When It Rains It Pours {Tuesdays Unwrapped}

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The first time I walked into this children's hospital was 5 1/2 years ago.  I was holding my newborn baby,
a miracle bundle, tight in my arms.  My husband and I were in new territory.  Prior to this visit we never had to bring one of our boys to the hospital.  But, our Samuel was born with a cleft lip and palate so we were placed on a path that was new to us.  A path that included this hospital.  Oh how we’ve gotten to know this place and come to trust God’s hand on our child through the process.  Two surgeries and many follow-up visits later, here we were again for another routine visit.  It had been 2 years since we last entered this building.  We were scheduled to see 8 doctors.  Plan to stay the day, were the instructions we received in the mail.  So we packed accordingly and Samuel and I settled into the familiarness of the place.

I had no concerns about his progress.  He’s never had any of the trouble that the doctors said he may have.  God has been faithful.  But, I did have something weighing on my mind.  We don't have dental coverage.  With my husband being self-employed, it’s all we can do at this point to make the ridiculously high medical insurance payment each month.  It's been a tough year.  So, not having dental has not been our choice, but we just can’t afford it.  This has weighed on my mommy heart and affording to take my boys to the dentist has been one of my top prayers.  It was on my mind this day because I knew that one of the doctors would ask if Samuel had a dentist, and I would have to let them know that he didn’t because we couldn’t afford it, and that made me uncomfortable because I was concerned about what others would think.   Well, all 8 of the doctors asked and 8 times I  let them know what our situation was.  I think God was giving me a chance (or 8) to humble myself and to choose not to care what others thought.  By day’s end the cleft palate team coordinator called the financial aid department on our behalf and was told that people with private medical insurance don’t get aid with the hospital, but to bring us down anyway.  So Samuel and I went down, happy for a chance at some help but not sure it would happen, especially since we have medical. 

I entered Leta’s office and shared our situation with her.  Right away I felt at ease.  She was kind and caring, not at all demeaning or impatient.  No hardened cynicism, like since she’d seen one challenging financial situation, she’d seen them all.  She offered Samuel blocks to play with as I filled out the application form.  She gave me a list of paperwork that I needed to gather from home and told me she’d speak to her supervisor.  I thanked her with all my heart because I felt God in the place, His hand in arranging our meeting. 

I went back a few days later with a stack of paperwork in my hands and prayers on my lips.  I found Leta’s office and walked in the open door.  She remembered me and had my application in a pile on her desk.  She looked over the papers I brought her and shared that we qualified for 40% financial aid.
  That is so great, I thought.  But then she hesitated and I could tell she had something going on in her mind.  She pulled out 3 blank hospital benefit cards and she began filling them out.


As she wrote she said,

I’m going to give you 100% aid.....for all 3 boys!

  I just started crying right there as the shock of those beautiful words hit me.
  100% for all 3!


I came asking for aid for Samuel, and Ethan and Elijah received it as well!


   God is so good!!


  I didn't even have time to get my composure when she added to that,

 I'm also going to take care of your existing medical balance.

 What?

  We've been paying on the balance owed after insurance from Samuel's operations and many visits as a baby and it just seemed like it would never end.  After 5 years of payments, we still owed nearly $6000.

  She said,

 I'm applying the 100% to that and wiping out your balance...Merry Christmas!

 God's grace and favor rained down on me in that little office.  At those words, I was praising out loud and giving Him thanks through tears of joy and amazement!  Leta said she was a Christian and felt that her job was her mission field.  A place to show the love of God and be His helper as he worked in people’s lives. Oh and how He worked that day on our behalf!  Suddenly our hospital debt was gone and all 3 of our boys were covered 100% for dental.
  Only God!  


But isn't that just like Him though, to pay a debt that we can't pay and give a gift that we don't deserve?

I'm sharing this gift over at Chatting at the Sky for Tuesdays Unwrapped. 

Click here to head over and see what others are unwrapping today.