2008 Hmong American Baptist Revival, day 1 of 3

I had a blessed revival weekend.

It didn't start out that way though. On Friday, our first day of revival, my wife and I learned that our son Christian, age 7 had a fever and a minor seizer during a hospital visit with his aunt for her baby. We were very concern since he had not had it over 4 years. I was really looking forward in attending the revival, and meeting our guest Pastor and his wife from Texas. I felt upset that I had to choose between meeting my wife and son at the hospital or an evening in worship. I hoped to have been able to do both, but was only able to make one choice. I chose to join my wife and son. Before going to the hospital, I had talked to Christian on the phone. He was crying. He had been away for almost a week at his cousins and really missed the family. I can tell he was trying to be tough, but was afraid because of his past memories of his seizer experiences. I told him I loved him very much and not to be afraid, because I was going to go see him and everything was going to be okay. His little quivered voice gathered and gave me a shaking "okay." It was as if my assurance was the best medicine he had received all afternoon.

As I hurried to the hospital, I had a window of 15 minutes to make all the calls I could to alert my parents and the brothers at church about what was going on. My parents, actually my father, baby-sits my 3 younger kids. God bless him. My mom watches them too, but works in the afternoon and leaves around 2. As I called to let my father know I wouldn't be able to pick-up the kids until late, because Christian had be admitted into ER with a minor seizer, I found that the Lord and Savior had already beaten me to it. My mom had picked up the phone. She didn't go into work, because her boss had called for her not to go in that day. I was relieved, because it meant I could spend a little more with Christian.

I had to also make my rounds of calls to some of the brothers at church, letting them know of my urgent situation and that I wouldn't be able to attend that evenings service, along with the possibility of not making it for Saturdays revival too. You see, it was complicated, because Christian needed to be monitored overnight at the hospital and we weren't sure when he was going to be discharged so it hindered our weekend schedule.

I was to lead the church in worship during our revival and had many other things to prepare for. Above all else, the visiting pastor and his wife was scheduled to spend the night at my place. All of this needed an emergency plan of rescheduling. I had to get a hold of one of the deacons before the Fridays worship to let him know my situation, so a Plan B could be set up incase I was unable to pursue the original plans.

As I got to the hospital, I stopped by the gift shop and got Christian a gift and a "Get Well Soon" balloon. I figured it would bring a smile to his rough day. As I found my way into the ER, I saw him laying on the bed in a cold lonely corner of a curtained section with his mom sitting in a chair by his side. She saw me first and made a surprising look to gesture my arrival. Christian looked over and saw me. He didn't know if he should smile at the balloon and gift-bag or not, because his overwhelming joy of seeing me had crumbled into tears and his body gestered the need of a fatherly care. I softly leaned over in a hover and gentley huged him, carefull not to undo any of his IV lines. I leaned my head past his unto the pillow to embrace the warmth of his face and his quivering little voice brightened my life with the words of, "Dad, I'm happy you're here." I wanted to say so much more to him, but was only able to tell him that I was happy to be there with him also. His words, brought more light to my life that day. I didn't want him to see me get emotional and think that there could be something wrong. I only wanted him to think it was going to be just another routine doctors visit.

That evening, the three of us experienced the pure joy of the blessing that God has given us. Love, peace and family. We had a small dinner and prayed together. I spend as much time as I could starring at his beautiful face and into his gracious soul. I can't help but wonder, what have I ever done to deserve such a blessed life. And I now realize, my revival that day was not meant to be at the church, it was meant to be in a cold lonely hospital room with the grace of God's blessings.