What began as an extended night shift turned into a harrowing yet miraculous experience that would leave her forever changed.

Benisse had agreed to cover the night shift after a colleague couldn’t make it due to an emergency. Early the next morning, while taking out the garbage to the designated disposal area, she noticed a small cardboard box.

Initially dismissing it, she flung the trash bag toward it, only to hear a faint sound. Alarmed, she removed her headphones, opened the box, and was met with a heart-wrenching sight: a newborn baby girl, shivering in the freezing cold and bleeding from frostbite.

“I was paralyzed for a moment,” Benisse recounted. “It felt like time stopped. I stood there, staring at this baby who was so cold, trembling uncontrollably, and on the verge of death. Tears streamed down my face as I struggled to process what I was seeing.”

Benisse immediately picked up the baby, called her husband, Jotham Ndanyuzwe, and described the situation. Jotham, a missionary pastor and author, instructed her to call 911. She did so, providing her location and explaining the dire condition of the baby.

Emergency responders arrived promptly. The baby, estimated to be just two weeks old, was wrapped in a coat and given urgent medical attention. “I kept praying, ‘God, please help us. God, please save this baby,’” Benisse said.

Despite being severely hypothermic and initially unresponsive, the baby began to show signs of improvement after receiving medical care. The officers commended Benisse for her swift action and compassion.

The baby, a white girl, was later taken to the hospital for further treatment. Although she briefly fell into a coma, her condition stabilized, thanks to the timely intervention.

Authorities reviewed security camera footage and discovered that the baby had been abandoned around 11 p.m. by a young woman who appeared to be around 18 years old and homeless. The footage captured the tragic moment when the woman left the baby at the garbage site, unaware of her fate.

The baby was placed in the care of a specialized child welfare facility, which takes in children abandoned under similar circumstances. Due to legal constraints, Benisse was not allowed to adopt the baby immediately, as she had no familial ties to her.

Reflecting on the incident, Benisse remarked, “Perhaps that’s why I had to work that night—to save her life. I believe God uses people to fulfill His plans. Among the good things I’ve done in life, saving her is one of the greatest.”

Speaking about the young mother who abandoned the baby, Benisse shared her heartfelt advice: “If you know you cannot take care of a child, don’t engage in actions that could lead to having one. Life is precious.”

Benisse and her husband Jotham, originally from Africa, have been living in Canada, where they are active members of Elevated Life Community Church. Jotham was officially ordained as a pastor during a ceremony on August 3-4, 2024, officiated by Pastor Emmanuel Rwagasore. The couple, who married on February 27, 2021, at Calvary Church Komarock in Kenya, are deeply committed to their faith and humanitarian work.

This life-changing experience has further strengthened their resolve to serve others and be instruments of God’s grace. As Benisse concluded, “In saving her, I feel like I fulfilled a divine purpose. That night, I wasn’t just at work—I was part of God’s plan.”

Benisse with her husband Pastor Jotham Ndanyuzwe