The Look of Hope

On Saturday I worked the day shift. The woman that I wrote about in the beginning of my last post came in for her daily lunch meal. I just have to share with you how different this woman looked! She came in smiling with bright eyes and said, "Good afternoon" to me and the others. Then she looked right at me and thanked me for the fruit I'd left for her the other day. Even her physical appearance was different. She looked clean and was wearing a colorful top, which may have been one of the nicest things she owns. (Many of our women put on their best clothes when they come to the clinic for care so when a woman comes looking like this one did last week, you know she's really destitute.) She looked rested and when I put my hand on her arm she didn't feel shaky. But the most significant thing was that the look of desperation I'd seen in her during our previous encounters was gone. On this day, hers was the look of a woman with hope, whereas before she wore an undeniable look of weary & hopeless desperation.

I learned that she has 4 living children. She's actually had 7 pregnancies including the current one. 2 of her previously-birthed babies died not long after birth for unknown reasons. She's only 27 years old. She has an elementary-level education.

I'm sure her situation hasn't changed much in the past week but what has changed is that she is now a woman experiencing love and care from others - in that, she has experienced the caring hand of Jesus. He is the cure for hopelessness.
"For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11