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Prayer bears cheer sick kids Mother inspired by ‘miracle’ recovery of her child By ANDIE LEATHERMAN, LTN Staff Writer Dec. 24, 2001 - Six years ago Camie Stroupe spent the weeks before Christmas at Presbyterian Hospital, helping care for her critically ill infant Nicholas. Though the days were bleak, the kindness of strangers made it more bearable. Now Stroupe returns the favor. On Thursday, she delivered prayer bears to Lincoln Medical Center’s pediatric unit. Nicholas, today a strong, healthy 7-year-old, and Zachary, 9, made the hospital trek with their mom. The year following Nicholas’ hospitalization, Stroupe pulled a monogrammed stocking and ornament from her boxes of Christmas decorations. Strangers had given them to Nicholas when he was a patient. As the decorations came out, so did the memories — doctors telling Stroupe and husband Mike that Nicholas’ lungs were failing, leaving him only a five percent chance of surviving. Nicholas’ spine and blood were also infected. His only chance at fighting the Beta strep virus was a machine that would oxygenate his blood for him. That meant moving him to Carolinas Medical Center. Doctors feared he wouldn’t survive the transfer but it was his only chance, they thought. As the situation turned more critical, the Stroupes turned to God. They called their pastor at Westview Christian and asked for prayer. “We realized we couldn’t handle it on our own. God intervened,” Stroupe said. Doctors called it a miracle. When they took Nicholas off one respirator and onto another for the trip, he started breathing better. Earlier, that same machine had not worked. Nicholas did not have to make the risky transfer to Carolinas Medical Center. He stayed at Presbyterian as his condition slowly improved. As her infant son’s body grew stronger, Stroupe’s faith grew along with him. “It was God’s way of saying ‘I’m tired of you having control young lady,’” she said. Stroupe also developed a keen appreciation for little acts of kindness. A scout troop had given her the stocking and ornaments; ministers had dropped by to pray for Nicholas; nurses delivered stuffed animals. “Just knowing somebody cared enough to take time out of their busy schedule to think of us,” she said. Wanting to pass that feeling along, the following Christmas Stroupe decorated tiny stuffed bears with ribbons and attached a prayer. The prayer identifies the gift as a “burden bear, sent here on a mission by someone who really cares.” The recipient is encouraged to give Jesus the discouragement and to know that the giver cares. Stroupe never attaches her name, wanting to remain anonymous like many of the people who sent her tokens of support. Every year since then, except one, Stroupe has made the prayer bears. First the family gave them to patients at Presbyterian. Now they live in Lincolnton and Stroupe and her sons deliver the bears to LMC. They also choose two boys her sons’ ages from community angel trees and shop together for presents. “I want to teach them Christmas is not about receiving. It’s trying to remember others,” Stroupe said. |
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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