Tears...

As I sat there looking with pity at this young mother who tried in vain to feed her child, I wished I could do something to help. I watched as tears rain down her face as she winced in pain as the nurse touched her tender breast.
I was at the Hospital all morning and had just finished bathing a 2 ½ lb preemie baby and was now sitting by this new mother as she tried to nurse her small baby girl. She had been here for 10 days and was still in so much pain from the C-section and having engorged breasts. Plus the baby was not increasing in weight and wasn’t eating well. I worried for both child and mother and prayed that they would soon recover and grow. What touched me most about this scene was the father. He was an older Muslim man from one of the villages he was rather skinny as most here are but with a face filled with concern and love. This was his second wife and his 11th child. But everyday he came to look after his baby girl and fed her milk through a syringe. I was surprised by his consistency and gentle care, it's rare here.
As the mother, his wife started to cry in pain, I looked at him and saw a single tear slide from his brown eyes onto his sun weathered cheeks. I couldn’t help but stare in wonder at this scene of love. Most men are not interested in their children or wives to this extent and I have never seen this specific tribe show such tender care. It was as if God was showing me that these people had love in them, no matter their appearance or hard exterior they are lovable because God made them and Christ died for them...they just didn't know it yet.