Well, we can sort out that it is stubbornness. Perhaps a little bit of sickness alongside, but quite a significant amount of stubbornness.
I went back to visit Yuh Meh Oo this afternoon after lunch. I had told her mother that if she hadn’t eaten by lunchtime today, she would need to go the hospital for fluids through an IV. When arrived, she hadn’t eaten still.
This time, I had this passed on to Yuh Meh Oo: We were going to walk together to the little shop at the end of the street. She could pick any one thing to eat, and I would buy it. If she ate all of it, we wouldn’t go to the hospital. If she did not eat all of it, we would go to the hospital to get food through a needle.
Once we were there she picked out a sandwich-type snack. I explain in the shop that if she ate the whole thing, she could play with a baby at my house.
We walked back to my porch; I retrieved a cup of water. And she simply ate it.
Not a single problem. I told her thank you, gave her a high-five, and handed her the baby. We then proceeded into the house to see if I could get her to eat something else.
She chose a few things and ate a few pieces of guava. I sent her home with a bag of gummy bears, another bag of guava, and a package of ramen-like noodles.
I explained to the translator that she had eaten, so we didn’t need to go to the hospital. The woman explained that she would eat for me but didn’t eat for her mother.
To be honest, I think there is much more than sickness. Stephen and I have thought for some time there was abuse occurring in her home. She has come over with some significant black eyes and once a large cut across her cheek. When we ask questions, they are left unanswered or avoided. Due to other occurrences, we have suspected verbal abuse and some sexual abuse. As for this scenario, we think it might be a combination of sickness and emotional trauma.
Either way, we can continue to pray. We can continue to love on her in the healthiest way we know how. And for now, she is back to her normal self. She was over here tonight hanging on us, asking to be held, and snacking away on crackers.