Prayer Requests:
- Miraculous healing for baby Mohammed from Gaza
- Grace for families, patients, and staff traveling to Jordan for heart screening

Thursday May 28, 2009

Busy day today! Did some financial work in the office then met Erica (Shevet worker from Bethlehem) at the post office and we went down to the Old City for a while before going to get some shekels changed into Jordanian dinar for the heart screening that the team will be doing in Jordan next week. Did some more work and then helped prepare for the picnic dinner that we brought to share with the patients’ and their parents at the hospital tonight. Guran and Rebecca (Shevet contacts in Iraq who are currently in Israel), cooked Kurdish food for the families who were so excited to join with us and enjoy a meal on a little patch of grass outside of the hospital. Jonathan had asked me to bring my guitar so I did and played a bit while everyone ate and then we joined in singing an Arabic song about the holiness of God.

(Picnic with Gaza mom's, my friend Brenda from Uganda, and other Shevet staff)

While at the hospital we also visited the patients of course!

- Akram was discharged today - yeah!!! Our picnic was partially celebrating that fact! He and his mother will be living at the Shevet house for a few days. Akram's story: http://shevet.org/akram/

- Hamza is doing so much better! After a close call, he is now in stable condition in the intermeddiate ICU and progressing rapidly! Hamza's story: http://shevet.org/hamza/

(Rebecca [Shevet contact in Iraq], Hamza, and I)

-Shadi is also doing much better which is such a blessing! And he was so smiley today! He will be discharged soon and come back in 6 to 12 months for an additional heart surgery.


Wednesday May 27, 2009

Another hospital visit today:
- Baby Mohammed from Gaza ( http://shevet.org/mohammedhamdan/ ) is still in very critical condition. Doctor's are saying that at this point there is little hope for him without a miracle. The first time I saw him in the ICU he was completely sedated but today he was awake and moved his small arms as much as he could although he is very weak and in arm restraints to prevent self injury. He gazed intently at me the entire time I stood beside him talking to him and stroking his tiny arm. He didn't have the strength to cry but a single tear rolled down his cheek as he looked up into my eyes. Please continue to pray for him and for the salvation of his mother!

- Harvey's surgery went well and he is currently in stable condition. His mother Brenda is also doing much better and has a lot more peace!

- Rajab, the emergency case from Gaza, is also doing extremely well! You can read about his current status here: http://shevet.org/rajab/

(Rajab, his mother, and me)

- After visiting with the hospital patients, Alex and I took Raged (who had just been discharged) and her grandmother to the Gaza border to go home again! The full story and picture taken of Raged here: http://shevet.org/raged/

Tuesday May 26, 2009
- Did some errands in Jerusalem today and got slightly lost attempting to return from the post office and the bank. But it turned out to be a profitable exploration and I soon found my way again!
- Continued in some office training for finances. I’ll be handling the Shevet household finances for a while; keeping track of receipts, expenses, and how quickly all of our shekels are being used, etc. Also learned more about keeping food supplied for staff and families as well as other household needs.
- Went grocery shopping in the Old City with Mohammed (and David (another Shevet worker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvQ4OS-H3qA ). It took a while and Mohammed got rather tired so I ended up giving him a piggy back ride!

- Started learning some worship songs in Kurdish! Apparently I am now the "resident musician" so I've been leading worship during our team meeting and Bible study each morning, usually sing randomly with the kids througout the day, and often lead singing at night too. I'm excited that God has given me so many opportunities to share and enjoy music and worship with others!