02 Apr 2008 |
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“Be Magnified Oh Lord You are highly exalted And there is nothing you can’t do Oh God, My eyes are on you Be Magnified, Oh Lord be Magnified.” It was April 1st, the Fool’s Day when playing pranks is allowed but when I got the call this morning from Mr. Chuks Etuka from
I shouted a big Halleluyah. It would be recalled that exactly twelve days ago, precisely on the 20th of March, little Andrew Duku was wheeled into the theatre for his heart surgery. Well, at exactly 5.25pm today(Nigerian time), little Andy was wheeled into the room from the ICU grand style with a retinue of nurses and hospital staff accompanying him into a world of possibilities after his triumphant ordeal through an open-heart-six-hours surgery. Some few days, members of the Down Syndrome Association (DSAN), in their little apartment with hardly room enough to contain them but which had unlimited space for them to share their love, feelings and unity, held a vigil for Baby Andrew. They held hands and cried out to God with their lips moving in prayers for Andrew, who came out from surgery, to survive the last stage of his operation which is to come out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). When they sealed the prayer with a loud Amen, the request went through the galaxy of stars, carried by Angels to the heavens where they put all their faith into for a positive answer to come and it came on a very humorous day. Just like when the Lord went into Jerusalem in a triumphant manner, Baby Andrew who equally shares the same birth date with Jesus Christ, had a similar and grand entrance into the ward today as members of the Nigerian community in this hospital trouped the room singing and dancing with joy Chuks Etuka led the singing while Andrew’s mother, Mrs. Roseline Duku, led the dancing. According to Chuks, “What this means people is that he has successfully gotten over the hill of recovery and his little heart is in tip top shape. We were told by the nurses that he has been responding beautifully to medication and that he is a very strong fellow. But it is not over. He weighs 4.5kg which is quite under weight for a child his age and the target is to get him to 9kg (By fire, by force). Then his body would be able to adequately fight any possible infection while at the same time, regaining lost strength.” Just like the previous occasions, Andrew needs prayers to have the appetite to eat so that he would put on weight. No doubt, Baby Andrew’s story is one that can make a best seller; born on Christmas Day, had an appeal for his life on the 28th of January, was demonstrated so much love to on the 4th of March and went in for a fight on the 20th of the same month. He came out strong and made a fool of the fear that has been part of his chances of survival on Fool’s Day; what a story. Isn’t Andrew a new song? He is Down and not out; our Andrew is Down to Earth to survive and he is a survivor. Let’s take that chorus again while we await the day he would come back home. “Be Magnified Oh Lord
Picture Credit: Chuks Etuka in
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Baby Andrew being wheeled out from the Intensive Care Unit 
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