The parents of 2-year-old Kaylin Dedekind, a drowned girl brought back from the dead, experienced a real-life miracle. And they can't stop praising God for saving their daughter!
Swimming pools can be a lot of fun. But they can also be very dangerous, especially for young children. In just a matter of minutes, tragedy can strike.
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A family in South Africa knows the danger all too well. But thankfully, their story has a happy ending and has turned into an incredible testimony of God's power!
It remains warm during winter in South Africa. So, even though it was just a few days before Christmas, Juanita and Siegfried were playing outside with their children, Kaylin (2) and Ashley (6), when Kaylin wandered off.
"She disappeared from sight for just a moment," Juanita recalls. "She’s a busy child and likes playing in her room by herself."
Even though the family's pool is surrounded by a fence, that's the first place they checked for their missing 2-year-old. And that's when they saw something truly terrible.
Somehow, Kaylin had managed to bypass the pool's gate. And her parents spotted their daughter's lifeless body, floating facedown and unconscious in the water.
Kaylin's devastated parents called for help and an ambulance rushed the little girl to the hospital. But it was looking like it was too late.
"We can’t find a pulse," medical staff told them. "She’s dead."
Can you imagine hearing your child is dead? The pain and anguish Juanita and Siegfried must have felt in that moment is incomprehensible.
Thankfully, they didn't give up. They prayed fervently for God to save their baby girl.
As doctors worked to revive Kaylin, her devastated parents kept praying. And finally, a miracle happened. Kaylin's heart started beating again!
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"When I finally saw that heartbeat on the monitor, it was as if my entire life changed," Siegfried recalled. "I’ve always been a Christian. But that night I gave myself over to God for my child’s life. I’m a reborn Christian now."
Even though she was breathing again, Kaylin wasn't out of the woods. But her parents felt a peace beyond explanation, which we know came from the Lord.
"I’m calm now and believe she’ll make a complete recovery," Siegfried said. "There’s a bigger plan."
Doctors rushed the drowned girl brought back from the dead to another hospital, where they used a freezing method to protect the little girl from brain damage. Once they stopped this treatment, Kaylin opened her eyes.
"Kaylin’s alive and has been brought back to us. It’s still a long way to recovery but we’ll make it with God by our side," Juanita said.
And actually, the recovery didn't take nearly as long as they expected. And it served a purpose, showing just how powerful our God is!
"The time in the hospital felt like an eternity and yet we are not as long here as some other parents. It teaches you to trust in God and stay strong in faith, whether it was a good day or bad day," Juanita said.
Kaylin kept getting stronger. Out came the feeding and oxygen tubes and Kaylin was eating and breathing on her own. She even started standing up. And on her 3rd birthday, Kaylin walked out of the hospital to go home with her family!
"It was a terrible time, but we are serving a great God. There was really miracle on miracle," Siegfried said.
"The Lord gave us the best Christmas gift -- we start a new year together as a family and we can only thank the Lord," Juanita added.
God hears our prayers. While He may not always give us the answer we want, He always has a plan. He will never forsake us!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5
h/t: News 24
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