Baby Oliver, My Little Brave Caleb
By Sara, 2 July 2019
When I look at his beautiful face now, I feel so grateful. Thankful that both my daughter, Nikki, and her baby are well despite his very bloody entry into the world. His story is recounted here with the blessings of his parents.
30/6/19 Sunday at around 9 pm
All Good and According to Plan
WK, my son-in-law, texted me to say they were preparing to go in to hospital even though Nikki’s contractions were minor. Her baby in the womb has only just turned 37 weeks. Just three days ago, the gynecologist had said everything was good and normal and it was alright for Nikki to take her maternity leave in another ten days.
9:23 pm
Hubby came home after visiting his aged father. We decided to make our way to their home, a short drive away, after he has showered and changed.
But Out Came Oliver Suddenly
Between 9 to 9.30 pm
Nikki had taken a shower and was already changed while WK packed their bag. Then she felt some pain and decided to lie down in bed and wait. Shortly after, her water bag burst. She felt she needed to use the bathroom. And it all happened so fast, in about five minutes.
A Bloody Entry to the World
Oliver suddenly slid out of her, into the toilet bowl, snapping the umbilical cord in the process. There was a lot of blood. She froze in shock but managed to shout for her husband. He was shocked to find the baby face down in the bowl. Oliver started crying his lungs out after his dad pulled him out quickly, blood is now shooting out of his severed cord.
Nikki heard her husband pleading as he dashed out with their babe in his arms, blood dripping everywhere, frantically knocking on his neighbours’ doors, “Help me. Help me!”
Thank God two of the neighbours opened their door, both young couples like them. One mother carried the baby into her arms as WK rushed back to Nikki. He called the hospital. He called us. We hopped into the car and dashed to their home. I shot out urgent prayer requests to the COBS team and to some intercessors.
Their neighbour had called for the paramedics as WK couldn’t get hold of their doctor. We arrived to find blood all over the house and Nikki in anguish as her placenta was still inside her. WK tried frantically to talk to the nurse in the hospital, who was not listening at all. I told him to just hang up and assured Nikki everything was going to be alright. Help was on the way. Paramedics arrived.
Babies Understand Spirit Language
I went to see Baby Oliver who was in the arms of the neighbour’s wife.
Both his eyes were closed. I laid hands on his head and started praying in the Spirit, assuring him of God’s presence and to calm his heart. He became very still, listening to every word. And then, he opened his eyes and his mouth. The neighbour’s wife exclaimed that he was responding! Relief.
I LAID HANDS ON HIS HEAD AND STARTED PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT, ASSURING HIM OF GOD'S PRESENCE AND TO CALM HIS HEART. HE BECAME VERY STILL, LISTENING TO EVERY WORD. AND THEN, HE OPENED HIS EYES AND HIS MOUTH.
I thanked the neighbours. Andrew said, “It’s okay, we are Christians too and we take care of each other.” Very relieved and touched, I quickly went to check on Nikki and assured her that her baby was okay and she will be okay. God is with us.
“This One Has a Caleb Spirit. He’s a Fighter”
Around 10:30 pm
WK hugged me in the lift lobby as he made his way to the ambulance, voice shaking, holding back tears. It had been so traumatic for him. He said his hands were shaking when he tied a string around the baby’s cord as instructed by the neighbour’s doctor.
I assured him that everything was going to be alright and that many people were praying. I’m so proud of his bravery. WK said it was Nikki who was truly the brave one - to have to go through all of this.
I followed them in the car behind the ambulance crying out to God for protection all of the way to the hospital. My husband stayed behind to wait for Vikki to come over with the helper to help clean the place up, which now looked like a murder scene with blood everywhere, from the bathroom, to the hall and to the lift lobby. My helper later said she nearly fainted when she first entered the flat, overpowered by the smell of blood.
As I drove, I tried to still my heart. Hands shaking on the wheel, I cried out to God in desperate prayer for baby Oliver. He said to me, “Do not worry, this one has the Caleb spirit. Strong and courageous. He’s a fighter.”
HE SAID TO ME, "DO NOT WORRY, THIS ONE HAS THE CALEB SPIRITS. STRONG AND COURAGEOUS. HE'S A FIGHTER."
CH and Vikki arrived at the hospital and while we waited, intercessors in China and Singapore sent assurances of peace and divine protection and Psalms 91. I remembered the 111 and felt assured. God is Oliver’s and Nikki’s refuge, strength and fortress.
June 30, Numbers 13, Strong and Courageous Spirit
Kelly texted from Switzerland. She asked if the baby was born on 1st July or 30th June. She felt led to check the Hebrew Calendar, put 30th June in Google and a verse from the Torah popped up.
Numbers 13.
The story about the 12 spies - Caleb is one of the only two from the 12, to finally enter the Promised Land. Because they trusted the Lord and were not daunted by the size of the enemy.
Very assuring - my little Caleb was going to pull through this ordeal courageously.
Around Midnight
The doctor said both mother and baby are okay. They had to put Oliver on the heater as his legs were a bit pale and cold, probably due to the blood loss. But he was turning rosy so they think he’s going to be okay.
I told my intercessors to pray as I do not feel comfortable with this hospital. The staff in the delivery ward were very callous and insensitive, adding to Nikki and WK’s frayed nerves. I also remembered that my mentors told me about a vile spirit which involves the sacrifice of babies there more than 20 years ago. More urgent prayer requests sent as I prayed with Vikki at the hospital garden.
Around 1 am
They had been transferred to the normal ward and we could go up to see them. Relieved that Nikki and the baby were safe and well, we returned home at 2 am, all traumatised. I couldn’t sleep all night. We still needed the paediatrician to check Oliver in the morning and for blood test results to make sure he was not anaemic and did not catch any infection.
My Nightmare Two Nights Earlier
Thank God, Oliver’s test results over the next few days came back very good and he was well.
I decided I can share with Nikki and WK from my journal a nightmare I had two days before the birth of Oliver.
<<< 28/6/19 Friday night at about 4-5 am
Covered in Blood
I was fighting all night, with my full armour on and with my sword. It was very intense; at the end of it I was covered with blood. I thought I looked really horrifying but was surprised to find that I had not suffered any injury at all.
Plunging Elevator
Next, I was in a plunging elevator. It was terrifying and I did not know what to do. Then, at that instant, I saw God’s hand catch hold of the elevator and prevented it from crashing to the ground. I climbed out safely.
I heard four Chinese words “有惊无险” meaning “There is fright but no danger.”
I HEARD FOUR CHINESE WORDS "有惊无险" MEANING "THERE IS FRIGHT BUT NO DANGER".
Then, I saw a middle-aged Chinese man who said to me: “You very lucky to survive one ambush after another. Maybe you need to go “拜拜 pai pai” (means pray to the Chinese idols/gods) and repent.”
Awoke Battling
I awoke that morning praying in tongues with my hand over my head. I remembered I had gone through an intense fight, but I was too tired to remember the details. The day before that dream, I had woken up with a worship song in my head so I was quite pleased. But why now this horrible dream, I thought to myself.
I Thought It Was About the Writing
The next day, on 29th June, Saturday, CH and I were having breakfast at Cluny Court and two men were engaged in an agitated conversation in the next table. The younger man remarked angrily to the older Christian, “It is pointless for us to talk about this if you are not going to look objectively at the inconsistencies in the Bible.”
While my husband tried to avoid looking at them and peered uncomfortably into his newspapers, I suddenly remembered my dream and thought it might have been warning me of contention over the issue of tithing in my book. I pondered what the old man said in my dream, wondering if he was the devil or from God. I asked God if there was there anything I needed to repent of. I suddenly recalled I had retorted indignantly to that man in the dream, “I am covered by the blood of Jesus”!
Okay, I thought to myself, that man must be the devil since he asked me to make offerings to idols. So, there is nothing to repent of, nothing to fear, for the Lord is mightier. The blood of Jesus is all I need and it is sufficient.
I texted my intercessors immediately to pray over me then as I thought it was a warning of impending danger over me.
Little did I realise that this was about Baby Oliver, who would come in such a way the day after. It was, like in the dream, 有惊无险 “frightening but in no danger”, covered in blood, looking really horrific but with no injury, and with the hand of God reaching out to save him as he plunged down and out into this world.
Oliver’s Name
His parents chose his English name “Oliver” because the oil from the olive tree, besides being very beneficial and nutritious, is also very symbolic in Christianity.
His Chinese name is 傅勇悦
傅: his family name, meaning “Teacher”
勇悦：Courage and Joy (this joy is often used in the Bible to describe the delight and joy of God).
Put together meaning: Teacher of Courageous Joy.
Expect Another Traumatic Birthing?
Shortly after Oliver’s birth, I met up with my mentor, Pastor BC. As I shared about the drama and warfare over Oliver’s birth, she was thoughtful for a moment and then told me that Oliver’s birth is also linked to the birth of the COBS website.
OLIVER'S BIRTH IS ALSO LINKED TO THE BIRTH OF THE COBS WEBSITE.
Oh my, I thought, not sure if my heart and stomach could take another traumatic birthing but I thank God that He pre-warns and He pre-empts, and then He also protects and provides.
And yes, this website project almost drove me to a nervous breakdown as the technology world is really beyond my ability and comfort zone. The assistance I had engaged did not quite work out and the whole process went through a fair bit of spins and turns. But the Lord reminds me of Oliver’s name – that it will benefit many and it will teach lessons of courage and joy. So, I decided I will persevere and press on until the Lord provided the right resource to work the project.
Update: 18 Nov 2019:
My darling grandson is now in his fifth month and is a happy soul, always having a ready smile for anyone who engages him. He loves to hear me pray in the Spirit and sing him songs of praising the Lord. He is also starting to learn to chuckle – very loudly.
The website, after several changes of personnel, is finally progressing well. Work has been hard and I am tired, but I am relieved and joyful, like an expectant mother, feeding it, waiting as it grows, preparing for and looking forward to the day of its birth.
On this fateful morning, I was carrying little Ollie down my stairs for his next feed. I somehow tripped on the last step and fell. I held on to him as firmly as I could with both arms and I thought this time I would break my ankle as I could not use my hand to grab hold of anything. As I dropped to the ground, my heart fell when I felt Ollie slipping out of my arms. I watched in horror as he fell backwards, his head heading for the marble floor.
HELPLESS AND TERRIFIED, I COULD ONLY HANG ON TO GOD IN THAT INSTANT AS THERE WAS NOT EVEN TIME TO THINK OR PRAY.
Helpless and terrified, I could only hang on to God in that instant as there was not even time to think or pray. When Ollie’s head touched the floor, it was strange. Instead of a thud, it was soundless. It was like his head fell on a soft cushion. He was stunned for a moment and started crying after my helper dashed over to help us up, also stunned and surprised by his soft landing.
Thank God, it was again yet another episode of “有惊无险”. We both survived without any fracture or harm. For me, there was only some bruising and soreness for a couple of days but I was most glad that Ollie was completely well. The hand of God has once again reached out to save him.
I sent urgent requests to the members for prayer covering as we know that the enemy is doing all it can to intimidate and wear me down as I prepare to birth this website. I slept the whole afternoon to recover from the trauma and after that, I got back to work on my writing, even more determined to finish this and to finish it well.
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