Why?

Literally thousands of people all over the world were praying for Sofina.............. Then how could something like this happened?

 As I reflect back on how quickly things happened and how everything fell right into place for Sofina I am completely confused at this outcome. Everything was so perfectly planned that even one day different would have prevented her from having this surgery, which by the way was not the cause of her death, and neither was her malnutrition.....It turns out that her intubation tube had become blocked in the middle of the night, and went unnoticed by the nurse taking care of her. Once they realized what happened they replaced the tube, and tried to revive her for 3 hours, but she did not survive.  After all of the miracles that God worked in getting her to Kenya in time, and then being able to get her body strong enough to do surgery, and then one of the largest encephaloceles being removed, and her little face being repaired without any complication. Then why something that could have been prevented be the death of this little girl! I had so many hopes for her, I couldn't wait to see her lift her head, look around, sit up, stand. All of these things that this little girl had never been able to do! I was so excited for what I thought God was working out to be a miracle in this little girl's life. The great news is she is whole, and healed, and in a much better place than I could have dreamed up for her life here on earth! However this is not what I was expecting.

Does my understanding of why things happen change who God is? Absolutely not. Thankfully His ways are not my ways, and what I see to be a really horrible situation, He is working out for good. Even when it doesn't FEEL like it! When I first walked through Sofina's village, and was invited into her hut to talk with her family, I never once thought that I would be looking that grandmother, and that father in the eyes, with the whole village gathered around, and telling them that their child was not coming back. With tears streaming down my face, my heart broken into pieces, and scared to death at the response we were going to receive, we shared this news.  As I looked around at them and watched their eyes fill with tears and without noise fall from their eyes, I knew, even then, that God was working this out for His good. He had gone before me, and prepared this road we are traveling, and this may be one of the most painful roads I travel, but he has given me strength. Lots of times that strength is from those of you who have uttered our names before the Lord in prayer, and the names of those we are here to serve. I still don't know why this little girl's story touched so many people that they prayed faithfully for her daily! I don't know the answer to why this all happened. All I know is that God is good all of the time, and I praise him for all that He did, and is going to do to make himself known to this village, this family, and I ask that you would continue to lift us up to the Lord.

As I write this I am still trying to get Sofina's mom, and Bertrand (the Malagasy doc) back to Madagascar. The funeral for Sofina was suppost to be today, but the Malagasy community wants the body to be returned to Madagascar so they have moved the body to the Malagasy Embassy in Kenya. I believe this issue is rooted in some very dark beliefs about the dead. Please pray that Satan will not have any room for his work in this situation.


I just want to say thank you to all of you who have prayed for us, sent encouraging emails, Scripture, Facebook messages, and who continue to strengthen us when we so desperately need it! I didn't respond to the messages I received, because I didn't want to think about how I could thank you, but to let the words just bring some comfort to my heart! 

With love for you all,
Holly Jones