The Little Visitor
	She felt worse than ever before. She was cold, and wished Mama would wake up and hold her. This body hurt very badly; her arms and legs would not respond--she had to be carried everywhere she went. The eyes would not focus properly. For six years she had endured seizures almost every day and had to take medicine that numbed her mind and made her sleepy. There had been many painful surgeries to correct this crippled body of hers. She knew, but Mama and Daddy didn't, that it was useless. She wasn't a long-term resident here. Father had told her that she would be unable to speak. Thus, she couldn't tell Mama or Daddy when folks didn't bother to feed her during the day, or give her anything to drink. Often she sat unmoved and ignored for hours on end. She always knew Mama and Daddy would be there to get her when they got off work. Then she would be held and bathed and played with and fed.
Oh, how she loved her family! Along with the parents and brother and sister, there was a jolly Granddad and a Grandmama who tried to be gruff, but when others weren't about, Grandmama constantly prayed for her. Somebody had clued Grandmama in--she called her "My Little Angel". Mama sang to her and made her lots of clothes. Mama would rouse Daddy and take her from his arms every night where the two of them slept in Daddy's chair after supper. Then Mama always put her on the pillows beside the suction machine and lay down on the floor with her. There the two of them slept, Mama holding her hand in case she stirred during the night. Mama woke several times each night and used the machine to help her breathe more easily. She knew Mama had to be tired. Brother and Sister always had time to talk to her--it wasn't important to them that she couldn't talk back. They liked to put her on a pallet, pretending she was their baby doll. When they watched tv, they put her between them so she could "watch" too. Even when they played in the yard and she couldn't, Mama took her outside in her carrier and they spent time talking to her. Yes, yes, she loved them so much! Several times each year, she had to go to the hospital. Her friends would gather close and comfort her as this human form struggled with its deficiencies. Even when Mama couldn't hold her, she stayed close and sang to her through the tent. Now once again, this body was failing. She felt its weakness as the heart beat rapidly, trying to compensate for the fluid in the lungs. She felt no fear at all--she knew the failure of this body would only mean her return to Heaven. As much as she loved doing what had been asked of her, she really did want to get back. "Little One? Little One?" she heard her friends call to her. They were her companions, unseen to all but her--her personal escort for this mission. "We are here with you, Little One. It won't be much longer now." She felt Mama's hand on her face and heard her cry, "Why is she so cold? She was covered up!" She wished she could tell Mama not to cry any more. Mama picked her up and called for Daddy to come quickly. Daddy held her while Mama called the doctor, then she felt the warmth of Mama's body against the coldness of her own as Mama wrapped her robe tightly about the both of them and lay down. Daddy put blankets over them and went to get Brother and Sister off to school. Mama was crying hard now--she seemed to know this time was different than others before it.
Brother and Sister came to say goodbye. They always called her baby: "See you soon, Baby!" they called as Daddy took them out the door to the bus. She wished she could tell them how much she loved them and that she would see them again, but Jesus knew best. Daddy held her tightly bundled while Mama changed clothes to once again take her to the hospital. This time there was not the usual delay in checking in--she could hear the urgency in voices around her. She felt the now-familiar needle pricks, the oxygen mask being placed on her face; she heard Mama and Daddy crying. She heard Daddy tell someone on the phone, "You'd better be getting here. The doctor says it doesn't look good." Someone was talking to Mama, "She's looking better, don't you think?" Mama had seemed to know all along that she wasn't sent to stay very long--Mama wasn't going to accept any false hopes now, either. "No. We all know she's worse than ever before. Her daddy and I want one thing made very clear: if she can't be brought back to something better than this, we want to let her go. As much as we love her and will forever miss her, we cannot, we will not insist that she stay with us in this condition." Nothing more was said. The room became quiet. She could hear Mama and Daddy crying as they each held one of her hands. Jesus? "Yes, Little One?" I know you are perfect in all things. I really love my family. Please tell me I will see them in Heaven. Won't I?" "Little One, each member of this family will be reunited in Heaven with you. They will go through rough times of trial, but they will serve me. They will never forget you or what you meant to them. It was my purpose and my plan. There is even a sister you've not met yet. I have great things in store for each of them." Oh, thank You, Jesus! I just knew Your Way would be perfect!" She recognized familiar voices as members of Daddy's family came into the room. Jesus? "Yes, Little One?" Mama doesn't have anybody here for her. Would you hold her for me? "My Child, my arms are wide open to her. I am just waiting for her to step into them." She could hear Mama talking to the nurse again. "Call the doctor and tell him we want the oxygen taken off. It's just making her suffer longer." The nurse tried to protest, but Daddy assured her it was what they wanted. A few minutes later, she felt the oxygen mask lifted from her nose and mouth. Mama was stroking her face--she'd know that touch anywhere. She heard the nurse tell Mama, "Keep talking to her. She can still hear you for several more minutes." She felt Mama's face against her own: "Angel,"  Mama knew!  "I will walk in this world for you. I will see every tree, every cloud, every star. I will feel each raindrop, each breeze, each snowflake, and think of you. I will remember you for as long as I live. I will never forget you, my Angel. I cannot go with you, but I will come to you. I promise." Oh thank You, Jesus! You are the best friend anyone could ever have. I know I left sadness behind, but it's so good to be home. "Well done, my faithful Little One. Now enjoy the celebration we have prepared for you." The earthly remains of The Little Visitor were laid to rest by her grieving family on the sixth anniversary of her arrival. Just as Jesus had said, the passing years saw His promises fulfilled in all their lives.
I will never forget the nurse's words that day: "Keep talking to her. She can still hear you for several minutes." Can you imagine how much you can think of to say in those waning final moments? Oh, not moments that are final as eternity goes, but the years of separation have stretched over 24 years now. As King David said, of the infant son he lost: "I cannot call him back, but I can go to him." I, too, am looking forward to that day--when that perfected body shall rise out of that grave, to be reunited with that soul and take flight to an everlasting homecoming. There'll never again be any final moments or separations. No sorrows, no sickness...oh how I long for the day of not only eternal reunion with all the loved ones who have gone on before me, but meeting my Lord and Savior, face-to-face.
"The Little Visitor" Copyright © 1998 by Patricia Sikes. All Rights Reserved.
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His Eye Is On The Sparrow
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