Heart Screening in Jordan

Saturday, June 6, 2009
Five Families Waiting to Reach Israel
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Today is the third day back home after the screening which we remember as a joyful and at the same time exhausting experience. Five Iraqi families came to our home in Jordan with us to await their visas to Israel, and like the rest of us passed almost the entire first day at the guest flat sleeping. Of course everything is so new to them, and they were very quiet and did not want to disturb us or use our kitchen although we offered it to them many times. They prepared their own food downstairs, and only when they ran out of water of other neccessities did they leave their quarters.

We have three babies, Hindereen (born in June 2007), Sidra (May 2008) and Hewr (February 2008), and two five-year-old girls, Deya (December 2004) and Varen (July 2004), waiting here for immediate transfer. All five are urgent cases and we with the advice of the cardiologist Dr Tamir did not want to risk sending them home again, even though they may have to wait in Jerusalem for a while before their surgery can be scheduled.

Dr. Tamir asked us to take Hewr (pictured below) for examination by an eye specialist during the screening, and we were saddened when he concluded that Hewr would not be able to see all his life other than light and dark, because his eyes were not checked and treated properly after his early birth. Please pray for a miracle, that he might be able to see by God's grace.

Communication with the families here was quite difficult at first, since they hardly speak any Arabic (let alone English), with the exception of the grandmother of Hindereen. This older lady, who herself has raised 11 children, is active and has helped us with translation a lot. A Kurdish translator, Komar, arrived here on Friday and it really helps a lot to have him build a bridge to their culture (even though two of the families speak a different dialect than Komar and the other three families).

For us as a family the time was also dominated by the funeral of the brother of Essa, who helped us at the screening. Essa is a young Jordanian pictured here at the screening with little Lano.

He is very loving with the children and makes jokes with their mothers which really helps them to relax. On the last day of the screening news reached him that his 23-year-old brother Hana had suddenly and unexpectedly died, and Essa rushed home to be with his family. After we reached home and over the last three days we spent several hours with the family of Essa, just supporting him, his parents, brothers and sisters in these difficult times. Please keep Essa, his parents, brothers and sisters in your prayers, that they can overcome their great sadness and find hope and comfort in the Love of the eternal God.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Taking Time for Each Child
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Early this morning Israeli cardiologist Akiva Tamir finished the screening of 30 Iraqi children (and one Jordanian), setting a new Shevet record by working nonstop from 6:30 a.m. Tuesday until well after midnight. He took time to thoroughly examine each child, often resorting to antics and banter to calm his wary young patients:

About a dozen of our coworkers worked tirelessly alongside Dr. Tamir to record medical histories and vital signs as well as the final diagnoses, to transport the families to and from their hotel, and to feed and entertain the children (and occasionally persuade their doctor to eat something as well).

We emerged from the day with 21 clear invitations to surgery as well as another three under discussion. Four children need no surgery, and three were found to have no medical hope for treatment.

Five children are staying with us in Jordan for immediate transfer to Israel, and we said farewell to the remaining families this morning as they left to fly back to Iraq.

You may help sponsor surgeries for these children by clicking here.

Monday, June 1, 2009
Meeting With God's Grace
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We've just finished our orientation with the 30 Iraqi families in preparation for tomorrow's heart screening--and all the grace we asked for was there.

We welcomed the group with the story of the friends of the paralyzed man who did whatever they had to do to get him to Jesus. We told the Muslim parents they too have gone to great lengths for their children, and they've come to the right place, because we are here in the name of the Lord. And the first reply of Jesus to the paralyzed man--"your sins are forgiven"--shows that he has come to heal all of our hearts. Each family was able to read the words of Jesus themselves after receiving the gift of a Kurdish New Testament.

Next we sang to the families the Arabic worship song "Athimun," which praises God for his awesome love, faithfulness, freedom, and healing. And then (surprise) we sang it to them in Kurdish. Our coworker Justin said he wasn't sure how that would go over, until he looked up and saw all the families' cell phones pulled out to record it on video. Donna said she saw some crying.

Seeing all the families together at once left a powerful impression on us all. Emily said it was humbling to see people already so incredibly grateful when we've done so little, and heartwrenching to see the desperation of their need. "Holding a blue baby, it's hard to get more tangible than that."

Almost all the families seem already so very open-hearted. Several came up to ask for prayer at the end of the meeting, before we enjoyed a delicious meal together from the "Blessing" restaurant. Indeed we are blessed. Thank you for praying, and please remember us and the beautiful families during the screening which begins tomorrow at 6:30 am local time.