Elydia had just given birth to a beautiful little girl . . . but she could hardly bring herself to look at her.
Losing her son only a few days prior had brought on a sudden, unbearable heaviness she feared would suffocate her completely. Elydia had done everything she could think of to keep her son alive, yet his precious life had slipped right through her fingers . . . every trace of hope along with him.
In the days to follow his death, Elydia’s heart and body grew desperately sick. Bringing a child into the midst of such excruciating grief seemed untimely at best . . . and yet, with every glance into her baby’s dark-brown eyes, she couldn’t help but wonder if her daughter had arrived with a message of hope . . . perhaps the story wasn’t over yet.
As a faint, yet miraculous, flicker of hope began to grow again within her, Elydia decided to name her daughter Christla, meaning, “Christ is here.”
Elydia was exceedingly weak and unable to secure any stable work in their dilapidated Haitian village. Despite her mom’s greatest efforts, Christla’s lack of nutrition soon began to show in her pale skin and tiny, lifeless frame. Lying down next to Christla, caressing her tiny face, Elydia was reminded that Christ indeed was with them. Somehow she knew that, against all odds, Christla’s broken life would be redeemed.
In the last few days of her life, Elydia came to our partners at Danita’s Children and the staff of the Baby Rescue Center there. Tragically, she succumbed to her fight with AIDS before she could see her daughter’s recovery with her own eyes.
With only days, perhaps even moments to spare, Christla began receiving nutritional treatments for her severe malnutrition. Today, she is a healthy baby girl who is sure to make her imprint on the world. As a new member of Danita’s Children, Christla is a continual reminder of God’s faithfulness to those around her.
Hope is still possible for so many others living in hopeless circumstances just like Christla . . . children whose lives have only just begun to unfold. This Christmas, you can join the rescue and help redeem the life of a child whose story isn’t over yet.