Our staff received word that there was a homeless woman named Lisa who was in labor under a bridge.
Martha, who serves as the Women’s Minister for OurCalling, went out with other staff members to find her. Lisa had refused to go with an ambulance to the hospital since she wasn’t ready to face the fact that she was going to have a child.
While we searched for her, our teams went under chain-link fences, trekking through garbage and the reeking smell of the streets in hopes of finding Lisa in time! Lisa was found because of the respect we have within the homeless community. Because we had an ongoing relationship with her, Lisa willingly came with the team back to our facility to get a hot shower and a clean change of clothes. But by now Lisa’s contractions were only minutes apart.
When Lisa arrived at OurCalling, Keisha, another homeless woman in the Discipleship Program, was there. Keisha happened to be helping that day and had known Lisa from the streets for many years.
Because Keisha also had a rough life spent partly in foster care, she lovingly received Lisa with compassion and open arms. Keisha was able to be there for Lisa like a mother would, and gently told her it was time to go to the hospital.
Lisa was nervous and reluctant to go to the hospital to the point that Keisha put her hands on either side of Lisa’s face and said with authority, “Lisa, it’s time to go to the hospital.”
Keisha then put her arm around Lisa and walked her to the van. As we drove Lisa to the hospital, Keisha continued to give Lisa the support she needed. Keisha was like a rock of stability and comfort and Lisa even asked Keisha to be in the room when Lisa had a c-section.
Lisa soon delivered a baby girl but didn’t have a name for her because the doctors had told her it was going to be a boy. While Lisa was deciding on a name, she looked to Keisha and asked her what the name should be.
Aunna Miracle was 5 pounds, 4 ounces and was born at Baylor hospital, only a couple miles from OurCalling. The name Miracle suits her well because her birth was nothing short of miraculous. Because of your faithful giving to OurCalling, and our dedicated volunteers, Aunna was born safe and sound within the security of a hospital.
