Dear coworkers,
We got news early this morning that Shakar from Kurdistan was due to be taken into an emergency surgery in Israel today. The hospital staff had seen blood coming from nose, mouth and also in his nappy, and so he was taken into surgery to look at the bowel.
The surgeons came to speak with Shakar’s mother after some time, and told her that they had seen that the intestines were in such a poor state, that they were unable to resolve the issue by removing a small damaged section, but they had to create a stoma for Shakar’s digestive system instead.
They explained it is likely that the poor function of the heart has caused the failure of the bowel, and that it indicated that it wouldn’t be possible for Shakar’s body to sustain life for very much longer. The doctor said that if Shakar lives, it is going to be a miracle.
Mum understood this information, and broke down in tears. As they brought Shakar past in his bed, mum followed back up to the ICU.
We stopped to pray for this sweet baby and his mum. We prayed for the name and blood of Jesus to be proclaimed and spoken over Shakar’s life. We prayed that God will take care of him and have mercy on him. We prayed for wisdom for the medical staff, and we thanked God for always being here with us.
I spent the rest of the day with Shakar’s mum. Sometimes with Tara, and later with Julio.
After some time, Shakar’s mum felt that she could leave the room as the nurses continued to work on him to have a drink. During this time we were called back, as Shakar had crashed and needed CPR. The room was full of people, all standing around the bed of little Shakar. The doctor explained to us that Shakar is very unstable, and that his body and heart are in a very bad state. They were working constantly to assess and provide everything which they can: x-ray, cannula, medicine, blood transfusion…
His mother was beautiful during this whole time. She is deeply upset, as she held some of his pyjamas to her face as she sobbed. She is also balancing this with communication with her husband and family back in Kurdistan. She is an amazing mother, and as her heart is breaking for Shakar, it is like she has given up hope for his life.
It would be easy to give up hope, as I stood and watched as dark brown blood start to bubble from his nose, and his larger-than-ever abdomen rising under the heat lamp, and the skin on his arm start to become mottled… But then I think back to the little ones from the past months who have lived, against the odds…I thought about what the doctors said about needing a miracle, and I thought about the King of Kings, My Father in heaven, the God of miracles… So amongst my prayers, came my hopeful glimmer of a phrase to God: “… but what if he lives?”
Diana and Tara came later to take over, they are staying the night with Shakar and his mum in the hospital. Diana stood next to me at the side of Shakar’s bed, and as Tara held the mother, Diana held my hand and said “I have hope.”
So, tonight please please surround Shakar and his mum with your prayers for a healing miracle, and for peace and strength. We know that nothing is impossible for God.
Georgia for Shevet Achim