Can you imagine being in a country where your native language is not spoken, having a baby by emergency C-section, then learning your baby can’t breathe on her own and has to be airlifted to another city while you stay in the hospital? Then, 15 days later, still not being able to hold your precious newborn, even when she cries?

This is the story of our adopted Congolese family, Rose and Cedrick Shili. Baby Charlotte was born 3 weeks early and weighed 8 lbs, 11 oz in OKC. She was immediately airlifted to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s Hospital in Tulsa, where her father, Cedrick, met her while her mother stayed in the hospital in OKC. The baby was in a life-threatening situation. Charlotte was connected to ECMO, a machine that bypassed her lungs and heart.

Rose was released a couple of days later and would you believe one room came available at Ronald McDonald House, just when they needed it? Rose has only left her baby’s side to sleep at night, while Cedrick has made a few trips back to Stillwater, where he had to take finals for his PhD in Agriculture and manage his research project involving 50 baby pigs. On top of all that, their car broke down!

Fast forward to today, May 18. Charlotte is still in NICU and in critical condition, but improving. She was taken off the heart/lung bypass last Thursday, then the ventilator was removed from her throat on Sunday. Baby Charlotte is breathing without the ventilator but with oxygen - a BIG step! Rose and Cedrick heard their baby cry for the first time since her birth. However, this joy was mixed with inner pain because they could not hold their precious little one when she cried. One morning, Rose endured her baby’s cries for 3 hours until the nurses were able to calm her with medication.

The current concern is for Charlotte’s kidneys to work normally and for her blood pressure to be normal. She still has a tube down her throat that sends her momma’s milk directly into her stomach and IVs through her belly button (where umbilical cord was). She has been in the NICU 2 weeks and will most likely be there at least another week or so. A pediatric kidney specialist has been contacted, but we are praying the kidney issue will resolve itself and that she will be able to go home without ongoing medical issues.

As you can imagine, even with insurance, medical bills and other unexpected expenses are rising for this Congolese couple who are living off the income of an OSU graduate assistantship. Hundreds throughout the world have been praying for this sweet family and many have asked how they can help, so my sister Donna and I decided to set up this fund to help them meet their needs.

Donna is on the front lines helping navigate all the medical issues and decisions. Our father is made it possible for Cedrick to attend OSU, with plans for him to return to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to teaching farming methods that will increase food production, ultimately feeding millions who live in the area. Dad left his estate to this cause and Cedrick and Rose have become part of our family.

Cedrick and Rose were hesitant about us starting this effort, but we convinced them that there are many who have been praying for baby Charlotte and who would like to help them through this difficult time, so they will be able to return to their home country as planned in 2 years. If you feel it on your heart to contribute, we will truly appreciate whatever you can do. We will keep you posted on Charlotte’s recovery on this site, as well as Facebook. Thank you so much and God Bless.