What a special delivery it was that came on September 23rd, 2014! "D", a Bulgarian woman who has been working on the streets in Berlin the last 6 or 7 months, gave birth to a baby boy on this fall Tuesday evening. This is the story of how God walked with her from labor pains to the delivery, and what He is doing in her life now.
Surprise!
Monday, September 22 after my language class I boarded the U-bahn (Berlin's "metro") and traveled to Neustart Cafe. I am the "Einkaufsperson" ("shopping person") for the Cafe, and was going there this Monday to buy some groceries for us. I walked into the Cafe, evaluated and made a list of things we needed, and went to the store.
As I was walking back to the Cafe with the recently purchased goods, I came across a woman named "D". She is a regular in our Cafe. As I was approaching her, I asked said her name and asked her how she was doing. The moment I asked, I saw her face and the pain that entrenched her expressions. "Ich habe Schmerz" ("I have pain") and she pointed to her back and the lower part of her belly. She told me that she was trying to get to a health clinic that was just around the corner, but her pain was making the progress getting there slow. I asked if I could pray for her and her pain. She said yes and I prayed, and then I invited her into the Cafe to rest. She resisted at first....but then a few minutes later came in and got a coffee.
After stocking everything, I stepped into our office. While there, I overheard our social worker, Tanja, talking with a volunteer, Annegret, saying that "D" was pregnant! In my mind, I was like, "Noooo....". We've seen "D" in the Cafe for 6 months! And she's never said anything about being pregnant. I stepped out of the office and then sat down where "D", Tanja, and Annegret were. Sure enough...."D" was pregnant! in fact, 8.5/9 months pregnant!!!
Tanja asked "D" if she could make it to this health clinic if one of us went with her. But "D" in too much pain---she was in no way fit for the trip. Tanja asked more questions. And then..."D" described to us that her had broke. At that point, Tanja was convinced---We are calling the ambulance!
Ambulance Ride
As I sat there with "D" waiting for the ambulance, I expressed how excited I was for. Then she said, "I don't want to 'geboren' this baby" (a mix of English and German---expressing she did not want to give birth to this baby!). I asked, "Why? Are you afraid?" "Yes", she said. My heart was pierced...who wouldn't be afraid? She is going to give birth to her first child in a foreign country with no one there for her---how disorienting, nerve-wracking, and heart-breaking.
Shortly thereafter, the ambulance arrived. I couldn't let "D" go alone and knew with only 2 volunteers that day, that neither Annegret nor Tanja could go with her. So I asked the ambulance driver if I could go with them to the hospital. They let me go. My first ambulance ride.
"...I know He does"
At the hospital, "D" had blood drawn. We waited there for several hours on tests results. The results came back good, but there was a little bit of concern for the health of the baby. The doctor told us they want to induce "D" if she doesn't go into labor naturally the next day. "D" was then given a room to stay for the night.
I talked with "D" as we were getting her settled in the room and as we were working on paperwork the nurse gave us. Throughout the day, the Holy Spirit would fill me up with His love for her. This was another one of the moments in which I uttered, "'D', God loves you so much." She smiled and looked away while saying, "I know...I know He does."
We talked about the Lord, I shared my testimony of when Jesus saved my soul and what that means. "D" shared how she sees God working in her life. She thanks Him for the good things she has and prays when things are bad. She sees Him with her, including that day---He never left her for one moment, using others and me to meet the many needs she had. God had His hand of protection over her, and "D" knew that.
After talking and praying with her, I left.
Birth-day!
The next day, I had class and then work in Cafe Neustart. There, I told Rhonda, my supervisor at Neustart, about "D"---she was so surprised!!!! "D" had told NO ONE that she was pregnant and, because she wore bigger clothes and was a bigger lady, one couldn't tell she was pregnant. We also told Lynette, from Alabaster Jar, who then met up with me after our Cafe service, and we went to the hospital together.
As we approached the room "D" was moved to, Lynette and I both stopped our talking and listened. "Is that 'D'?!" Lynette asked. We could both hear screaming. As we walked in, sure enough it was her! Poor thing....she was HUR. TING. Her contractions were coming every 4 or 5 minutes. We stayed with "D", helping her to stay calm, giving her water, and fanning her. In contrast to earlier, now she was screaming, "I want to 'geboren' this baby!!! Come out! Come out!"
Then one hour later, the peace and rejoicing came: "D" had given birth to a healthy, baby boy!!!! She did such a great job...At this moment, Scripture ran through my mind: "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5, ESV), as "D"'s screaming had then at that moment turned to pure joy. I also thought about passages where the prophets used imagery of a woman giving labor, like that in Jeremiah 4:31. And then I thought about being born again---this intense process in which God creates new life within us from our own spiritual deadness. These passages in God's word were brought to life for me.
"D" expressed her great thanks and appreciation for us being there...but we told her just how great it was to be there. What an honor. Witnessing the birth of her child; a blessed opportunity to love her and thereby reflect God's immeasurable love for her; and a further revelation of God's word, His truth---what an HONOR to be there and experience this!
Where is She Now?
Our social worked arrived the next day to help "D" further with filling out the German paperwork and to help her in signing the baby over for adoption. The baby is now with a loving family, and "D" is out of the hospital and no longer prostituting. Alabaster Jar, Neustart, and p.ink Door (Rhonda's transition home project) are all pitching in to support "D" financially to keep her from having to prostitute for money. "D" has also been introducing herself with a new name---seemingly stating, "My old life as a prostitute is over, my new has begun" (I will continue to refer to her as "D" in this post for clarity's sake).
We are currently searching for a job for "D". She is volunteering at a library here in Berlin, a library run by friend's of Lynette. Through that, she is able to keep herself busy. Lynette has firmly told "D" not to go to Cafe Neustart anymore---to completely stay away from Kurfürstenstraße, so that she will be removed from as much temptation to make "quick money" as possible.
Prayer
It has been beautiful to see God's love for her expressed so tangibly. She has been moved to tears by seeing His love expressed through others and in hearing the Gospel. Praise be to God for the Holy Spirit's working in her life!!! Please pray for her---that she may give her life to Jesus.
This is a pivotal time in "D"'s life. Especially be praying on the weekends---the library will be closed and "D" will therefore have more free time. Satan will no doubt try and steal her away again. He is out to destroy, but your prayers of faith are that shield she needs to protect her from his fiery arrows.
We serve a mighty and good God---a God who desires to restore us and make us sons and daughters. Please pray for "D", that her gifts of humor, intelligence, strength, and bravery may be enhanced and that she may be restored and reconciled to the One who loves her so.