Juddah's first speaking engagement!

Juddah was asked to share his story at the Carilion Leaderhip Team Forum Yesterday. It was held at the new medical school in Roanoke and was attended personally by about 100 and then was broadcast out to satellite campuses. I was told to about 1500. When I posted on my Facebook status that he was going to appear and share his story, my friend Tamara asked me "how is his english?" to which I replied, "Juddah plans to wow them over with his cuteness, and use the philosophy of Saint Francis of Assisi... Speak the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words!" Well Juddah did just that, as soon as people look into his big brown wise eyes, they are instantly drawn in and want to know his story. There is just something 'extraordinary' about this little one. Something in his spirit that the Lord is growing. Growing for things bigger than we could think or imagine.

I had prepared a video specifically for the day. One that spoke of the medical needs in Korah. One that showed some of the neighborhood where Juddah lives. It was downloaded on to an external hard drive which I took to the forum. When I approached the podium and went to click on the video to start it, it was nowhere to be found. The computer was restarted, and again the hard drive was opened to find the file and it just wasn't there. For a moment I was perplexed. Hmm, what to do... 100 people looking on waiting for a video about a place they had only just heard of seconds ago, a place that can in no way be described with words, let alone pictures. We needed that video. I asked the woman at the podium if they were connected to internet, thankfully they were, and my only choice was to go to youtube and show the video I had made about 5 months ago upon returning from one of my trips to Korah. These were my personal thoughts and not intended for a presentation in any way. I let Vern know upfront that this was from a Christian perspective and was it ok to show.. he said 'go for it' so we did. It was not the video that I had wanted to show, but it was the video that the Lord wanted to show, and He made it very clear, and he got His Way! The video was well received, and later that day some of the nurses in attendance said "I do believe that a little evangelizing was going on in the crowd during the video!" Well isn't that just the Lord! Changing our plans to his plans. Oh how I love the way He works. I must say that I took a very deep breath as it started, as it is a very personal video and from a very personal point of view. And not one that I ever intended to be looking at alongside 100 other people on the big screen... But it was Gods moment and His alone. Exhale! Here is a link to the actual video that was shown, it's also at the end of this blog if you'd like to take a look. video shown
After the crowd had dispersed, I plugged back in the hard drive just to double check that it wasn't there... and you know what? There is was plain as day, right where I had put it.. sitting on that hard drive loud and clear... Funky computer error earlier? I think not! Hand of God! Most defiantly!

At the end of the presentation, an envelope was presented with Juddah's name. It had cash donations in it collected by hospital staff to use toward gas money while in VA. Vern also had a special gift for Juddah. It was a bath towel that had a lion embroidered on it alongside of his name. :) The team at Carilion loved Juddah before they even met him in person. It is even more evident now as they look and interact with him in person. They are going above and beyond in caring for both his medical needs and his needs outside of the hospital. I'm looking forward to spending the next few months getting to know each of the staff at Carilion who has a part in caring for our little miracle baby. It is not by chance that Juddah is at Carilion. It is by divine intervention.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, 

but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21

Here is the video I intended to show.

Please be in prayer for a couple of specific things. On Monday he will see the neurosurgeon for the first time and on Tuesday he will have his MRI. For the MRI he cannot eat past midnight. As of today he is still waking up every 4 hours to eat. He will not be a happy camper that morning. Also He will be IV sedated for the MRI, please pray for no complications.

Above are some very special friends of Team Juddah. These are the ladies, who listened to that still small voice and heeded the calling of the Lord ... to be obedient in what He was asking of them! Without these ladies, Juddah would not be where he is today. Praising God for these women.

Prayer Warriors needed