Letters from the Laras: Fun Mom – Bad Mom – Sad Mom

I have always dreamed of being a “Fun Mom.” A careful balance of discipline, guiding and fun wrapped up in a happy life for my kids. Thankfully over the last few years as Robersy has worked with baseball ministry, I’ve been at Lily House and together we’ve worked with the church youth group so I’ve been able to try this out with kids that aren’t mine.

Up until last Monday that is.

It all started on Robersy’s birthday. We spent the morning together at home, I made some brownies and cake, and then I jetted off to lead a group to Los Montones for ministry.

Robersy had some errands to run and then wanted to spend the afternoon shooting hoops with some of his boys. I took a book since I know my hubby. Afternoon means early evening and an hour can easily turn into a couple of hours.

He played. I read. Everyone was happy.

We ended the night with brownies, cake and soda… then Robersy climbed into the bed of the truck with his boys so I could drive everyone home.

That is when it happened. Fun mom creeped in.

As I began to drive memories of my mother doing silly things while my friends and I screamed in the back seat flooded my mind, and then my actions followed.

Since we started on the main road I only swerved a little. Enough to make them chant my name. Adrenaline filled my veins.

Then I sprayed them with the water that squirts out of the window washing thingy on the car (I’m sure it has some super professional name). Screams and cheers continued.

I slowed enough to turn in to the area where most of them live. A bumpy dirt road made for lots of squeals and then when I was able to I accelerated, “Woooohoooo! Go Sarah!!!!”

Since most of them are a bit older I decided to take it to the next level. That, my friends, is where Bad Mom came in to play. She was so similar to fun mom, but her foot crossed the line…

Brakes, pause, drive, brrrrrakes, drive…

That’s when the cheers fell slient. I figured it was because we had entered the neighborhood, until I saw Robersy shaking his head.

A KID HAD FALLEN OUT THE TRUCK.

Yes, you read that right. Even as I write this I am ashamed.

THANKFULLY it was that last “brrrraaaakkke,” but assuming I was coming to a complete stop poor Salvador stood up and as I drove he lost his balance and toppled out of the truck.

Thankfully “Repentant Mom” also made an appearance and I checked the teen’s (who is a lot taller than me) hands, knees and head before hugging him, embarrassing him and getting him home SAFELY!!!

Fun Mom and Bad Mom learned valuable lessons.

Over the next few days I prayed for Salvador that everything was REALLY ok, but we chatted again and he says it’s ok :)

From Tuesday onwards I had the privilege of serving with a group of 7 women from Columbia Baptist church. I'll get some photos posted once they post some :) We visited an orphanage, a school, Lily House and was even blessed with some relaxation as they (along with Bethel Baptist) pampered the missionaries and Pastor’s wives with foot massages, hand massages, a great devotional and gifts. It was a lovely week. But one activity in particular left a lasting impression on my heart.

On Wednesday the team headed to a hospital in San Pedro to visit new moms and their babies. It started off really well! The moms were excited and we even had a grandmother stalk us to make sure we made a stop at her daughter’s bedside with a gift too. LOL.

Nearing the end of our time a nurse asked us to visit a few moms that had premature babies and of course, since we had plenty of gift bags, we went to visit them too.

As we walked in, one sweet little boy caught my eye. He was in an incubator, but you could see his ribs as he grasped on to his next breath. No tubes, meds, or doctors looking in. Just a mom sitting beside him. “How old is your little boy?” “Only a few days old but he was born at 24.5 weeks.”

My tear ducts broke…

I hugged the hurting mom tightly and explained to her that my baby was the same age. Just as easily I could have been seated in her position, but God doesn’t do anything by accident. Her sweet baby was granted life by God Almighty and His will in this sweet boy's life would be completed.

We chatted a little more and I asked another woman to come and pray (mainly because I knew I couldn’t do it without sobbing over this sweet little boy just struggling to survive).

The rest of the day thoughts went through my mind, but it was only on the drive home with Robersy that I could get it all out.

“Why must the poor suffer? That wasn’t the best health care, she most likely couldn’t rush him anywhere else and he would have never been flown out for better care. If it were me in that chair I could have called my family who would give everything they owned to get us to the best care available. But all I could offer was prayer, Robersy. Prayer! That’s all. I didn’t have money with me… no special connections to amazing doctors that could help… just prayer.”

“Just God?”

I thank God for Robersy.

He continued, “Sarah, if bringing that tiny baby boy before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Creator of the world and the Giver of Life was ALL you could do… I’m most certain THAT was enough.”

Thankful for a husband that allows GOD to speak through him.

So I have learned some valuable lessons this week.

I’ve learned how far Fun Mom can go and to not allow Bad Mom to have a part in the fun. Then I learned how Sad Mom can be Thankful Mom when I understand in whom I place my trust and hope. Does it mean everything will be ok? No. But it means that I have a Savior who will carry me through both the good times AND bad.

Over all it was a great week of some great lessons and fantastic ministry. Robersy was also super busy! Our friend Ricky Ufret (former Pirates player) came for a conference and before he even got to where he was going he arranged to do a quick baseball clinic with Robersy’s boys. They loved it!

On Saturday Robersy then took about 40 of his players to Bani (where Robersy is from) to play against a team there. It was a day filled with plenty of unexpected adventures (which is where my puke and poop FB status came from), but the boys had fun and the Gospel was preached!

To finish off the weekend Robersy then preached at our church's Family Day service as well as another church in Los Fundos before we raced off to see Ricky once more before he left.