We are a sad family today. A week ago today, my aunt, Cricket (who is more like my sister, given that she is only 4 years older than me) had a baby boy named Evan Michael. Today, he went home to be with Jesus. It's hard to describe what the feeling is...when a child lives for only one week on this earth. We know that he's okay, now...he's much further along than the rest of us, at this point. But, for those of us still here...especially Cricket...it's really hard to understand.
While I know this is a time for weeping, I have also seen such beautiful things happening, today. People started showing up immediately. There were friends that came to help with anything they could...there's already enough food in the refrigerator to feed an army for a week. There are people showing up in so many ways...so quickly. It. is. amazing.
As you might imagine, the lull in the blog has been a little out of my control. There have been several events that have taken place in the last 3 weeks, that have spun us into a different chapter of life, and I am just beginning to process it all. The loss of our baby Evan is the one that I will concentrate on for now, though. As soon as things settle down, I will write and explain the rest, that are more poignant to The Whole Family Project.
Thank you to whoever reads...prayers for comfort are very much appreciated, as the next few days are spent saying goodbye to a sweet baby we never even got the chance to know. Please pray specifically for comfort for his parents, Cricket & Ben, and for their other 4 little children...Amie, Emma, Jeremiah, and Jacob.
Evan Michael Waters (3.2.10-3.9.10)
Our journey off the food grid, away from consumerism...toward sustainability and wholeness.
Aleisha,
ReplyDeleteI am so very sorry to hear about little Evan Michael. The death of a tiny one is just one of those inexplicable things, when we try to reason it out.(which of course we do, that is just the way we are made) is impossible. I am so glad that Cricket and Ben have you there to share their grief and just to BE. It is a special honor to share someone's burden, especially one this heavy and dark. God is with you in this time, Aleisha. Don't be concerned with your words, YOU are there with them as God's agent of love.
Kay
Oh Aleisha,
ReplyDeleteI'm so saddened by the loss of Evan Michael. Your faith has always been so strong, and God, as you know, will take care of everyone. Know that we are praying for Cricket and Ben's family and yours!
The following is a tribute to Evan written by his father, Ben.
ReplyDelete(It is in two parts due to length.)
Evan Michael Waters
The Noble, Young Warrior: ‘Who is like the Lord?’
Evan Michael Waters was an unexpected and great surprise to his daddy and mommy. He was unexpected since his nearest sibling was not very much older than he. His older brother Jacob was barely six months old at the time. Prenatal doctor visits seemed somewhat routine in the beginning. Everything seemed normal until about 7 months along when an ultrasound revealed fluid build-up in Evan’s abdominal cavity; a very rare condition with a long list of possible causes. At this point John 7:38 was brought to my memory. In John 7:38-39 Jesus said, “He who believes in Me as the Scripture said, From his belly will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive. Was Evan’s condition symbolic of something else? Subsequent ultrasounds revealed that the fluid was increasing and early delivery and treatment was the decision.
Evan Michael Waters was born March 2, 2010. He was 7lbs, 11oz and 18 inches long. He was delivered by emergency c-section. For the following seven days his parents, family and friends were in almost constant prayer for him. In the neonatal intensive care unit his condition was assessed as critical. It seemed that he should respond to the treatments but his lungs were too under-developed and progress was almost non-existent. On March 9th Evan’s body succumbed to overwhelming internal conditions that ended his life.
To our great sadness and heartbreak Evan Michael did not live long in this world. Our great, awesome and wonderful consolation is that the Lord came and took our little boy home to heaven. As Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Holy ones.” Evan’s passing did not occur without the intimate involvement of the Lord though it was an enormous shock to us. When I got the urgent call to return to the hospital as Evan’s condition plummeted I was so surprised I could hardly drive. We were believing and were convinced he would be healed. We continually prayed and believed in his healing along with hundreds of other believers. We continuously spoke blessings to him, over him and about him. We constantly prayed that the Holy Spirit and the Angels would protect Evan and be involved in every aspect of his care. Yet the Lord who hears and answers our prayers did not act as we expected Him to do. We still believe in God’s healing power and will still pray and believe for healing of the sick and injured but Jesus is Lord of all, not us.
As a testimony to God’s intimate involvement, Evan’s life followed the pattern of God’s creation. On the seventh day God completed His work and rested. On Evan’s seventh day he completed his work and God came and took him that he may enter into his rest with God. Do we understand all that God used Evan to do? Certainly not. But Jesus said that if a seed lives it will remain alone. Yet if it falls into the ground and dies it will
produce many seeds!-John 12: 24-28. How will God take Evan’s short life and bless it? If He can receive five loaves and two fish (seven pieces of food) from a little boy and feed thousands of people for an afternoon picnic, then certainly He can take the seven day life of a seven pound little boy and work mighty miracles!
The following is part two of a tribute to Evan.
ReplyDeleteIn the Bible Hebrews 12:1 speaks of a great cloud of witnesses in heaven surrounding us here in this world. Those who have died have not ceased to exist. Our loved ones that belong to the Lord Jesus are now part of the company of witnesses. They have witnessed God’s faithfulness in caring for His own in this life and His being very present as they make the transition from this life into the next life. Jesus said He would never leave us nor forsake us. He will not abandon us but will prove again and again that He is utterly Faithful and True.
These are not just hopeful platitudes groped for by those overwhelmed with grief. Our Hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ whom we trust and obey. This hope acts as an anchor for our souls connecting us to the most holy place in heaven itself - Hebrews 6:19. God’s very throne of grace is where we appeal through prayer. Our confidence is that because of Jesus we can say: if we live, we live for the Lord. If we die, we die for the Lord. Either way we belong to the Lord Jesus. His promise to His own is that when we leave these bodies we are present with the Lord. But He loves us so much; He is so intimately devoted to every detail of our lives that He has purposed to leave nothing of us behind. Our spirits and souls go to be with Lord when our bodies die and are buried. But He is not content to leave even these old decayed bodies behind. At the resurrection He will raise these bodies up again renewed to the properties of eternal, heavenly reality instead of corrupt, temporary, earthly reality. The spiritual reality is that we will meet Evan under very different circumstances in the not so distant future. When the Lord Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead Evan will come with Him. Should the Lord delay His return then we will see Evan when the Lord Jesus comes to take us home. My sincere prayer, the cry of my heart is that everyone hearing these words will meet Jesus, and Evan also, in just such a meeting.
The name Evan means young warrior. Michael means who is like God. The Young Warrior Evan Michael Waters had a short work to do. This was determined by God’s timing, not ours. Though we named him Young Warrior we had no idea how young he would still be as he finished his course. Our experience with Evan has shown us that there is no one like our Lord!
March 2, 2010 – March 9, 2010