Matters of the heart
This post is going to be a little different than most. I’m sure you are thinking, “What? This one is actually going to be funny?” Nope. This post is about people I don’t know now, and will probably never meet. When you consider that, I really have no business even writing this post. However, this true story is so beautiful, I must tell it.
This is the story of the Hammitt family and it is a love story. Matt and Sarah Hammitt, I’m sure were ecstatic when they found out they were going to be parents again. With two daughters already, Matt had to be beside himself to find out he was going to have a son. He probably wondered if he would maybe be an athlete some day, or if he would follow his father’s footsteps and be a musician. If you don’t recognize his name, you may or may not recognize the band that Matt Hammitt is the lead singer of: Sanctus Real.
I’m sure fear crept in with their excitement, when an ultrasound revealed that the Hammitts yet to be born son had a rare birth defect that caused him to have an undeveloped heart. Being Christians, the Hammitts knew that God knit together their baby perfectly in Sarah’s womb (Psalm 139:13) and that he had a specific purpose in mind for their son. What I don’t know, but I am curious about, is if at that point they got to meet with the genetics counselor. My wife and I got this “counseling” when a false positive on an amniocentesis indicated that our perfectly healthy child had a chance of having Down’s Syndrome. The “counseling” was basically, “You should really consider an abortion because your unborn baby might not be perfect.” Afterwards, we found out how common receiving a false positive is… and unfortunately, how many others received this same type of “counseling.” Anyway, I digress, as this story isn’t about us, it is about the Hammitts.
Fast forward to September 9th, 2010, when baby Bowen Hammitt arrived… deformed heart and all. A lot of tears were shed, prayers said, and an emotional roller coaster ensued as little baby Bowen fought for his life. Only a few days later, Bowen had his first open heart surgery. Because of his condition, the nursing staff had to literally pump Bowen’s heart for him so the doctor’s left his chest open. So as Matt looked into his son’s eyes, when he looked only a couple of inches lower he could see his son’s heart.
I think of my own kids, and the love they display in their lives. I think of my Father in Heaven and what he must see in my heart. My love is corrupted, conditional, superficial, and fleeting. That’s just the love in my heart, never mind the anger, fear, insecurities, and all the other junk that creeps in there. Bowen’s heart has none of that, as there is no room in his undeveloped heart for anything but love.
Fortunately, Bowen began to improve and the doctor’s were able to take him off life support and close his chest. When his chest was closed, so was the window to his heart. You and I can only imagine the emotions the Hammitt family must have went through, and I imagine it was during one of these emotional times that Matt’s friend told him, “You’ve seen too much.” Matt’s reply was simply that he hadn’t seen enough. Bowen has changed Matt forever. Little Baby Bowen changed his dad’s heart, molded his character, and strengthened his faith.
Even as Bowen continues to improve, he and his entire family can use your prayers. You can also follow their story (and see cute pictures of the little guy) at www.bowensheart.com.
