It was a wonderful evening in 1990 when Teo, a 40-year-old man, jolted awake in the middle of the night. He had one of his unusual dreams again but he felt like this one was more of a vision than a dream. A movement by his right side turned his attention towards his 37-year-old lovely wife, Remy, who was sleeping peacefully beside him. He almost did not want to wake her up but sharing this dream to her was important.
“Darling…” he hesitantly held her arm and shook it gently until she groaned and turned around to face him.
“What is it?” she drowsily asked him.
He slowly replied “Ling… I had a dream. We were lying here just like this. But a baby lay between us. I think it is a vision of what is to come. ”
His wife’s drooping eyes widened and she suddenly had a look of terror in her face. Her husband had visions before that came true. They always come to him in the form of dreams. “No! It cannot be. It is just a dream. Do not make anything of it. The doctor said that it will be very dangerous for me to have another baby at my age after having eleven conceptions and going through the process of a normal childbirth ten times already.”
Teo sighed and put an arm around his wife to comfort her. “Darling, if the Lord has planned for us to have another baby, then His will be done.”
She looked up at him and weakly replied, “I guess you are right. His will be done then.”
On the 30th of January the following year, Remy’s life lay in the hands of a few Protestant missionaries. There were about two or three of them preparing to deliver her baby in a humble room located in a missionary house at Brookside Hills. It was about eleven in the evening and they sang praise songs as they did the usual routine of handling a woman who was giving birth.
Kaye, the eldest daughter of Remy, looked at her mother anxiously. Earlier, Remy insisted that she stay in the room during this time and she does not know whether she was feeling excitement or horror. She was the only one present from the family as her father has been working overseas for several years now, and her siblings were too young to witness this kind of thing. She stared open-mouthed as her mother pursed her lips. Silently, Remy breathed heavily and pushed mightily.
Eventually, the baby had let go of its home for nine months and entered the world. Kaye breathed a heavy sigh of relief and murmured a heartfelt thanks to the Lord that it was all over with.
Her sister was finally here.
She’s so dark and small! She almost laughed at her thought. She was just glad that her mother was well and the baby is safe. This was truly a miracle.
She smiled weakly as she heard a tiny cry that came from the baby. It sounded like laughter. But then, who laughs when they have just been born?
Beth, Bunso, Betcha, Betchay, Liz, El, Bethaloo, Eliza… I have been called so many nicknames but it all comes from one name only. My parents have given me the name Elizabeth.
They have told me time and again that it means “gift from God”. This made me feel good about myself, even if at times I don’t feel like I am what it says. My parents have been Christians long before I was born. Having the name of “God”(remeDIOS and TEOdoro, with teo meaning God) in their names, they have decided to name their children after people from the Bible. Raquel (Rachel), Sharra, Noel (Noah), Seth, Moises, Jose (Joseph), Ruth, and Judith. These are the names of the chosen ones who were born into this world through the union of two souls from whom they inherited their sensitive, intelligent, loving nature and artistic and musical abilities.
I am the youngest of the family, and this is my story.
P.S. I think names are really interesting. Do you know the story behind the name your parents chose for you? Share it in the comments. 🙂
***Edit: My sister Kaye just told me they used the Lamaze Method of childbirth when my mother had me. Whoa!***
Stay Strong, Daily Warrior! 
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