Today at Sheba Medical Center we were once more blessed by the Lord with seeing sweet Nihal from Hebron. This lovely young lady is a little bit shy, but she is truly a delight when one gets to know her. She reminds me of what 1 Peter says regarding the person with a gentle and quiet spirit. Nihal is simply precious— inside and out. It’s a delight to see her every time she comes.

Thus, I was overjoyed this afternoon upon finding her and her mother sitting with Jonathan in the imaging clinic sharing a conversation. Nihal had come to the hospital to receive a CT scan of her heart in order to get a clearer image of everything that’s going on. God willing, this will allow the doctors to discern the best course of treatment for her. Soon after finding the happy group sitting together, Nihal was called into the CT room.

Her face instantly grew more stressed and fearful as we walked with her. By the time she was sitting in a chair to receive medication through an IV, she was not happy at all. Her uncomfortable manner is completely understandable though. With the prospects of a huge medical machine, needles, and foreign languages being thrown around— anyone would likely become stressed.

Nihal sat squirming in the chair while she waited for her injection as a nurse asked medical questions to her mother. Unfortunately the language barrier between Hebrew and Arabic was not easily broken and poor Nihal sat nervous for quite a while. During that time of confused translation, a beautiful blessing from the Lord took place. As the Jewish nurse spoke to this Muslim family, an Israeli man also awaiting a CT scan, eagerly jumped up to help translate between the two. For a number of minutes he willingly served as a bridge between the language gap. As I observed such a moment, my heart was overwhelmed with joy to the Lord at seeing Abraham’s family working together for the better of human life. What a blessing we get to witness such moments!

After the questions were all answered, the nurse made a few more attempts to give Nihal the injection through an IV, but Nihal yanked away in fear. Finally a doctor came over and skillfully completed the task. Nihal was very upset, but at the end of it came through being as brave as she possibly could be. From there, Nihal was led into the CT room where doctors and nurses kindly cared for her. Soon the CT was over, the IV was out, and Nihal was much happier.

After spending some more time with Nihal and her mother, they left the hospital and headed home. Though the words I exchanged with them were few, there is a tangible sweetness that surrounds this mother and daughter as felt through shared smiles. Those of us at Shevet look forward to seeing Nihal again, and we ask that you continue to pray for this sweet girl as the next steps are decided for her. May the Lord continually make her path straight!

Walking into the cardiology unit at Sheba Medical Center, it was a delight to be welcomed with warm smiles and joyful hugs from 15-year-old Nihal and her mother. I had met these two back in January when Nihal had come for one of her regular checkups. During that time in January, we spent all day together and shared many wonderful conversations. Ever since we have remained in contact.

Meeting with them again in person was truly a delight. They shared how their family was doing, what they had been up to, and how Nihal had been feeling lately. While waiting, it was also lovely to have a sweet interaction with a Jewish family at the hospital who were waiting for their appointment. The Jewish family had a daughter who kept coming to high five Nihal, her mother, and I. We spoke with their family for some time, and it was such a blessing to witness a Jewish and Muslim family laughing together and sharing in conversation. God is healing the Abrahamic family moment by moment.

Nihal’s routine appointments all went well. She received a blood draw, echo, and EKG which all came back with good results as the very skilled Dr. Sharon shared. Praise the Lord that Nihal is doing well! She will return again in three months to assure she is still healthy.

Until then, please join us in prayer that the Lord would continue to sustain Nihal’s life, and bless her family abundantly.

Fourteen-year-old Nihal from Hebron left early in the morning to travel all the way to Sheba Medical Center for an echocardiogram. She was noticeably tired from the early morning and didn’t want a picture from the Shevet paparazzi. However, I was glad she was here to get the help she needs. Please pray for Nihal to have better circulation and oxygen levels, and strength.

Pray for wisdom for the doctors that she will receive the proper treatment.

I stepped into the elevator early this morning and was pleasantly surprised by Nihal and her mother joining me in the ride up to the cardiac ward of Sheba Medical Center.

Nihal is a fourteen year old girl from Hebron with congenital heart defects. I was concerned about Nihal because she slept most of the day and was slow and lethargic. After her echocardiogram and electrocardiogram, it was confirmed that her oxygen level was low. The doctor was also concerned and requested a blood test and an X-ray.

It was a very long day for Nihal and her mother who left Hebron at five in the morning and didn’t leave Sheba until late in the afternoon. Nihal’s mother is so kind and is always generously sharing her homemade bread and other food. They had waited all day, but unfortunately the doctor needed to leave early and Nihal was unable to receive the doctor’s analysis of the blood and X-ray information.

Please pray for Nihal that her oxygen level increases, that her strength and health improve, and for wisdom and understanding for the doctors on how to best treat her.

I met up with fourteen-year-old Nihal from Hebron and her mom today at Sheba Medical Center. We had last seen Nihal around two months ago.

Nihal’s mom is so friendly and generous, she brings homemade bread and is always sharing her food. Nihal is a very sweet and quiet girl. She played calmly on her tablet to pass the time.

Nihal was able to get both an echocardiogram and an electrocardiogram today. Please pray for Nihal to gain strength and for her heart to be healed.

We thank God for Nihal and her mom, they are very sweet people. Nihal’s mom is generously caring for all the people around her, especially for her daughter, who she is proud of and loves very much.

Nihal is a talented dancer and loves to express herself with music and dance. As we visited them this morning, weary Nihal laid quietly in her bed wrapped in a warm fleece blanket.

Meanwhile, her mother showed us a video of Nihal dancing. My coworker Berit said, “She will dance again.” I showed Nihal’s mom the translation in Arabic. I thought these are significant, powerful, prophetic words of blessing and encouragement that should be shared.

Later in the day Nihal was released to return home. Please pray for Nihal to continue to heal and be strengthened so that, “she will dance again.”

Despite the fact that coworker Ben and I left early in the morning for Sheba Hospital to be with Nihal and her mother due to Nihal’s catheterization, we got stuck in the dense traffic and missed the opportunity.

When we finally arrived, we sat down in the waitingroom at floor 8 in and it didn’t take long before her mother joined us.

It was easy to see that Nihal’s mum was both tired and worried about her beloved daughter. She greeted me with a hug and showed with her hands that she was going to pray, and Ben and I joined her. It was a holy moment where three parents from three different nations were joined together in prayer for a young lady that needed intervention from God.

We sat together with Nihal’s mother in her worries, waiting for her daughter to come back from the operating room. There was no other place I would have preferred to be at that moment, and I hugged her when the doctor had brought her the good news she had waited for, and it made me so happy to see the relief in her face.

Today was the first time I had the privilege to meet the young lady Nihal, and even though we don’t share the same language, she deeply touched my heart.

First she had EKG, then an X-ray, and finally an Echo. In between, we waited for hours, and not once did she show any sign of complaint, and it made me so impressed of her.

When I saw the big scar on her chest, I realized why she seemed so calm and familiar with the procedures. She knows what to expect and how to act in these situations since she’s been there before. Sitting at the opposite wall outside the EKG-room, she searched eye-contact with me and it made me so happy. Still on her chair she started to move her hands, arms and feet in a special pattern, and I realized she was showing me some dance movements even though we weren’t alone. It was truly such a brave thing to do and her confidence by showing me this, left me in admiration of her.

Tomorrow morning a Catherization is planned, so she and her mother are staying over night in the hospital. Please pray for her, and for all the medical staff involved in her case to succeed well in their task!

Fourteen year old Nihal arrived at Sheba Medical Center today with her mother. Their family lives just outside of Hebron so they had to get up rather early in order to make the trip to the hospital – though, it’s not unfamiliar ground for the two.

Nihal’s mother explained that her daughter’s medical journey has been a long one with numerous surgeries since she was very little. As she showed me many pictures of Nihal’s past procedures from throughout the years, one could see her Mama-heart full of love but also pain for her daughter.

Today was another stepping stone in Nihal’s medical journey. It started out with an ECHO, followed by an ECG, and finally a blood test.

All of these tests went well, but Nihal definitely disliked her blood draw the most. She was a trooper and made it through everything with the support of her sweet mother by her side.

Nihal is a very small and frail for her age. It is evident she has come through a lot and has much more to tackle in the future. We must turn to our Lord and ask for healing and strength over both Nihal’s body and soul. We would also do well to lift her mother in prayer as she stays by her daughter’s side during the trials of this life.

Nihal will, Lord willing, be returning in about three months to possibly have a catheterization.

Praise the Lord for sustaining Nihal and bringing her this far. It is from Him her strength has and will continue to come.