Please leave a comment for the child or for the Shevet team.
It was a very circuitous route we took today as Rayan began the final leg of his journey home. Because he awoke with fever and a bad cough during the night, it was decided that he should see a doctor before leaving Israel for home. But first, before leaving Jerusalem, we took the long-awaited trip to the Temple Mount in the Old City so Rayan's mother could pray. She expressed that it was very important to her to thank God for Rayan. We know our God sees and hears the hearts of mothers thanking Him, and trusted His ability to help her know Him more through our willingness to grant this desire to her. I couldn't help but remember it is His nature to be found by those who seek Him.
day, this was closed until Sunday morning. And normally, there would be no Muslims allowed to walk through the plaza at the Western Wall area where the Jews go to pray.
From there, we gathered the luggage and Rayan from our house in Jerusalem, and headed to the hospital for a check-up for Rayan's symptoms. Dr. Gila found that Rayan had no fever at that time, but did have ear infections, so sent us on our way with antibiotics for Rayan for the next ten days. We were all thankful that he was allowed to go on to Amman rather than needing more follow up here. While at the hospital we learned that nearly all of the children at the Save A Child's Heart house had been treated for nearly the same symptoms from a respiratory virus which is going around here.
Finally we set out for the border about three hours later than planned. Because our new friend Ruth Ann who had been volunteering with us this week was already planning to go back to Amman today, we asked her to be the final escort for Rayan and his mother. After explaining that I would walk her through the Israeli side, and assist them to the bus to the Jordan side, I gave explicit instructions for crossing at the Jordan terminal. Ruth Ann agreed to go on alone with the family, and I entrusted these two who have become so dear to our hearts into her care early this evening. I was encouraged that upon arrival at the Israeli terminal we were greeted by two of the border contacts who have been of great help time and again during our crossings. They helped expedite us through the crowd at passport 
control, and we went on to the bus. Much to my surprise - and delight - the bus was loading as we approached, so I was able to help load the luggage for them, pay the bus fares and bid them farewell all in a matter of minutes! I snapped one very quick picture of them boarding the bus so that you can see Rayan in his green sweater. At this hour they are all together at the guest apartment above the church of our friend Jody. I hope to have an email update from Ruth Ann or Jody which we can share with you about the next few days, and the flight which will take them back to Iraq.
Please keep praying for Rayan and his precious mother. Rayan has made great progress from the stroke, and we believe he will be completely restored to health again in the near future. Today he was saying a few words as well as parroting some of the sounds we made while playing with him. He is happy most of the time now rather than crying as he did at the beginning. He is using his right hand more spontaneously and it is getting stronger. But so far his right leg is still weak so pray for it to be strengthened as his mother works with him to learn to walk again. Pray fervently for Rayan's mother to maintain her strength and perseverance for the next days until she gets back home to her support system there. She too is not feeling well from a bad cold, or the flu. The new baby will come soon, and she will have the joy and the work that comes with the blessing of a new life. She has been a tower of strength and devotion to her son as she has helped nurse him back to health, and gained the admiration of many. She is a wonderful mother who has a great sense of humor which has helped carry her through this long process. May she and everyone involved see God complete the miracle He began in Rayan's life, and give Him the thanks and praise for it.
Please leave a comment for the child or for the Shevet team.
It's the season of Hanukkah, and Rayan is among many of our Iraqi and Gazan patients at Wolfson who has his first taste of the Hanukkah doughnuts with jam. The Hanukkah goodies are a timely reward after Rayan and his devoted mother have both worked hard during his speech and physiotherapy sessions.
Rayan is feeling more comfortable now with Nopha, especially since he gets to play with various toys which she uses to test his perception and responses. Nopha also uses pictures of animals familiar to children his age, and Rayan is asked to point to one or the other animal. As Rayan is apparently less able to reach out with his right hand and therefore uses his left hand more often, the first few "guesses" would be placed on his left, in order to give him some encouragement. Each time he gets it right, we would all clap and say, "Affareen!" (Kurdish for "Well done!").
Rayan's mother has so immersed herself with the therapy sessions, that she is even improvising and getting one step ahead of what Nopha was planning to demonstrate for her to do. For example, Nopha wants Rayan to start using his lips and mouth to make noises. So she would do the "Brrrrr" sound with an exaggerated expression. Rayan's mother would add to it and tap Rayan's mouth lightly when he attempts to do the "brrrr" sound so that there are variations to the "brrrr-ing".
As I will be returning home to Singapore by the end of this week, we have asked for another person to accompany Rayan and his mother during the therapy sessions, to ensure that the exercises and rehabilitative techniques used are correctly understood by Rayan's mother who understands just a little English and no Hebrew at all. Mazal, an Israeli lady volunteer who can speak both Hebrew and Kurdish turns out to the perfect choice! (Why didn't we think of it before?!)
Please leave a comment for the child or for the Shevet team.
Rayan had his first speech therapy session this morning. Physiotherapist Tali and speech therapist Nopha are working together closely on Rayan, to give him the best possible 'programme' in the remaining time he has in Israel before he is certified medically fit to return to Iraq. 
For a start, Rayan has to put the foot brace on his right foot for half an hour each day, without standing or walking. His mother is to take note of the duration of time it takes for any red 'pressure marks' to wear off, and this is to ensure that the foot brace suits him, and that his blood circulation is good.
Speech therapist Nopha showed Rayan two color pictures of animals and asked his mother to say their names in Kurdish while she held them forth, encouraging the boy to reach out for the animals mentioned in turn. But there was not much interest on Rayan's part. So Nopha switched to offering Rayan the choice of either the mobile phone or his shoe. (Click on the arrow to watch this little exercise.)
Since Rayan likes to play with the mobile phone, Nopha purposely placed it nearer his (weaker) right hand while the shoe was to his left. His mother would tell him "telephone father" in Kurdish but Rayan would reach out with his (stronger) left hand for the object nearer to his left, which is the shoe. This action reveals something about Rayan's present condition, and Nopha will plan her therapy sessions accordingly.
While we thank GOD for His miraculous provision of the foot braces for Rayan, as well as the dedication of both Tali and Nopha, we also want to press in for the fullness of His promise as received a couple of weeks ago, claiming I Corinthians 1: 26-31 to happen, and I do believe it will... Hallelujah!
Please leave a comment for the child or for the Shevet team.
The good news on Rayan continues day after day, praise the LORD! As Rayan goes through his daily physiotherapy sessions, he seems to be recovering his motor-skills more quickly.
On Wednesday, Rayan will begin his speech therapy session and his mother is looking forward to hear him call her "Diyka, Diyka" (Mummy) once again.
Please leave a comment for the child or for the Shevet team.
After his "echo" examination when Rayan was helped up from his lying-down position, I was rather surprised to see his mother getting all excited, until she told me that this is the first time in weeks that Rayan was able to sit upright without any support. How we all applauded Rayan!
Before Rayan returned to the Save A Child's Heart house for the night, he had a half-hour session with physiotherapist Tali. She insists that we do not address her 
as "Dr. Tali" as the word "doctor" makes most children at the hospital nervous!
It was very interesting to watch how Tali plays with Rayan to get him to use the parts of his limbs which are weak. Colorful toys which makes sounds when handled, oversized cushions and balls... with the help of these physiotherapy toys, Tali would get Rayan to reach out for something, or simply to stretch forth a hand or a leg to get back his balance.
While she held Rayan gently yet firmly, Tali would tilt him ever so slightly over to one side and this forced Rayan to use his weaker right arm to support himself, invariably enabling him to strengthen this limb. It is encouraging to note that Rayan's sense of balance is pretty good. (Click the arrow below to watch a video clip.)
All through the session, Rayan's mother would watch the activities closely and also participated in the therapeutic fun. Tali explained how she could continue with the therapeutic fun-exercises whenever and wherever there are opportunities.
Rayan's mother is indeed a wonderfully selfless mother, giving her utmost to her son without any regard for her own comfort. I have to constantly remind her not to over-stretch herself as she stoops and bends while attending to him in the ward, or when she would carry him around today (and Rayan weighs over 12 kg!) before a stroller was available for him.
We rejoice with Rayan's mother for the significant progress he is making. Many thanks to all of you for your prayers and well wishes, and let us continue to pray for speedy and complete recovery of all of Rayan's faculties. As far as his post-operation heart condition is concerned, Rayan is doing very well and Dr Alona said he may be released to return home in a couple of weeks.
Please leave a comment for the child or for the Shevet team.
Dr Tamir has decided to keep Rayan at the hospital till tomorrow, then Rayan will be released to the Save A Child's Heart house for the weekend and return to Wolfson on Sunday. Hopefully, the change of environment and seeing other Iraqi children at play, will cause Rayan to be drawn into naturally / sub-consciously moving his limbs to join in the fun.
Meanwhile, Rayan has been receiving daily physiotherapy treatment, and his mother would diligently continue to exercise and massage his limbs several times a day. She would sing to him as well, as the physiotherapist has advised stimulating all his senses and Rayan's hearing is good. But she would not allow me to record her singing, and so there's no video clip of it.
After lunch, Rayan's mother and I brought Rayan for a bit for sun and some fresh air in the garden. I gave Rayan a book on cats, and there are 'cut-outs' in it with various textures such as fur and wool. His mother held his finger and ran it over the furry cut-out and Rayan seemed to enjoy the different tactile sensations.
The arrival of four more Iraqi children and their mothers at Wolfson in the afternnon was a welcome change for Rayan's mother. With them came some news on Iraq as well as some presents from her relatives. Among the gifts brought over was a portable radio and cassette player and a tape of Koranic verses in song meant for Rayan to help him get well faster. May GOD bring about the miraculous and complete healing which only He can do!
Please leave a comment for the child or for the Shevet team.
Another encouraging improvement -- Rayan is able to take liquefied foods orally and does not need to be fed through the nasal tube. His appetite is pretty good, as he finished one cup of Cerelac within minutes and was on to his second one, the latter with chocolate flavour! (Click the arrow below to watch a video clip.)
My Singaporean friend Andes visited today and 'sang' her prayer over Rayan while he was being fed. A visiting clown gave Rayan two yellow doggy balloons - Rayan received the second balloon after he bit and burst his first 'doggy'!
Meanwhile, it is obvious that Rayan's mother makes use of every opportunity to stimulate Rayan's sensory skills to help him regain his normal abilities. While we were waiting for our turn at the computer to view Rayan's blog, his mother moved him over to the electric organ, held both his hands and started to make music as they tapped on the keyboard together! (Click the arrow below to watch.)
Do continue to pray for complete restoration of Rayan's psycho-motor skills which have been affected by the recent stroke. We look toward the day when we will play a celebration tune on the electric organ and dance together in thanksgiving.
Please leave a comment for the child or for the Shevet team.
And what a mother she is! In spite of being advanced in her pregnancy with her second child (she would like the baby to be a girl), this dear mother would conscientiously take time to exercise Rayan's legs, to keep his limbs supple. She also told me that in the morning, she would put Rayan on the stroller and bring him out to the garden for some fresh air, as advised by the physiotherapist.
This morning I went to the photo shop to develop a picture which I had taken of the evening sky over Wolfson hospital on Sunday, 18 November, the day I received news that some of Rayan's brain functions had been affected by his recent stroke. That day, my friend Andes from Singapore had come over to Wolfson to visit the children and together, we had prayed for GOD to work a miraculous touch on Rayan, claiming that which was recorded in His word in the Bible (I Corinthians 1: 26-31). When Andes and I walked out of Wolfson that evening, both of us were awe-struck by what we saw in the sky.
The rosy-golden streaks of clouds above Wolfson looked as if the angels were spreading their wings over the hospital, providing a gentle covering of light and hope. Today, I gave Rayan's mother a copy of the photo and told her that this is like a sign from GOD that He has heard our prayers, and that Rayan's guardian angel is watching over him.
I also reminded her of the little angel which she had chosen from a selection of luminous stars and angels which I had offered to the Iraqi children who were all at the Save A Child's Heart house then, just a couple of days before Rayan had his seizures. Rayan's mother had drawn in the eye and eyebrow of the angel, and had brought it along to the hospital when Rayan was hospitalised for his bout of seizures.
By the look of relief and hope on her face, Rayan's mother indicated that she has understood and received what I had communicated to her, in spite of her limited English and my non-existent Kurdish. Indeed, the message of hope and the love of GOD crosses all language barriers and religious boundaries! Please continue to pray for Rayan and his parents for a revelation of his Healer in a deeper and more personal way.
Please leave a comment for the child or for the Shevet team.
They reported that the results will be available today, after the doctor reviews it and releases the results. We will get that information as soon as possible.Please leave a comment for the child or for the Shevet team.
Hide comments