I will never forget the day we met Lily. We had decided to introduce our Katherine Hope to the pool and were sitting on the steps sticking our feet in the water. We looked up to see what looked like a UFC fighter bringing 2 tiny little girls for a swim. I'll be honest, I was taken aback. It was rare to see a father venturing out by himself with one newly adopted child, but the whole time we had been in China, I did not see a dad brave enough to try two...especially near water. It didn't take long to realize that Jacques was no ordinary dad. He loved on, played with, and introduced those girls to the water like he had known them all their lives. We caught a bit of their story as our girls played together.
Lily Grace had been labeled "terminal" in China. Her rare heart condition meant that the Chinese hospitals would no longer treat her. I will never forget our amazement at the fact that this brought Jacques and Emily running TO her, not away from her. You see, my husband and I had been scared to death to even enter the "special needs" program at all. We didn't know what we could handle or if we could handle... We wrestled with the questionaire that asked us to narrow down our list of issues we would accept. I truly believe that EVERY child is worthy of love and a home and a family, but I was terrified at what God might require of us if we left certain issues open. Our form stated that we were open to minor and correctable special needs. Yet here, staring me in the face, was a family who had laid down their lives for these little girls. I know that they had no idea yet the extent of what God had called them to, but they went and they obeyed.
As a result, Lily Grace has seen the best days of her life...and now she is in the midst of the worst. I have a great imagination, so it is very difficult for me to think very hard about what Lily is going through right now. It is even more heart wrenching to consider what her mom and dad and her sisters are currently facing on a daily basis. Yes, our Kate has required a couple of casts and a few days in the hospital and even just those short periods of time were trying and wearing on our family. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is very present with these precious people, because if He wasn't this would certainly all be a disaster. Instead it has been an example of His grace and His glory. That little redeemed girl laying in that hospital bed is God's glory in the flesh and so is her precious family. We cannot take these things lightly.
For that reason, I have hijacked this blog. While praying for the Rancourt's recently, I asked God what I could do besides pray. I know prayer is the most powerful thing that we can do, but it feels so helpless to sit around and pray. Sometimes that helpless feeling is a call to do more...and only God knows what more we can do. In this particular time with the Lord I felt the burden of the debt that the Rancourt's must be compiling with the medical procedures and overnight stays that have been necessary. Kate was only in the hospital a total of 4 days and we are still paying on her bills. Yes, we have insurance, as the Rancourt's do, but as most of you know, insurance does not cover 100%. There are deductibles and co-pays and percentages of the bill that fall on the insured. I do not know the extent of this debt, but I do know that it is heavy and that it is growing every day. I know that I cannot make much of even a splash in this filling pond, but I do know how powerful it is when God's people join together. There is a need and God WILL supply it... through you and through me.
There is a place to donate on this blog through Paypal. You can also send monetary gifts to: National Children's Medical Center
Heart and Kidney Unit
Lily Rancourt
111 Michigan Avenue NW
Washington DC 20010.
I come to you tonight to ask you to not just pray for Lily, but to help with this mounting debt as well. Only God knows how much you can afford to give, but I know that if everyone following Lily's progress gave something we might see yet another miracle take place is this baby girl's life.
When God calls us to something, He supplies...so I have no doubt that He is in the process of supplying. Praise Jesus that Jacques and Emily said "yes" to Lily and "yes" to MacKenzie! Thank the Lord for their example of obedience to all of us. I have been inspired by the example set by this family, and I know that you have too. Let's be the body of believers to them...the hands and feet of Jesus.
God bless you all and Jesus, please heal our Lily and send her home soon. She has a lot of living to do.
Praying~
ReplyDeleteYou are a dear person, God bless YOU. I have had Lily in my prayers for a while now, and will continue.
ReplyDeleteI will share this post!
Praying for precious Lily!
ReplyDelete