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Where human capabilities end, the work of God begins.
Sometimes we encounter situations that suddenly knock the ground out from under our feet. For us, there seemed to be no way out in the first months before and after the premature birth of our twin daughters. Their lives constantly hung by a thread that could snap at any moment. God alone guided us through this time and turned everything around for the best.
God blesses our growing family
My husband Eduard and I were both born into large Christian families and raised according to the teachings of God's Word from an early age. We married on May 20, 2006, and even then, we both knew that we wanted to accept all our children as a gift from God. In March 2007, we were blessed to hold our first daughter, Michèle, in our arms and thanked God for this small yet immense miracle. Our joy was even more overwhelming when I became pregnant again and learned at the first ultrasound that we were expecting twins.
A difficult time begins.
Initially, the pregnancy seemed to be progressing without any problems, but in the fourth month, the first complications arose. I was admitted to the hospital for two weeks with suspected miscarriage, but even then, God intervened and allowed both children to continue developing.
Our faith was soon put to the test again: In the 23rd week, Merolien, one of the twins, lost her water, and we rushed to the hospital. It immediately became clear that the babies could be born at any moment. The doctors weren't very hopeful, as the due date wasn't for another 17 weeks. Disability, blindness, and even death were mentioned as possible consequences. Many questions arose within us, filling us with unspeakable sadness.
The doctors asked my husband to stay with me that night. Together we prayed to the Lord, the physician of all physicians. This brought us a deep peace, even though the actual situation hadn't changed. I was admitted to the hospital and ordered to rest in bed. Day after day, the well-being of our two girls was monitored by ultrasound. It was a struggle for every single day. On the one hand, they tried to postpone the birth as long as possible, but on the other hand, there was the risk that Merolien would have too little amniotic fluid and could dry up.
The birth was delayed for another two weeks, and every day we thanked God that the children were allowed to continue growing in the womb. When Merolien had almost no amniotic fluid left, the senior physician at the pediatric clinic approached us and suggested that we carry Milena to term and let Merolien die. He argued that it was better to have one healthy child than two disabled ones. We firmly rejected the suggestion, explaining that God had been with us up to this point and that we wanted to continue trusting in Him. "That's fate," the senior physician said.
One Sunday morning I was so mentally exhausted that I burst into tears and couldn't stop crying. The doctors and nurses didn't know how to help me. Suddenly and completely unexpectedly, Eduard came into the room with Michèle, and together we stood before God again and were filled with comfort and a deep peace.
Friesen family
Trust in God despite uncertainty
On October 16, 2008, about 14 weeks before her due date, Merolien had very little amniotic fluid, and preparations were made for the birth. We placed everything in God's hands and were so full of anticipation for our little girls, whose weight was estimated at just 500 grams. It was very uncertain what awaited them, but one thing we knew: the Lord knows everything, and that was enough for us. The C-section was performed, and Milena was born weighing 725 grams and Merolien 600 grams. They were just a little bigger than the palm of my hand, their arms and legs as wide as my fingers, and their palms about the size of my thumbnail.
We visited our little girls almost every day, even though at first we were only allowed to look at them through the incubator. Even with our first touches, we were afraid of hurting them because they seemed so fragile. In the first week, Milena's weight dropped to 624 grams and Merolien's to 550 grams. The journey home after our visits to the ward was always very difficult because we often received information from the doctors that caused us even more worry. Our daughters were so weak in the beginning that they had to be artificially ventilated through thin tubes.
It wasn't until a few days later that they were able to open their eyes. They received breast milk through a feeding tube. Our girls regularly lay on our chests, wearing only diapers, so they could have physical contact. When their breathing stopped and the monitors sounded an alarm, we massaged their bodies and breathed deeply ourselves to encourage them to continue breathing. When a psychologist offered us her help at that time, I simply pointed upwards and replied that God was our psychologist. She didn't seem surprised and said the doctor had already told her that, but she had wanted to try it.
The final word rests with God!
One day at work, Eduard heard a clear voice telling him to trust Him. He immediately understood that God Himself was speaking to him, because at that time we were again confronted with many problems and complications: infections, cardiovascular disorders, digestive problems, fluid retention throughout the body, and heart failure. The danger of a cerebral hemorrhage was also repeatedly mentioned.
We prayed and hoped our daughters would be spared, but in the first few days, Merolien suffered a bilateral cerebral hemorrhage of grades one and three. The ultrasound showed how the blood had spread into the cavities and outside the brain. According to the doctors, the tissue essential for walking and thinking had been destroyed and was irreparable. If the blood didn't drain on its own, a valve would have to be surgically implanted to allow air to escape and prevent hydrocephalus. Our family, the community, and we remained in prayer during this dire situation.
We were overcome with a firm certainty that no surgery would be necessary. The doctors couldn't understand this at all and tried to change our minds. Eventually, they stopped discussing it with us. We observed that Merolien's head remained smaller than Milena's and developed well. When we spoke to the senior physician about it a few days later, he explained that the blood had completely disappeared. Merolien's brain now looked exactly like Milena's. Once again, we could see that God makes the impossible possible!
Next, Merolien developed a collection of pus on her right shoulder. The skin was inflamed, and according to the head physician, surgery was necessary. My husband replied that we were praying. "It would take a great miracle," the doctor simply said. By then, we were already well-known on the ward. On the one hand, we were ridiculed for such statements, but on the other hand, they admired the inner calm with which we endured this time.
The next day, the day the operation was scheduled, the doctor called my husband and urged him to continue praying, because he now believed his prayers would help. The pus collection did indeed gradually recede, and after two weeks there was no sign of it.
God makes himself great through two little people
After four months, our daughters, weighing approximately 3000 grams each and perfectly healthy, were allowed to go home. As we said goodbye, we emphasized that we owed our daughters' well-being to God. The senior physician even said, with tears in his eyes, that there would probably be no problems at the hospital if God treated everyone this way.
About a year and a half later, God blessed us with our fourth daughter, Madlen. Even more than before, we appreciate that we were able to receive her healthy and without complications from His hand. Today, we look upon our daughters with gratitude and see not just two, but four true miracles.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).
We have experienced much sorrow, hopelessness, and suffering, yet the Lord has been with us through it all. We have been able to feel His presence and witness great miracles He has performed for our daughters. All the glory belongs to God. We don't know why we had to walk this path, but He has taught us one thing through it: what it truly means to trust Him!
Olga Friesen
Municipality of Trossingen