This is Baby Sharon. She was born in Mawan, Papua New Guinea in March of 2013.

This is Baby Joni (Baby JJ) born in Madang Papua New Guinea in September of 2014.

These babies will hold a special place in my heart for the rest of my life, just like Jennie and my grandsons. These baby girls are our (mine and Joni’s)  namesakes. We have loved them since they were born. I don’t get to see Baby Sharon very much at all. Her mama is a “Mawan mama” and she hardly ever leaves Mawan. Baby Joni’s mama however, is different. With Joni’s blessing, I plan to share my version of the life of Baby JJ.

Baby JJ was born on September 29 of last year (on my son-in-laws birthday!). Her mama is Serah and her papa is Alphonse. Her big brothers are Squarnitz, Eugine and Kerobin. Since Joni’s “was-family” comes to town a lot, I’ve been blessed to spend a lot of time getting to know them when they’ve come to visit Jim and Joni. I’ve said numerous times that I know their was-family better than I know mine! Mine is starting to come to town a little more often, so hopefully I will see them more often this year.

During 2014 Serah (Baby JJ’s mama) came to town a lot and spent numerous nights with Jim and Joni (J&J). I’ve had dinner with them several times at their place, my place and in restaurants. Thanks to J&J, I was a part of their family too. It’s been wonderful.

When the time came near for Baby JJ to be born, Serah stayed at J&J’s place so she was near the hospital (haus sik). She and Joni are really close. It has been beautiful to watch these two incredibly sweet ladies, learning and living life together. I’m grateful for this time.

When Serah was in labor we were timing the contractions. Joni had read that using a rolling pin, rolling it up and down her lower back, would help. We did that a LOT ~ bless her heart! She would start to have a contraction, Joni would time them and I would roll the rolling pin up and down her lower back to relieve some of the (harsh!) pains. And then Joni and I would switch jobs. After we got to the hospital we used the rolling pin a few more times, and BOY did we get some funny looks! It was great! Then Joni and Serah went back for the delivery. I got the easy part! I got to stay out here

THIS is what sparked the Baby JJ Ministry, this is where it all began

It took what seemed like a lifetime for her delivery. The nurse came out with a little bundle… I jumped up with great expectations in my eyes… nope, this baby was for bed 17 (all of the mamas laughed at me… it was ok, I giggled too) … ok… simmer down… sit down… and wait… more time, more time, more time. A young lady came walking from the back, by herself, looking extremely weak and basically fell onto the bed behind me. The nurse came out again… I was so excited!! She looked at me and said, “Nogat” (nope) this baby was for the bed next to me. What I didn’t realize at the time was that the young lady who had just walked past me had just given birth! Joni had heard a young lady yell “Sister!!” and then a … “splash” sound… a baby was born… with only the mama in the room! Can you imagine?!?

Another time the nurse came out… not for me… but when I popped up, she said “she won’t push” in a rather disgusted tone… I prayed even harder! Please Lord, let this happen soon. Again the nurse came out…And then… without me knowing it…

Baby JJ was born and the nurse handed her to Joni!

We got to hold her for a couple of hours. No doctor was there. No doctor even looked at her or Serah. She is a beautiful baby; dimples and all! Joni told me of the horrors that went on behind the scenes. Yes, I definitely had the easy part! Apparently Baby JJ was turned in an awkward position and her shoulder came out first. Serah just didn’t have the strength to push her out. She and Baby JJ were in danger of dying. There was just Joni and a nurse to assist Serah and from the sounds of it… it might have been better if it had only been Joni at times. The nurse was “less than compassionate.” She felt panic and had to make sure that this mama delivered this baby… and fast! It was a very difficult delivery! We are grateful for God’s mercy.

Finally Joni and I decided to go home. The nurse handed Joni a package and we left. I hadn’t seen Serah since they went back to deliver. It was a long night and we needed to get home.

I was going to drop her off but there was a guy outside wearing a dark blanket, so we decided that she would sleep at my place instead of her getting out, unlocking her gate and locking it again. It was best that we stay together, it was late. We slept for a little while and then it was time to get up.

The next day Joni and I went to work. She got a call from Serah that she had been discharged ~ they needed her bed. The photo above is of another time, but it shows you what the big room looks like. So, Joni and Jim went to get them. What a blessing!!!  A new baby had come into “our” family.

Serah, her sister Rachel, #3 son Karobin and Baby JJ stayed with J&J for five days and then went to Kumal.

When Baby JJ was only a couple of weeks old, Serah brought her in to town. Joni noticed that her breathing was extremely fast. She decided to ask Serah if they could take her to see the Australian doctor here, Dr. Mackerel. He got them in right away and determined that Baby JJ had a heart defect and that she would need surgery. The specialist would be in country next spring and this was only October… this concerned Joni to the core. Something (possibly many things) was horribly wrong with her precious namesake.

This began their stays at the haus sik and endless days and nights of prayers and pleading with the Lord… it was really hard!

Then after one of the haus sik stays, Serah decided that she was going to take Baby JJ home to Kumal. It was really hard for J&J to think of them so far from medical help, but they drove them home. After a week or so, they came to the office to visit. Baby JJ looked wonderful!!! We were SO pleased! Being in the village had actually been good for her! Her breathing was still very much labored and her tiny chest stuck out with a much enlarged heart beating wildly inside. But she looked good.

After they had been back in the village Baby JJ started to struggle more and more. She spent more nights in the haus sik. It was painful for poor Serah! They kept poking and prodding her precious little baby girl. You know how they do. But there were mixed messages about how to care for her and they would put her on heart medicine and then take her off, and do it again in a couple of days. SO frustrating for poor Joni too! Nothing could help her except a miracle; which was what we were praying for.

After more trips back into town, and more overnights at the haus sik the doctor said that Baby JJ should stay close to town and not try to live in the village.

There was a time after Baby JJ was born that J&J decided that they needed to get away for a little while. Life was very busy and work was very busy, so they went to Ukarumpa for a week. They asked if I would stay at their place with Serah & Baby JJ. I brought my dog Penny, coz I knew that if I tried to live across the street without her that she would find a way to come over. So I just made it easier for her and brought her with me for a week, she loved her time playing with “her” Buddy. Serah and I enjoyed some quality time one on one. I loved being with her and Baby JJ. It was a little nerve wracking because of her heart condition, but we were fine. I introduced Serah to “The Hobbit” … what a great way to spend time, huh? We enjoyed it! It was an amazing week. It was a hard and nerve wracking week, but it was a good week for all of us!

I went to America for the month of December and Joni sent me some updates. Baby JJ seemed to be doing pretty well. She looked good when I came back, but it was still evident that she was a VERY sick little baby. I came back the beginning of January. We had our PBT annual meeting the 3^rd week of Jan and Joni was still in and out going to the haus sik to care for Serah and Baby JJ.

On February 8, 2015 in the morning, Joni got the call from Serah that Baby JJ had gone to be with the Lord. Incredibly heart breaking news!! We were broken. We had felt so helpless for 4 months… and now she was gone. We expected it, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any pain. There was a LOT of it. William came from PBT and he and Jim built a tiny coffin to carry her to Kumal in. A lot of Alphonse’s family came… we went and bought a lot of food to help the family feed those who would come from far away to mourn, wail and pay their respects. Alphonse had been trying for days to get a PMV (public motor vehicle) to bring him here. He made it the day after Baby JJ died. He was crushed. He’s a good man.

They completed the coffin and it was time to go. Rachel held Baby JJ in her arms, Serah was next to her and I was on the other side in the back seat of Jim and Joni’s truck. We had family in the back with the tiny coffin and the food. When the sun shone in the window too much Rachel asked if I would hold Baby JJ. It’s hard just to write this… tears just stream. She handed me this tiny bundle… the baby who was supposed to laugh, and play and run and sing silly songs with Joni when she was growing up… the little girl who was wanted SO badly by her parents and big brothers. The one who was carried so lovingly around Joni’s yard by her biggest brother, Squarnitz and prayed over by him… he prayed over and over her… this was his baby… there was so much love in his eyes when he looked at her… as in this picture…

I looked down at her. I watched her… I wanted her to move in my arms… she didn’t. I wanted her to cry… she didn’t. She didn’t do anything, and all I could do was sit there and cry with Joni and her mama… and when the sun came to my side… Rachel and I would change here back and forth… it was incredibly hard.

We made it to the church near Kumal where Serah’s parents were. We didn’t realize that they hadn’t heard. Their phone was dead. It was hard… Rachel jumped in the back and I scooted over so Tumbuna (grandma, Serah’s mama) could get in next to me. More family looked in the windows at Baby JJ and wailed and cried. We drove to Kumal; more family heard and came to the house. They boys came and saw their mama and baby sister laying in their tumbuna’s arms. Oh the wailing… that was hard… oh… to hear those boys cry for the sister they loved so much in her short 4 month life… there.are.no.words. I sat as close to Joni as I could. I knew how hard this would be on her and Jim. I remembered the wailing from Joel’s death when I was doing my village living time in Mawan. But I didn’t realize that I should warn her. I’m sorry for that.

It took me a while to write this, even after I had begun writing. It was hard, there have been a lot of tears and not wanting to sit down and write more… sometimes life is just plain hard, you know? It was heart warming and heart breaking at the same time to sit with them at the haus sik while Joni sang to JJ and showed her the photo of her and her big brother, as shown above. She’d quit crying when Joni would sing to her and show her the photo. It’s a painful, but precious memory.

There is an incredible blessing (many that we don’t know of yet, I am sure) in that Alphonse wanted so badly to “pay back” Jim and Joni for all they had done for his family. That’s the way things are done here; reciprocal. You do something for me and I owe you until I do something for you. He kept asking J&J what he could do to repay them for their paying the haus sik bills and such … then the Lord spoke to Joni’s heart and she told him. “Love your wife the way God wants you to love her. Respect her. Show your boys how to really take care of their wife”… Jim read Ephesians 5 which talks about husbands and wives and Christ and the Church… and he’s doing it. He’s loving his wife and they are making it through this together. It’s hard, I’m sure, but at least they have each other and their boys. Serah and Alphonse came this week to work the ground and plant a garden in Joni’s yard. They are a lovely family!

We all know that when we get close to people, things get messy. Life can be hard enough when it is just “you” but when you add others, well… things change; sometimes for the better, sometimes they are more difficult. We’ve seen each other through some pretty tough times this past year. I tell ya, I wouldn’t want to do this journey without Joni. God knew what a blessing she would be to me when He introduced us through our required PBT classes with Johnson University. Thank You Lord!

This is Your story, Lord. I know that you are not finished with Baby JJ’s story, because You sparked a ministry from her birth. The “Baby JJ Ministry.” We have made 2 deliveries of baby hats, blankets and little onesies to the Modilon Haus Sik, in honor of Baby JJ.

Baby JJ with her first hat

Mama buried under donated items

We hope and pray that more and more ladies (and men if you can crochet, knit or sew) will send us more and more things to deliver in honor of this precious family.

If you can make a gift to give, or can help with shipping when others make them, it would be VERY much appreciated. We would like for this ministry to go on for years and years.

Baby JJ will live on, unlike any other Papua New Guinean baby ever has as far as we know.

Thank you for your loving support and your prayers. It’s so different here… especially the medical aspect. Things could have (possibly) been so different. Please pray that we remain healthy and don’t have to get medical attention. I’m not sure how much they really know – medical-wise. Let’s just say healthcare in America is still way better than what is offered here.

Keep those prayers coming… I need them, we need them… thank you