From the first time I met Paris I knew her birth experience was going to be something special.  I mean, every birth is special, but sometimes, you’re a witness to something so extraordinary it changes your life forever, and that’s how I knew it would be with Paris.   I wrote her new baby daughter, Jarah, a letter telling her of her incredible mother and incredible birth story.  Paris has given me permission to share the letter with you.

Sweet Baby Jarah,

We are SO excited that you are finally here!  We have waited for you with so much joy and anticipation and you have entered this world so beautifully welcomed and loved by so many people, but most of all, by your mommy and daddy and the entire Guya family!

The day your mommy came to my home to tell me the exciting news that you were on the way, I was SO blessed by her.  We sat together and talked about pregnancy and birth from morning to well into the evening.  She told me she believed that bringing another life into the world could and should be something powerful and beautiful, not something horrible and terrifying like it is for so many women.  I was so touched and encouraged by her amazing faith and her deep understanding of the kind of God we serve.  I was so blessed and honored that she invited me to join her on the amazing journey of growing you inside and birthing you into this world.

I so enjoyed watching you grow over the many months you lived and thrived inside your mommy.  Your mommy took such good care of you and was always careful to follow my instructions and make the best choices for your well being, even if it meant sacrificing her own desires and comfort sometimes.  I always looked forward to your prenatal visits and getting to talk to you and feel your sweet little kicks.  Together with your parents, and even the friends that were often at your prenatal check ups, we would fellowship together, share meals together, pray together, laugh together, and talk and talk and talk for hours about YOU!  You have been so bathed in prayer by all of us all your life, and even before it began.  Your parents had such incredible faith and are such mighty warriors for the Lord, I just knew your official entrance into this world was going to be extraordinary.  I believed with all my heart that God would honor the prayers and faith of your parents by giving them what they were trusting Him for concerning your life and your birth, but even more than that, I believed that God would give your mother an incredible testimony to share with and empower other women all over the world.

Paris and her husband, Samuel

Your mother told me at your very first prenatal check up that God had put it on her heart that He would make her like the Hebrew women, who were so strong and vigorous that they gave birth even before the midwives could arrive (Exodus 1:19).  I always wondered what that would mean for my role in your arrival, considering I am the midwife! (=  But on the day you finally came, God truly did make your mother like the Hebrew women, and He still was so kind in reserving for me a precious part in His miracle.

Your mommy and daddy came for your last prenatal visit on Sunday, March 9th.  We had been discussing the possibility of the three of you moving in with us so that you could be born in our home.  That way there would be no difficulties with us getting to each other when the labor started, and most of all, because I knew your mommy wanted a water birth, and that could be better facilitated at my house.  I, and my whole family, were DELIGHTED when your parents accepted our invitation.  They wanted to move in a couple weeks later, but I told your mommy she wouldn’t be pregnant that long and needed to come as soon as possible.  So that very Friday, the 14th, she arrived at our home.  When I opened the door for her I could see all over her face that she was in labor!  She was so uncomfortable and tired, she couldn’t even manage to bring any of her things.  She only managed to carry a tiny little handbag and her drinking water.  She had contractions the entire matatu ride and had thought you might be born in the matatu!  By the time she reached our house she was exhausted and having regular contractions.

So we got her resting as we filled up the bathtub and she had her first bathtub bath ever.  She loved it so much and it relaxed her so thoroughly that the labor completely stopped and she didn’t want to get out of the tub! (=  We had completely redecorated the bedroom for your arrival, with soft colors and pictures of new babies all over the wall, and a sweet little baby mobile above the bed.  When I finally coaxed her out of the bath your mommy rested there and we served her yummy, nutritious meals.  The days leading up to your arrival we just loved on the two of you and pampered your mom.  We went for little walks and on Monday we even took her swimming!  She had so much fun floating in the little pool and she looked so adorable and beautiful.

But all the real excitement began Tuesday morning, the 18th, around 11:30 am.  We were all sitting in the living room and your mommy’s eyes got really big and she said, “My water just broke!”  We all jumped up and started cheering, it was so exciting that you were officially on the way and there was no going back!  I helped your mommy get cleaned up and called your daddy to tell him the exciting news.  He sounded shocked and nervous, but very excited.  I told him to come as soon as he could, especially because he was the one who was bringing all yours and your mommy’s clothes and belongings from home!  He asked to leave work early and by the afternoon arrived at the house.  He came in the door and literally RAN up the stairs to see your mommy.  It was the sweetest thing.

A while later my sister Hannah, who served as our amazing birth assistant, took you and your parents out for a walk and for a photo shoot.  She had so much fun with your parents and the result was such beautiful pictures.  When everyone came home we all had dinner together and then we sent your parents upstairs for some romantic alone time.  We lit candles in their room and put on worship music and your mommy was looking so cute and beautiful.  We were hoping the love hormones would get the labor going because your mommy hadn’t had any contractions.  I joked with her that love got the baby in there and hopefully love would get the baby out. (= The rest of us went to bed, but we slept lightly and with such excitement, knowing any time the labor could pick up and you’d be out here with us soon.

Just before 6 am the morning of the 19th your daddy came to wake me up.  The contractions had picked up and your mommy wanted to get in the bath.  I was afraid the bath would relax her so much her labor would stop, so instead we had breakfast and mommy and daddy started walking the stairs.  Daddy sat at the top of the stairs and played worship music on the guitar and Mommy walked up and down over and over, singing along with him.  She sang “Unaweza” over and over again, which means “You are able,” reminding herself and all of us that God would do what we were praying for.  It moved me to tears and everyone in the house was so touched and felt so honored to get to be a small part of your beautiful story.  As the day progressed, so did the labor.  Your mommy spent hours bouncing on the birth ball and your daddy spent hours playing guitar and singing praise and worship songs for you.  They stood and danced together for another long time, and at one point they prayed, mostly in tongues, for almost 2 hours nonstop, calling on the Lord and calling on you to come forth.  We were all praying for you without ceasing, and praying for your parents too. It was so powerful and touching.

By evening the labor had really picked up and your mommy got in the bath with your daddy behind her to support and comfort her.  They had these scriptures on the wall that we were all believing the Lord for:

“For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream.” – Isaiah 66:12

“Shall I bring you to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth? Says the Lord.” – Isaiah 66:9

“And I am sure of this, that He Who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 1:6

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us.” – Romans 8:37

and of course
“Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” – Exodus 1:19

Your mom was so amazing, so strong, and so fearless.  She handled every contraction so gracefully, just quietly breathing and riding it through, allowing it to do its good work of bringing you closer to her arms.  Your daddy was amazing too.  He was so calm and patient and gentle.  He supported your mom so lovingly and tirelessly and they worked so beautifully together.  By that night I knew your mommy was in transition and I knew that we’d be seeing you soon.  Labor got so intense, she went into herself and put all her energy and focus into bringing you forth as she clung to your daddy.  The only noise she ever made was when she often whispered the name of Jesus or quietly called to you to come.

That night around 10 pm your mommy was on her hands and knees on the bed and I could feel your head was just ready to emerge.  She leaned back against your daddy and tried to push, but she was just so exhausted.  She hadn’t slept for 48 hours and had been working so hard for so long.  She got back up on her knees and leaned on the birth ball and tried to push some more, but I saw how tired she was and told her she could just breathe through the contractions until she felt like pushing.  Over the next half an hour her contractions spaced out and the labor slowly came to a stop completely.  I decided to check and see what was going on and you had ascended all the way back up into her pelvis and her dilation had gone from a 10 to a 5.  I didn’t tell her because she was already so exhausted, I couldn’t imagine discouraging her.  I just told her to rest and I went to call another midwife friend and mentor of mine named Lucy.  Lucy was kind enough to get out of bed and come over in the middle of the night to help us figure out what was going on and what to do about it.

By the time she arrived your mom wasn’t having any contractions at all.  Lucy encouraged her to eat something and have some juice and then she and your daddy went for a long walk.  It was a very cold night and the moon was very full and bright.  They walked for a long time and though your daddy tried to encourage your mom to come in out of the cold, she insisted they keep walking to try to get the labor going again, even though she was so very tired.  They came back in at around 2 am and she still hadn’t had any contractions.  Lucy suggested they try to get a little sleep and then we’d see what would happen.  As they slept, Lucy explained to me that she thought that your mommy was so exhausted that her adrenaline had kicked in and completely stopped and reversed her labor process so she could rest.  Under other circumstances, that would have been fine.  We could have let her rest and get nourished and then wait for labor to start up again.  But at that point the waters had been broken for over 36 hours and she’d gone through an entire labor and suddenly we were right back where we’d been 24 hours before.  It was very discouraging and frustrating for everyone.

We all laid down to get a little sleep and at 4:30 am I went to check on you and your mom.  She was sleeping peacefully and still hadn’t had a single contraction.  I listened to your heartbeat as I had been all throughout the labor, and as usual, it was strong and perfect.  I checked your mom for a fever and she didn’t have one.  But Lucy was still very concerned and felt we really needed to transport to the hospital.  We had to make a fast decision because we knew Nairobi morning traffic would be getting terrible soon, so we needed to leave as soon as possible.  It was a crushing blow for everyone.  Your parents had so much faith that they were going to have a perfect home birth, they’d refused to have a back up plan and so none of us had any idea which hospital to go to.  We were all so shocked and devastated that it had come to this, and so sleep deprived, it made the decision that much more challenging.  Lucy helped us do some research and weigh our options.  It was the last thing any of us wanted so it was hard to will ourselves to even discuss it.  Your mom, of course, was the bravest and strongest of all, and she’s the one who encouraged the rest of us!  Your dad was so shocked and so worried.  He went outside and cried out to the Lord.  I kept thinking about the scripture in Isaiah 66:9 “Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” and I thought, “It sure seems like it, but please keep your promise Lord.” It’s easy to have faith when everything is going well and as planned.  REAL faith is revealed when everything falls apart and looks completely hopeless.  Your mom has that kind of faith.

Your parents chose the hospital called Imani (‘peace’ in Swahilli), and on our drive there, your mom said how God was giving her so much peace and how kind He was to confirm it even with the name of the hospital you would be born in.  More than ever I was so humbled and inspired by her and her amazing faith and a peace that could only have come from the Lord.  The entire drive I kept glancing back at your mother as she slept peacefully on your father’s shoulder.  I was praying with all that was within me because I was so broken hearted that after such incredible faith and courage and after such a precious and beautiful labor, your mother’s experience was about to get really ugly.  I’ve witnessed many hospital births in Kenya and knew what was ahead of us. I was terrified of what the hospital staff would do to your mother and you and I just couldn’t believe I was taking the two most innocent and precious and vulnerable people, the two people in the entire world who were closest to my heart in that moment, whose lives I’D been entrusted with, to such a horrible place.

We walked into the hospital and asked to see a doctor.  It was about 6 am Thursday morning, the 20th of March.  We were taken back to the labor ward and we sat and waited patiently for the doctor and nurses to finish catching up on their records from the night.  Finally the doctor turned to us and I explained the situation as I handed him your birth record.  He looked at me suspiciously and doubtfully.  They agreed to admit your mother and said I would have to leave.  We asked if your daddy could be there and they said absolutely not, no men were allowed in the labor ward.  I asked if I could please stay if I promised to do nothing medical and not to interfere in any way, just to be an encouragement to your mother.  They said if I stayed quiet and out of their way I could stay.  I went to find your father and help him sort out things at the reception as they processed your mom.  When I returned to her she was in a hospital gown and was looking strong and brave as ever.  I never saw her waver once.  To be honest, all I wanted to do was run as far away from that place as possible, but I prayed and asked God to help me to be brave and strong for your mom.  When we had a moment to talk she told me the doctor had checked her and confirmed that she was indeed only dilated to a 5.  She told me he had been cruel and heartless and had hurt her and made her bleed and she didn’t understand why that was necessary.  I tried to comfort her and encourage her, but I was so afraid that the worst was yet to come.  I was afraid of the emotional and physical scars she would leave that hospital with.

After some time we were directed to the farthest corner of the room.  They started your mom on an IV drip and injected her with some drugs to get her labor going again. They told us if she hadn’t progressed in two hours they would do a C-section.  I told your father to pray hard and sent out messages to my family and Lucy to do the same. Before long her contractions were coming regularly and growing in intensity.  I was sad to see her have to go through this entire process all over again.  I was broken hearted that your daddy couldn’t be with her.  But just like the first time around, she was so strong and brave and so focused on bringing you forth.  She never complained even once, though she was worried about what the nurses would do to you when you arrived.  Between contractions she would ask me to try to ask the nurses not to cut your cord too early, or to try to see if I could keep them from injecting you with anything, or to ask if she could hold you and nurse you as soon as you were born.  It took all the strength I had to keep from weeping.  Both at her incredible strength, but also over the fact that so much was being stolen from her.  I couldn’t understand why God was allowing all this to happen.  Why wasn’t He rewarding her incredible faith?!  Why wasn’t He giving her the beautiful birth experience we’d all been praying for over the past 10 months and that she had been praying for even before you were conceived?  Why wasn’t He giving her a powerful testimony to encourage other women in their journeys of pregnancy and birth?  I felt like God had abandoned us and I couldn’t understand why.  But I looked at your mother, bravely breathing through every contraction with such determination and I knew I just couldn’t give up and I couldn’t despair.  She was so strong and brave I knew she didn’t even need me there.  She could have, and would have, done it just fine without me.  But I had such an overwhelmingly strong instinct in me to protect the two of you and in that moment I knew I would fight whatever battle I could for the sake of you and your mother.

Your mother gracefully labored with several other women in the same room.  Women came and went and labored and struggled and suffered at the hands of the hospital staff, and both your mother and I felt for them.  I was sad to see the way they were so alone, and how the nurses treated them with so much unkindness and disrespect.  I was thankful to be there with your mother and wished I could have supported every woman there.  One woman came and sat on your mother’s bed.  Between contractions your mom struck up a conversation with her and we learned she’d delivered her baby quite a while ago.  We asked her where her baby was and she didn’t know.  We asked her when they’d bring her baby to her and she didn’t know that either.  Your mother asked her if there was anything wrong with her baby, and even that she didn’t know.  Your mom looked worried and reminded me she wanted to nurse you as soon as you were born and asked what we’d do if they took you away and we didn’t know where you were.  I told her I wouldn’t let that happen and she had every right to demand her baby.  There was no way they could keep you from her.  She had another contraction and wrapped her arms around me.  Funny enough I felt so comforted by your mother’s embrace and such peace flooded my heart.  A long time later they finally brought that woman her baby.  The sweet smile, so full of love, that quickly spread across her face brought me to tears.  She looked at me, so proud of her precious baby and I smiled back at her to show her how impressed I was with her incredible accomplishment.  The nurses made me leave the room and when I came back your mommy told me that the mother had been so concerned about her baby because it was crying and she knew it was hungry, but she was scared to nurse it.  Your mom encouraged her to nurse her baby, so she did, and when I came back both mommy and baby were in breastfeeding bliss.  Even in the midst of her intense, exhausting labor, your mommy was encouraging and being a blessing to all the other women around her.  That’s how amazing she is.

Meanwhile, another young lady had been laboring in the bed next to your mother’s.  Her very worried friend was with her.  They both looked so young and so scared, just girls really, thrown into a terrifying situation so far beyond either of their understanding.  The young friend and I would get kicked out of the ward together every now and then whenever the nurses wanted to remind us how important they were.  We talked a little bit and I tried to encourage her until I saw your mommy motion me back into the room after the nurses had left.  Thankfully the nurses mostly left us to ourselves and didn’t bother us too much.  Your mommy was so quiet they didn’t pay us much mind.  But that little girl next to us was having a really hard time.  She was terrified and in fact, when we’d first arrived I’d heard the nurses and doctors talking about her and how she’d been there the longest and how she was so uncooperative, which really meant she didn’t submit as easily to their abuses.  I remember at one point she was crying during a contraction and a nurse popped her head behind the curtain and asked her why she was crying.  She didn’t answer the nurse because the contraction was overcoming her.  The nurse yelled at her and told her she better answer her and tell her why she was crying.  The girl said she was crying because of the contraction and the nurse mockingly laughed at her and said, “You’re already crying over contractions???  It’s going to get MUCH worse!”  Not long after that the girl started squatting on the floor and grunting during contractions.  I knew she was pushing but I didn’t alert the nurses because I knew she was better off there, doing it the way her body told her to (even though she didn’t realize what was happening) than being put on her back on a bed and being abused and mistreated and forced to do things against what her natural instincts were telling her.  After 4 or 5 contractions that she spent squatting and pushing through, the nurse came back in and yelled at her, “Are you pushing?! Stop it!  You’re no where near being ready to push!”  The girl just pushed harder.  The nurses came in and tried to make her stand up but she couldn’t.  The nurses became more and more furious and her friend, in a panic, harshly demanded her to do as the nurses were saying.  I could tell she was afraid of what the nurses would do to her laboring friend if she didn’t “cooperate.”  The nurses demanded the friend and me to leave and as I walked past the curtain I heard her water break.  I looked over my shoulder to see her trying to walk to the delivery room with the baby crowning between her legs.  Outside the friend was crying.  I smiled and told her not to worry, the baby would be here within just a few minutes and her friend would be just fine.  She didn’t look like she believed me.

Your mom motioned me back in.  Her labor was getting more intense and she rode every wave with such strength and determination.  I could hear the doctors and nurses talking loudly about the patients and all their crazy experiences in the labor ward and I tried to ignore them and focus on you and your mommy, hoping she wasn’t hearing them too.  Then they discovered one of the women had a breech baby and started the preparations for the C-section.  I was thankful all the doctors and nurses were busy and distracted with something else so we could be left alone and be at peace as the labor continued to intensify.  Soon I realized your mommy was back in transition and once again I couldn’t believe she was going through all of this all over again.  Once again I wished we were at home, that she could be with your daddy, and knowing that your birth was imminent, I wished I had the power to catch you and put you straight on her loving, safe chest the moment you were born.  Once again I grieved over the fact that none of that would happen, and once again I wondered where God was in all of it.  Knowing that you would be born soon caused all my greatest fears to arise in my heart, knowing that your mother would suffer so greatly at the hands of those doctors and nurses.  She is so small and sweet and gentle and dear, I just couldn’t fathom her enduring cruelty, humiliation, and undue suffering, and I was so concerned for you.  I’d seen the nurses handling the newborn babies.  They were SO rough.  I even saw one nurse carry a baby all the way across the room by its ankles!  I was just horrified at the thought of them doing such a thing to you, you who we all love so desperately and who your mother was paying such a high price for.

Sure enough, a nurse came to take your mother to the delivery room to check her progress.  I knew our time was up, but I wasn’t worried because I knew she had progressed perfectly and a C-section would not be necessary.  Though in a brief moment of weakness I almost wished they would do a C-section instead and spare her all the suffering they would put her through.  At least for the C-section she’d be unconscious!  But then I saw them wheel in the woman who had a C-section for her breech baby and I immediately started praying against it again.  They had your mommy in the delivery room for about 20 minutes and I thought I would faint from anxiety!  I wondered if you were being born and I listened as hard as I could to try to figure out what was going on.  Most of all though, I prayed and prayed and prayed until I thought my heart would burst out of my chest. I didn’t even really know what to pray for and I just pleaded and pleaded with God for mercy over and over again.  I reminded him again of Isaiah 66:9 and begged him to intervene on yours and your mommy’s behalf.  I begged him not to let either of you suffer and to somehow spare you both the emotional and physical scars of the experience.  I prayed and prayed and prayed.

Finally your mommy emerged.  As she walked toward me she had a look on her face I’d never seen on her.  Her face was all scrunched up with pain and humiliation and anger.  She was crying and told me how they had mistreated her and hurt her unnecessarily.  Then she did the most amazing thing. She pulled the curtain all the way shut and kneeled down in front of me and said, “We are going to have this baby right here, right now, in Jesus’ name!”  I was shocked and a little scared, but mostly delighted. I said, “Ok, let’s do it!”  I knelt down with her and with her next contraction, sure enough she silently began to push!  After two or three pushes she felt and her eyes got really big as she looked at me and said, “Is that the head?!  Check if that’s the head!” It then occurred to me that you really truly were going to be born right there, right then and that I didn’t have anything!  I grabbed all the blankets and lesos we had and laid down a cotton pad underneath her. I covered my hands and her hands in hand sanitizer and then I gently felt and sure enough, your head was crowning.  We were both so amazed and so excited!  I pulled down her gown behind her so incase anyone came in they couldn’t see you were coming out and your mommy held up her gown in the front so I could see everything and try to help ease you out.  A nurse popped her head in the room and demanded that your mommy stand up to make her labor go faster.  She told the nurse she was having a contraction and I told the nurse I would help her stand when it was over.  She was satisfied with that and left.  Another contraction came and your mommy pushed again.  Your head was half way out when a doctor popped his head in and arrogantly told your mommy she would deliver within the hour.  We looked at each other and smiled and thanked him as he left.  The other laboring women were watching the whole thing in shock and awe.  Mommy and I motioned to them not to tell and they nodded.  One of the laboring women started walking up and down, praying for you and your mommy, calling on the name of Jesus.  Others joined her. I prayed and prayed that the nurses would stay away long enough for you to be born and your mommy pushed again and your head was born!  I looked behind her and saw your sweet face for the very first time and told her that you looked just like her.  I encouraged her to push and get your shoulders out and as she was pushing the nurse popped her head back in!  She yelled at us again because your mother wasn’t standing and then noticed I was holding a blanket under her and asked me what I was doing and told me to stop.  I told her that your mommy felt like pushing so I just wanted to be there in case of anything.  She yelled at me to stop, but she was too late, your mommy pushed hard and you were born!!!!

At 12:22 pm on March 20th, 2014 the world was forever changed by your entrance into it.  You slid into my hands that were wrapped in a soft new blanket.  You had your umbilical cord wrapped around your neck at the front so I quickly untangled you and handed you to your mommy.  She was over the moon.  She was SO happy and kept saying, “My baby! My baby! My baby!” as she held you close.  The nurses were in a panic and they all came running in.  They were yelling at us and pushing your mother around, but nothing could rob her of her incredible joy and relief.  She was madly in love with you and you were finally here and there was nothing they could do about it. After all she’d been through and all that she had to sacrifice, at the end of it all, she still brought you into this world on her terms.  She still held you in her arms the moment you were born, and she fought hard and batted away nurses to make sure she delayed the cutting of your cord until the last possible second.  They made us lay you on the floor on a blanket between us and so I peeked between your legs and excitedly announced to your mommy that you are a girl!  She couldn’t believe it and just started laughing, saying that your daddy had known it all along and that he’d be so happy.  Then a nurse came and tried to jab your mommy’s thigh with a huge needle without any warning and your mommy pushed her away so they all started yelling at her.  I don’t know who wouldn’t have pushed someone coming at them with a huge needle with no explanation!  Your mommy refused to be jabbed until she was ready and then the nurse forcefully stabbed her with the needle.  It was awful to see, but I was so proud of your mommy for standing her ground.  She was so empowered and the nurses knew it.

The nurses took you and your mommy back to the delivery room to do all their usual procedures.  I called your daddy and he and my cousin Ray, who was with him, were SO excited and were hooting and hollering on the phone.  I thanked all the other laboring mamas for keeping our secret and prayed a silent prayer for each of them.  I hope your beautiful, powerful, incredible birth inspired and empowered them too.  I wish ALL women could know what your mother knows and have a labor, and even a birth, like your mother had.

I started cleaning up the birth area and then sat on the bed and waited for you and your mommy.  I listened to the nurses scolding her and arguing with her over choosing a homebirth and a midwife.  But by then there was NOTHING they could do to crush her spirit.  Your arrival had turned her into a warrior, a lioness, a powerful woman and mother, and she knew there was nothing she couldn’t do.  She knew God was on her side, and I think she even knew that she knew a whole lot more about birth than those nurses did!  To my great surprise one of the nurses came out with a bag and gave it to me.  I looked inside and there was your BEAUTIFUL placenta!  Even after everything your mommy still had the presence of mind to ask for your placenta (so I could encapsulate it for her) and even more amazingly, they agreed to give it us! Though they just couldn’t for the life of them figure out why we wanted it. (=

They brought you out just as your daddy entered the room.  He had been waiting and praying outside in the parked car all those 6 hours.  It was such a miraculous thing to put you in his arms.  He was SO happy and SO relieved.  We all just marveled at the goodness and kindness of God in that moment.  He had done what we’d asked and believed for in the most impossible and hopeless of situations.  He had done it!  And your amazing mommy had done it!  I told your daddy about how your mommy had defied the system and brought you forth the way she wanted and the way the Lord had called her to and he was SO amazed and proud.  I saw all over his face that he fell madly in love with her all over again.  And he was madly in love with you too, and SO delighted that you are a little girl.  He laughed and said they hadn’t even chosen a boy name, only a girl name.  I asked him what it was and he proudly said, “Jarar, which means ‘honey’ in Hebrew.”  Soon your mommy came out of the delivery room and we cheered for her.  She sat on the bed and we all sang happy birthday to you.  It was such a precious moment.  Your mommy laid down and I laid you next to her.  She wanted to nurse you and so I encouraged her to do so and you latched on perfectly right away.

The hospital wanted to keep you both overnight, but your mother refused.  She asked your daddy if he had paid and when he said he had she told him they couldn’t force you to stay and you were all leaving that night.  I was so proud of your mom and once again saw the lioness your birth had unleashed in her.  She was truly the Hebrew woman.  The doctor refused to release her at first, but your parents insisted and in the end the doctors had to agree.  By 7 pm you were all on your way back to our home. You were welcomed with cheers, great jubilation, and celebration.  It was the triumphant return!  God had made your mother and father and YOU victorious!  Life had won, and Life in abundance!

Everyone oohed and awed over you and all your cuteness as your daddy carried your mommy up the stairs to the bedroom.  All of you got snuggled and cozy into the bed for a long, well deserved rest.  I told your mommy and daddy that they are officially on their babymoon and their only job is to rest and enjoy their sweet baby.  And that is just what they did.  The rest of us have been the joyful recipients of your sweet cuddles too and we have been so blessed to get to live with you under the same roof for the first several days of your life outside your mommy.

You are so incredibly loved and favored of the Lord, Jarah.  I can’t wait to see the incredible plans He has for your life.  Your birth was so incredible, powerful, beautiful, and miraculous. It was bathed in prayer, in love, in peace, in faith, in power, in strength, in courage, and in hope.  I pray that this is a picture of how your whole life will be. I know that God will always come through for you and that He will always keep His promises to you, no matter how hopeless or impossible a situation may seem.  You are an incredible gift to us all - to your family, to the body of Christ, to all who witnessed your birth, and to the whole world.  At one week old, your life is already an incredible testimony of the gentleness, kindness, and power of the Most High God – a testimony that is already being shared all over the world!  It has been such an honor to walk this amazing journey with you and your parents.  You will forever hold a very special place in my heart. I love you!

Love,
Jannekah, midwife to the Hebrew woman

Martin and Jannekah Guya with their babies, Amariah, Ezriel and Adali Lynn