As Liz began to share her baby\u2019s diagnosis with our MOPS community, she found in us a network of women who could walk through this with her. For 20 weeks, we prayed for Liz, Jong and their baby and devoted time during each Leadership meeting to talk about how we could support her. We prayed along with her that this baby would \u201cbring more joy than sorrow.\u201d Liz was integrated into our community of women; some who had already lost children, and others who would have miscarriages or lose a parent that year. The mutual sharing of experiences kept her from getting stuck in her despair and the feeling of isolation.<\/p>\n
After a long labor, Liz gave birth to a baby girl weighing four pounds, 14 ounces. She and her family were able to spend time dressing her in a beautiful antique gown, taking photos, having her baptized and holding her. They adored the tiny beauty of her hands and feet. After five minutes with her family, the baby passed from the loving arms of her father to those of her heavenly father. They named her Samuelle Hope, a feminine version of the Bible story in which Hannah gave her son, Samuel, symbolically back to God after a long struggle with infertility.<\/p>\n
Many members of our MOPS group attended Sammie\u2019s funeral. Our Co-Coordinator, Emilie, said, \u201cI will never forget the entire pew full of MOPS moms holding hands and crying silent tears as our hearts simultaneously broke for our friend, Liz, and rejoiced in Sammie\u2019s eternity in heaven.\u201d The tiny pink urn sat up front as we sang, prayed and listened as her daddy sang to her a final lullaby. Liz was astonished by how many people had gathered to celebrate the life of her tiny baby. She felt surrounded by support and love. Emilie said, \u201cIt was definitely one of the most difficult and incredible times we experienced as MOPS Leaders. God stretched and grew me in my own faith as we walked with Liz through her loss and the burial of her daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Liz remembers, \u201cFinancially, we had no plans to pay for a funeral and burial for a baby. It\u2019s not something you save up money for.\u201d We decided to take up a collection for Liz, and we found a matching grant to multiply our efforts. People were incredibly generous, which reduced the stress on the family significantly. They knew they wouldn\u2019t be saddled with debt forever.<\/p>\n
Our other Co-Coordinator, Brooke, said, \u201cWith child care, maternity clothes and other ways that our MOPS group comforted Liz and her family, we grew close as a MOPS group and Leadership Team. We all took some huge steps in our faith that year as we completely trusted God to provide \u2013 and He did!\u201d We helped watch her son, knitted blankets for the baby and brought many meals.<\/p>\n
\u201cMOPS showed my husband care through his love language of food,\u201d Liz remembers, smiling.\u00a0 Liz was also sent two huge bags of cards that carried her through the toughest days of the last 20 weeks, knowing her child was going to be born dying. Brooke says that \u201cGod orchestrated that MOPS year in ways that we never expected. We had no idea that we were going to be called to minister to so many moms who were touched by this family and the birth of their child. We watched God move mountain after mountain.\u201d<\/p>\n
After walking with Liz through this experience, our MOPS group was forever changed. She shared, \u201cWhat we went through made us a deeper, closer group. People could really share their griefs and fears, because the group was obviously a safe place for that. We got past image, rivalry, perfectionism and a lot of the traps that ruin real fellowship and love. Sammie\u2019s life and death made us real with ourselves and with each other. It took us to the deep places of compassion and generosity, even sacrificially. I cannot even express how grateful we still are for the way God met our family during that time through the warmth and receptivity of MOPS.\u201d<\/p>\n
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