Arrayah Zoe Ilyeen Mayer

The letter I read today at her memorial service . . .

Dear Arrayah,

I first found out about you late last year. Your Aunt Melissa was on the phone with your grandmother and had mentioned to me that when she asked how your parents were doing, your grandmother had a happy glint in her voice as if she knew something. Your Aunt Melissa asked if perhaps your mom was pregnant, but your grandmother wouldn't say. After getting off of the phone your Aunt Melissa turned to me and said, "I think Kaley is pregnant and I think it’s a girl." "What? Nah I said. That can't be." But it was and in a short while I received the news from your very happy father. A few months later your older brother Jesiah celebrated his first birthday. I've only had the opportunity of seeing him a few times, but I think you would have enjoyed having him as an older brother.

Months went by and we thought and prayed for you and your family. Then in April I received a phone call and discovered that your mom wasn't doing so well and so she had to go into the hospital for a couple of weeks. I know that this was a difficult time for your family, but they were willing to do anything to take care of you and your mom. We could already tell that they loved you very much and your Aunt Melissa and I began to grow in our love for you also. We thought and prayed for you and your mom quite often now. A few weeks later your mom was doing better and they let her go home from the hospital, with which news I'm sure she was very excited and I bet that you probably felt her happiness from inside her stomach. Yet she still had to go into the hospital every day for check-ups. This took many hours, but we all knew that your mom and dad loved you very much and so it wasn't too many hours for them.

Our spring semester of school at our seminary had just ended and your Aunt Melissa and I were sitting in a pizza restaurant out in Cape Cod where we were staying to celebrate our second anniversary when we received the call announcing your birth. A big smile came across my face. Your Aunt Melissa saw my face and she knew. We were very happy for you, but concerned because some of the doctors were worried about you. I had never had a niece before and we were very happy and we continued to pray for you.

The next day your Aunt Melissa and I had just finished biking a tiring backwoods trail to the ocean and back, on our tandem bike and we were sitting on a bench, resting and looking out over the landscape when my phone rang. It was your grandmother. I asked how you were doing and after a moment of silence your grandmother said, "We gave her back to Jesus." "You gave her back?" I said. "Yes." she said. We cried.

She said that your whole family, even your brother, your grandparents, and some of your aunts and uncles had all gathered together and to hold you and to say goodbye. But your Aunt Melissa and I weren't able to be there. We weren't able to say goodbye. And so now we do. Goodbye Arrayah. Goodbye. Though we never got to see you we are sure that you were very beautiful and all the problems you had could not stop God from revealing himself through a child who never uttered a word. Not a pulpit, not a sleek presentation, not a best selling book, but in a four pound seven ounce girl with Triploidy disease, God found great pleasure in taking a lowly thing in the eyes of the world to show truth.

So today we celebrate. Arrayah you are well. And although we miss you more than we can express, we're only separated by our time here on earth. See you soon niece.

With much love from your Uncle and Aunt,
Philip and Melissa

“But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven" (ESV Matthew 19:14).