“I love you, sweetheart,” he said softly, just like he had during the wedding. And again, she could see tears in his eyes.
When they finally parted, Madison looked at both of them and said, “You guys take care of each other while I’m gone. And keep Caleb in line,” she added with a smile, denying herself the emotions that were surging inside.
Steve looked Luke in the eye and said, “And you take care of our little girl. We’re counting on it.”
“Yes, sir,” Maddie’s husband replied seriously, and then gave them each a final hug. Turning to Madison he said, “We’d better go.”
Less than an hour later, they were on their plane headed to a whole new life together.
Madison was roused from sleep by a hand on her shoulder. “Would you like a hot towel and some orange juice,” the flight attendant asked, extending a plastic wrapped towel held by tongs.
Luke stirred beside her and opened his eyes, too, joining Madison in reaching for the offerings.
After wiping her face and hands with the hot towel, Madison brought her seat to the upright position and drank her cold juice. Feeling refreshed, she leaned over and kissed Luke and then said, “I think I’ll walk around and stretch my legs a bit.”
“Me, too,” he agreed.
As they roamed through the wide-body cabin, Madison noticed how easily Luke could strike up conversations with other passengers. Returning to their seats, she remarked, “I’m surprised how many people onboard know English so well.”
He nodded. “Yeah. It’s the global economy, I think. But don’t get your hopes up about the workers at the orphanage. From what I’ve been told, many don’t speak English. Hopefully we’ll pick up some Chinese pretty quickly,” he added. Seeing the breakfast cart coming their way, he took her hand, and they prayed together, thanking the Lord for their safe travels so far and for the food that they were about to eat.
After breakfast, they settled into some reading. Luke had his Bible open on his lap, and Madison dug into a book she’d been reading about Billy Graham’s wife Ruth and her parents’ medical missionary work in China in the early 1900’s. She was fascinated by the colorful life of this famous evangelist’s wife. I wonder what kind of life our kids will have, she thought to herself, knowing full well that her future with Luke would be anything but boring.
By the time they’d eaten lunch, she was eager to land and get off the plane. Only a couple more hours, and they’d be at their destination. She pulled out her iPod and offered one earpiece to Luke. He smiled and placed it in his ear as she nestled into his shoulder. Allowing her mind to drift back in time, she remembered the very first time they’d listened to music together this way. She’d only been eleven at the time and had a wild crush on thirteen-year-old Luke. Wow, who’d have thought we’d make it this far, she mused silently as she soaked in the familiar Christian pop tune.
The last hour of the flight was a little rough as they hit turbulence from a storm. Madison was white-knuckling her armrest while Luke seemed completely nonplussed. “Just look at the flight attendants,” he said. “If something was wrong, they’d look worried.”
She glanced over and noticed that two of them were chatting normally, even laughing at stories they were exchanging. Although they’d been warned to keep their seat belts fastened, there were no other big announcements about the bumpy ride.
Just relax, Madison coached herself in her head. But she was very relieved after the storm was behind them. Soon they were on the ground and collecting their carry-on gear to prepare for exiting.
The Beijing airport was breathtaking in its scope and design. Walkways with gleaming white floors and expansive arched skylight grid ceilings brought beauty and light into the terminals. Strategically placed soaring sculptures, domes, and ornate pagodas made the place feel almost like a museum of modern art and Chinese architecture.
“This place is amazing,” Madison said.
“I was just thinking the same thing,” Luke replied, draping an arm over her shoulder, as they looked skyward at the intricate web of windows overhead.
After retrieving their luggage, they found their way to the rendezvous point where a driver from the orphanage would be picking them up. Through a sea of people, Luke pointed to a man holding a sign that said Children’s Garden. “That’s it!” he exclaimed, leading Madison over to meet the driver.
They introduced themselves and were relieved that the man spoke broken English, enough to confirm that he was indeed their transportation to the orphanage as he gestured for them to follow him. He’d brought a rolling cart for their luggage, and he soon had all the bags securely on wheels, which he skillfully maneuvered through the crowds to the exit.
Luke helped the man transfer their suitcases to the back of the van. Then he gave Madison a hand climbing into the back seat before slipping into the front passenger position himself. In his usual friendly manner, Luke made conversation with their driver to the best of his ability as they traveled out of the airport parking structure and through the city.
Finally out in the country, Madison felt herself relax and begin to enjoy the scenery. They drove for about an hour before arriving at the orphanage complex hedged about by a tall, stone wall with an iron gate across the driveway. Signs in Chinese and English noted that they were entering the Children’s Garden. As the gate swung slowly open, their driver eased into the complex, carefully watching for any young residents who might have wandered from their playground or residence.
Luke turned around in his seat and looked at her. “We’re home,” he said with a wink. Although Madison returned his smile, she suddenly felt very far from home indeed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
After meeting Erick, the senior director of the orphanage, the night before, they’d unpacked their suitcases, had an early dinner, and retired for the evening. Now it was early morning, and Madison opened her eyes to see her husband on his knees beside their bed. Hands clasped and resting on the mattress, his head was bowed low, and she knew he was seeking out their Father.
She quietly slipped out of bed and knelt beside him. He glanced over and smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her in close. “And thank you, Lord, for my beautiful bride and her willingness to undertake this ministry venture with me. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
“Amen,” she echoed.
Soon they were being escorted through the orphanage and oriented to their new positions. Erick explained the difference between Children’s Garden, which was a privately run orphanage functioning under the umbrella of foster care versus the government run facilities. “We have the freedom to walk out and talk about our faith here,” he said. Then he explained that Luke would be coordinating the care-giving staff and managing the business side of the facility, while Madison would put to use her nursing skills in the infirmary. After detailed job descriptions and a thorough tour, Erick asked, “Any questions?”
Luke looked at Madison. “What do you think? Any questions?”
“I’m sure I’ll have plenty as we get going. But I think I pretty much know where to start,” she replied. “I’d like to take a few hours this afternoon to review the vaccination schedules of the kids as well as any ongoing medical conditions in their charts. And I’ll want to meet with the doctor when he comes through in the morning. It seems like the nurse’s assistants have things under control in the infirmary,” she added with a smile. “But I’m a little concerned about that one infant in the far crib. Her breathing is pretty labored.”
“She has a heart condition,” Erick said. “We’re not hopeful about her chances. The doctor says she needs open heart surgery, but there are no funds for that here.”
Luke inserted himself into the conversation once again. “How expensive are we talking here?”
“Likely several thousand U.S. dollars,” he replied.
“How old is she?” Maddie asked.
“She’s nine months old.”
“Really? She looks more like three,” she obser
ved.
“It’s the heart condition. She hasn’t been able to grow and thrive normally. We’re certain that’s why she was abandoned by her parents,” he explained.
Luke put his hand on Madison’s shoulder. “I’ll contact my dad about putting out a plea through the church for funds.”
“Good idea, honey.”
After a moment’s silence, Erick said, “Well, if you don’t have any more questions for now, I’ll take Luke back to the office to go over the paperwork he’ll need to start with, and you can head over to the infirmary.”
“Sounds good,” Maddie replied.
Luke bent down and gave her a quick kiss. “See you at lunch,” he said.
By the end of the day, both Madison and Luke were spent. They’d both spent the day getting into their new roles, and then allowed themselves the chance to play with the healthy kids when they congregated in the recreation room before dinner.
Getting ready to retreat to their room for the night, Madison felt an urge to go back to the infirmary to check one more time on little baby Lily. Her tiny body slept in a ball in the center of the crib, her breathing uneven. Not wanting to awaken her, Madison stood and leaned quietly over the rail, praying silently for this precious little one.
Luke, standing beside her, placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered into her ear, “She seems to be sleeping okay.”
Madison nodded. She watched Lily for another minute and then turned and took Luke’s hand as they slipped out of the infirmary. Once they were in their quarters, she sank down onto the bed and sighed. “I really don’t think Lily has much time if she doesn’t get that surgery. I’ve seen this before in my pediatric rotation at the hospital. Her breathing’s just going to get more and more labored until her heart finally gives up.”
Luke sat down beside her and pulled her close. “Let’s hope Dad can drum up the funds. I’ll write letters to other churches and organizations as well,” he promised.
As Maddie tried to fall asleep that night, she kept seeing little Lily in her mind. Eventually she drifted off into a restless series of dreams about the baby disappearing from her crib or dying. By morning, Madison was even more concerned.
Shortly after dawn, she slipped out of bed, got dressed, and left their apartment, closing the door as quietly as possible to avoid waking Luke. The infirmary was quiet and dark. Tiptoeing over to Lily’s crib, she peered down to see a still form.
All of her nurse’s training kicked in immediately. Lifting the tiny baby into her arms, she could see the blue lips that indicated oxygen deprivation. After finding no heartbeat, she immediately began CPR, desperately pleading with God as she worked on little Lily.
Her efforts were rewarded with a sudden gasp of air as the baby’s lungs kicked in to do their job. Madison breathed a prayer of praise as she lifted her tiny charge into her arms and held her close to her heart. Although Lily’s breathing was still irregular, her lips began to turn light pink as her body began to move.
“You cannot be left alone,” Madison whispered into Lily’s ear. Suspecting that she was breaking regulations, but unwilling to take the chance of losing this little patient, Maddie carried Lily back to their apartment. Soon the orphanage would spring to life, and then she’d figure out what to do.
As she opened the door to the apartment, Luke stirred. “Honey? Is that you?” he asked softly.
“Yeah,” she replied in a whisper.
Luke pushed himself up on his elbow and glanced over at her. “Where have you been? And what is that?”
She sat down beside him and lowered Lily so he could see her face from inside the blanket. “I was at the infirmary checking on Lily. She stopped breathing, Luke. We can’t leave her alone. Not at all.”
Sitting up and rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat next to her. Peering down at Lily’s face and then up at Madison’s, he said, “We’d better talk to Erick. I’m sure there’s a protocol on this.”
Nodding in agreement, Madison said, “For now, I’m going to make a sling out of the scarf Grandma gave me and use it to carry her. That way I’ll have my hands free, but I can continuously monitor her breathing.”
“Okay. Here, let me hold her while you get that ready.” He reached out and took the tiny babe in his arms, cradling her to his bare chest. “She’s really adorable,” he murmured.
“Yeah,” Madison replied. “I love her eyes. It seems like she’s looking right into your soul.”
After digging through their luggage, she found the scarf and tied it around the back of her neck, spreading the fabric in front to create a baby sling. With Luke’s help, she was able to nestle Lily into the pouch. “There. That’s perfect,” she said, feeling thankful she’d gotten the idea.
Hopefully she’d be allowed to carry the baby and still do her regular nursing tasks. Since there were not many children in the infirmary right now, she thought she could probably manage. The problem would be helping those who might be contagious. At that point, she’d have to put her down again or hand her over to one of the assistants.
As they walked into the dining hall for breakfast, they spotted Erick sitting near the windows with another staff member. Luke took Madison’s hand and led her through the maze of tables over to Erick’s.
“Good morning,” the senior director said as they approached. “What have we here?” he asked as he gestured to the sling.
“It’s Lily,” Luke began.
“She stopped breathing early this morning,” Madison added quickly. “I went to check on her, and she was already beginning to show signs of cyanosis. I performed CPR and she revived immediately. But I don’t think it’s safe to leave her alone right now.”
“I see,” he replied. “Okay, well let’s consult with Dr. Su when he arrives.”
“So, it’s okay to wear her in the sling for now?” she asked.
He looked up at her and smiled. “Sure. But remember you have other patients to contend with this morning. There are three girls and a boy with suspicious rashes and fevers. You’ll need to look in on them.”
“Okay, no problem. I’ll have one of the assistants hold her while I do that,” she said.
Dr. Su arrived late that morning. Erick introduced him to Madison and updated the doctor on Lily and the other children in the infirmary. “We’ll need to check them for measles,” Dr. Su replied in response to the description of the rashes and fevers.
“And what is going on with this little one,” he asked, peering into the sling Madison was wearing.
She carefully lifted Lily out and handed her to the doctor, giving a complete description of the morning’s events. “I’m glad I got there in time,” she added. “She had all the signs of cyanosis. But thankfully she responded right away to CPR.”
“She’s a very lucky girl that you followed your instincts and checked on her,” he replied, placing the infant on an examination table near her crib. After listening to her heartbeat, he handed another stethoscope to Madison. “Have a listen.”
She warmed the diaphragm in her hands before placing it on Lily’s chest. She could hear the tiny heart struggling with arrhythmia and sounds of congestion around the organ indicated imminent failure.
“I’m afraid this little one doesn’t have much time to wait for a surgery,” the doctor said as he shook his head wistfully.
Madison wanted to scream. Her frustration at the doctor’s apparent resignation over the infant’s chances rose up to clash with her practical recognition of the daunting task of finding funds for such an expensive procedure. The orphanage just didn’t have that kind of financial wherewithal. And the country did not offer free medical care to abandoned infants.
Lily might have a couple of months, tops. But more likely, she needed surgery within the next few weeks. She could even be gone by tomorrow if she wasn’t monitored closely enough.
“Let’s have Lian watch Lily while we check on the sick children,” Dr. Su suggested, gesturing t
o one of the assistants who was bringing fresh bedding in from the laundry room.
As she approached, Madison carefully handed the baby over to her and was dismayed to see Lian immediately place the infant back in her crib. “I have beds to change,” she explained curtly. “I’ll watch her.”
Madison turned to the doctor, hoping for his intervention, but he simply nodded, picked up his clipboard and led the way into the room for contagious diseases. Three young children, no older than preschool age, were in beds along the wall. Another assistant, whom Dr. Su introduced as Suyin, was bent over one bed wiping a brow with a damp cloth. She backed away immediately upon seeing the doctor, leaving him ready access to the child.
He spoke to her in Chinese and then explained to Madison, “I asked about the timing of the onset of the rash. When I was here last time, we only had fevers. We’ll run nasal swabs on these children to determine whether they are suffering from rubella or roseola. If it’s rubella, we could easily have an outbreak throughout the orphanage.” He looked concerned. “You aren’t pregnant, are you?” he asked.
Madison shook her head.
“Okay, good. We wouldn’t want you around any of these kids if you were. Until we get the results of the swabs, that is.”
“I’ll take care of those right away,” she replied. “The supplies are in the closet over there, right?” she asked, pointing to a door at the end of the room.
“Yes.” Dr. Su handed her a key on a small chain. “We keep it locked at all times.”
Starting in the direction of the closet, Madison paused and turned back to the doctor. “Shouldn’t I be immune to rubella since I was immunized as a child?” she asked.
“Although it’s likely, I’m afraid there’s no guarantee that you’d be completely immune. Unfortunately, the best immunity is built when your body is fighting off the actual disease itself.”
Madison nodded. “Right.” After retrieving the swab kits, she went right to work. As she took her samples, she could see Dr. Su speak to Suyin in their native language, pointing to charts as he filled her in on his treatment plan for the three young children.
Above All Else (Sandy Cove Series Book 7) Page 16