Bianca & Emanuel

This is a more complete story of Bianca’s life here at the home since she came. A few details are repeated from the earlier post but we were asked for a complete story and so I thought I’d share it here with you also.

On July 23, 2009, Bianca, a 12 year old girl, arrived here at Shining Light Home with her 8 day old baby, Emanuel. Those first few days her eyes were so sad! It tore at our hearts to see the pain hidden there. She had suffered so much in her life! When she was younger she suffered a lot of burns over her body from a car accident. She was hospitalized for a time and left with lots of scars. Then at age 11, abused by her father, she found herself pregnant and then gave birth at 12 yrs old in a city far away from her mother and any family that might have cared. But she poured her whole heart into being a mother for this precious little boy, who was all she had.

Marlene is her mother here and she nursed her to better health after she came. Along with caring for her physical condition, she was hearing that God loves her and all that He has done for us. She responded to that love and has a strong faith in God and a desire to be faithful to Him. She slowly opened up to the home here and became more involved in the work and activities. She takes an interest in her schoolwork and has such a positive attitude towards those in authority.

Bianca shares a room with Marisol, a 13 yr old who also has a baby. These two girls became sisters at heart and want to do everything together. Yesterday they were having fun taking pictures of their babies together. They talked and dreamed of when their babies will be big enough to run and play together. They've been forced into the adult world years before it was time and will never be little girls again.

Little Emanuel didn't grow much at first. It seemed he was just scrawny and we wondered if he might have some problems. Then a few months ago, Marlene changed his milk and soon he started to fill out and he became a chubby baby who was doing very well. Recently he was becoming more active and was a contented little boy. Yesterday he was jumping in his jumper and was so happy and healthy, it seemed. 
Last night before Marlene went to bed around 11 she checked on the children and said all was well. Emanuel slept with Bianca and she was up during the night and gave him his bottle. He ate well, burped and went back to sleep. At 7 this morning Marlene woke Bianca and after a little bit Bianca called Marlene to come quickly because something is wrong with the baby. Marlene quickly moved him to her bed to see what was wrong but he wasn't breathing! Marlene called for me and I quickly went over, but it was clear that he was gone! Gone! No life! Oh the depth of pain from a young mother who has just lost her precious child! Pain that is indescribable. Pain that only God can heal.

Lorne went to bring Greivin and they tried to call DIF but couldn't contact anyone there. He then called the police and they soon came to investigate. They asked lots of questions, wanting all the details as they happened. They then said that there are other authorities that need to come and when they come the police would return. They also told us that these authorities are out at another accident scene and it could be awhile before they come. Finally, around 11:30 they returned and again went through the whole process of questions. They talked with Bianca alone, had questions for Greivin and for Marlene. They asked some of the other children in the living room whether Bianca loved her baby or cared for him well. There was a secret police here as well who appeared to be just a visitor along with these others. He mingled with the children in the living room, visiting with them and then later one of the children asked him if he isn't a police. So he told them that, yes, he is a secret police.

In the beginning they expected that the baby had possibly suffocated. The one man that came did an examination of the baby and could not find any cause of death or any sign that he had not been able to breathe normally. He then ruled that he died a natural death. It seems he died peacefully, without pain or illness. It was at 12:30 when they took the body to Tecate. Greivin also needed to go in right away to process paperwork. After he went in he called back and said that Bianca needs to come in for more questioning and to be able to do the paperwork. So Marlene took her and they went in to the office. We are not sure when we will be able to have the funeral because of legal procedures.

Bianca's testimony this afternoon is that she feels that God allowed this to happen to see if she would be faithful to Him. She said that God gave her baby to her and now He took him from her. She finds much comfort in the fact that her baby will never know pain or be sad and that he is in Jesus' presence and care at this time.