Return of the 2000 gram party

I love 2000 gram parties.  They are a time to celebrate LIFE in a place where death is all too common.  The parties give us an opportunity to honor the mothers who so carefully look after the little ones, and to pray for the baby.  And they are also an encouragement to the hard-working staff of D-ward.

Baby of Slainger was about 1500 grams when she was born.  This past week we celebrated her 2000 gram milestone--the first party since my return ton PNG.  I really can't take much credit, because she was well on her way to the goal before I got back.  As per the tradition, all of the nursery mothers and staff and students crammed into the tiny room.  We surrounded Salinger and her baby, read from Psalm 139, and prayed for mama and her baby.  We took a self-timer picture of the group and ate chocolate dust cookies.  Thank you, Papa God, for life!!!

(The original recipe was for chocolate chip cookies.  When I pulled the chocolate chips out of the freezer, they were mostly one solid chunk.  In attempt to break the chunk into cookie sized pieces, I pulverized the chocolate into a fine dust.  The cookies were a hit nonetheless.)

"Because your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands."

~ Psalm 63:3-4