I am going to share a life story with you to explain the significance of the number 10. Luke just had his 10th birthday. Luke is our tithe—10%; we gave him to the Lord 10 years ago. I praise the Lord for my Luke on this special day!
While living in Moscow and adjusting to our new culture in 1998, we had several unique experiences; though, sometimes they were unpleasant and trying ones.
While carrying my third child, I had problems that developed in the seventh week of pregnancy. I was at language class that day. My first prayer was that the Lord’s will be done and that God would save my baby. My language instructor was very concerned, but her reaction was rather strange. She could not understand why I would want to have another child anyway. The norm in the Russian culture, outside of the religious evangelical circles, is one child per family. Later she even questioned, “You are not going to put your body through this hard pregnancy, are you?” I got the same response at the hospital that day. The technician asked if I wanted to have an abortion. Because of the stress my body was under, I did not need any more pessimistic statements. Buck and I immediately gave this child to the Lord.
A friend who had a vehicle came by to drive me to the clinic. All I could do was pray the entire trip, which seemed like took forever. After the doctor’s examination, we discovered that the fetal sac detached 35% from the wall. I had a hemotoma located near the left side of the sac. The doctor only gave our child a 10% chance to survive, and if I continued to carry the baby, he or she would likely be born premature. Needless to say, we gave this tithe to the Lord. Our tithe!
The doctor put me on bed rest for at least two weeks. I could not do any housework or cook. Buck was in charge of everything including the children. After some period of time the doctor said that I could move around the house slowly. I could take short walks near the house, but I was not to travel on public transportation for any reason. Therefore, our language teacher traveled to us for lessons.
It was very reassuring to see the baby growing and kicking on the sonograms that I had often. We knew that God was in control. A verse from the Bible kept coming to mind: If we are weak in times of challenge, how little is our strength (Proverbs 24:10)! The Holy Spirit provided me with the strength needed to endure.
The baby kept a normal heartbeat the entire pregnancy. God wanted our baby to survive. Soon we found out that we had a son, Luke, growing inside the womb. God knew that I deeply wanted this child. Remembering back to the day when the pregnancy could have ended, I recollected how my emotions yelled for God to sustain Luke. When doctors doubted all possibilities, the Lord was performing a miracle.
Around the 20th week we discussed delivery. The doctor wanted to make plans for premature labor. The options for locating a hospital capable of handling this type of birth in Moscow were slim. We knew if the Lord did not show us an adequately standard medical hospital that we must make other arrangements, possibly travel to another country. That meant that I would have to live somewhere else with the girls for three to four months, and Buck stay in Russia. That was a surprise!
Buck also needed to start finding us a home in Bryansk (the city in Russia where he was to serve as strategy coordinator). Our plans were to move after full-time language and the birth of the baby. After talking with leadership, we made plans for the girls and I to live with parents in the States in case of an early delivery. I finished my last language exam at 11 months, which was presenting a witnessing outline, and traveled home with the girls, leaving Buck behind. What a sad day that was as we waved goodbye in the airport! I immediately built up a wall to fight the emotions that were flourishing. I did not know how I would survive without my best friend for four months. However, I knew that I needed to for Luke’s sake. Buck recollects those lonely months of separation, too.
It became a lonely time for the family as we separated by an ocean and thousands of miles, but the Lord began to teach us dependence upon Him and several lessons that could only be learned through this period of separation. Two in particular came through scriptures that I had learned long ago but through which the Holy Spirit began to speak.
As I finished up full time language school and began the move to Bryansk. With the help of the Russian brothers and missionary friends, the Lord led me to the right apartment. I began to buy the necessary appliances and furniture to accommodate our family when they would return after the baby’s birth. I’m no interior decorator, but it was a pure joy to begin fixing up the apartment in preparation for Leslie, the girls and our expected son. As I was putting everything in place in the kitchen, I thought only of Leslie’s tastes, how Leslie would like it decorated— her favorite colors, where she would want the flour, etc. Upon completion I sat down to admire the place. It was then that the Holy Spirit brought a verse to memory, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). I sensed Jesus telling me, “Buck, I know you really miss your family, but did you know that I also long for you to be here with me. You know the joy you are experiencing in preparing Leslie and your kids a place is the same joy I am experiencing right now as I prepare a place for my bride!” I couldn’t help but break into tears as I thought of how magnificent heaven must be. Jesus is there, and He is preparing a place with us in mind.
The days of waiting and waiting and waiting for our son to be born seemed like years. The Lord also brought to mind a verse, “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19). He seemed to say, “Buck, be patient, he will be here soon and you will have your time of rejoicing!” People are getting saved all over the world, and soon the true sons of God will be shown for who they really are. Be patient, world, Jesus will be here soon and the sons of God will be revealed, and you will rejoice at His appearance! - “The Times of our Lives” newsletter, October 1999
God is so good, so powerful and so wonderful. Many prayers were lifted up to perform a miracle. Our “miracle boy”, Lucius Robuck Burch IV (aka Luke), was born at 8:45 EST on November 29, 1999, only two weeks early. He weighed 8 pounds and was 19.5 inches long. Buck came as soon as possible. After a month, we traveled back to Russia together, interestingly straight to Bryansk. The things I did not know….My missionary life was just beginning.
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The Chosen Path, L. Burch
