Wednesday marked the day we had to say goodbye to our beautiful Roshna. After staying in our Jerusalem house for the last couple of weeks, she was able to return home to her family in Kurdistan. Let us remember the memories we made with Roshna while she was here.
In the beginning of March, she had her surgery to correct her congenital heart defect. She recovered well afterwards and always had a smile for everyone around her. It was so special to see how she appreciated everyone in our community and although there was a big language barrier we found a way to connect with her. Roshna was always eager to learn bits and pieces of English from us, lyrics for the worship songs we sang in the evening and even got some Art lessons by our coworker Michelle.
But most of all, we shared laughter. After being cleared to go home by her cardiologist earlier this week, we had a wonderful farewell party on Tuesday evening.
The small Jerusalem community went out to a Pizzeria and finished off the evening with a delicious cake…
…and farewell presents for Roshna.
The following day I brought Roshna and her lovely mother to the airport. It was hard to say goodbye but everyone found joy in this farewell because it also meant that Roshna could be reunited with her loved ones.
We thank the Lord for the joy Roshna brought into our community and we want to pray that the Lord will provide for her in the future.
Our lovely Roshna awaited today very patiently over the weekend. She knew that her scheduled echo appointment could mean for her to go home to Kurdistan.
We made our way to Hadassah Hospital in the morning for said echo. After just a short time, her doctor came in and told us that Roshna is absolutely fine and that she can go home to her family It was so beautiful to see the joy in her mother’s eyes about this news.
We celebrated with some ice cream and lots of sprinkles! Roshna will stay in our Jerusalem community house until she can fly back with her mother in a few days. Until then we will enjoy every minute with this beautiful girl.
Praise the Lord that he blessed Roshna with healing and strength throughout her stay here in Israel.
Roshna is feeling good now that she can eat and drink without being sick! She has had all her tubes and drains removed and her mother says she is not taking anymore medication. Roshna might be ready to leave Hadassah Ein Kerem as soon as tomorrow!
It is so exciting to see how quickly God responds to our prayers according to His will. Thank you for being faithful in praying with us.
This has been a week of celebration at Hadassah Ein Kerem.
Roshna has received many gifts from people in costumes who are celebrating Purim.
When I went to visit Roshna, she was resting. She is doing well except for being sick when eating and drinking. The nurse is not concerned since she is still on the IV for fluids. Her mother says they have removed the drains.
Please pray for Roshna as God continues to heal her.
The staff at Hadassah Ein Kerem will be moving Roshna out of PICU this afternoon! She has been disconnected from everything but the small drain tanks and an IV, which is giving her fluids. They are encouraging her to drink so they can disconnect the IV.
It is amazing how much better she looks just 24 hours after heart surgery! God is so good about answering our prayers for His best in the lives of these wonderful people! Thank you for remembering Roshna as you pray!
The assistant heart surgeon at Hadassah Hospital reported that Roshna’s surgery went well! The surgery was to redirect the right pulmonary veins from the right atrium to the left atrium.
Roshna did well, even with a very early morning walk to the bus that took us to Hadassah Ein Kerem. Roshna’s mother was very brave until Roshna was asleep. She, understandably, was upset once she had time to think about what her daughter was experiencing. She was able to speak with family and friends who encouraged her throughout the time of the surgery, and even had one couple who came and stayed with her in the waiting room. It was such a relief to us all when we heard the good news about the successful surgery!
This evening at the hospital, Roshna’s mother sent a beautiful video of Roshna waking up. She has already had the ventilator removed! Thank you for your continued prayers for this sweet girl and her family! We know God is with them and pray they recognize His presence in their lives!
We took Roshna and her mother to Hadassah Hospital this morning expecting her to be admitted in preparation for her surgery on Sunday. After taking X-rays, bloodwork, an Echo and completing paperwork, they gave us the option of bringing her back early Sunday morning instead of keeping her there today. Knowing she will be spending plenty of time in the hospital after surgery made the decision easy! We are thankful to have them at our house for a little longer.
The garden at our Jerusalem home is beautiful, especially with all the birds singing. It is so nice to see Roshna spending time enjoying God’s creation there! We are thankful that God loves Roshna and pray that she and her mother feel His presence as they wait.
Our sweet little 10-year old Roshna is one of those people that really touches my heart. She is a gentle and happy girl, and I have never heard her raise her voice to her mother, nor seen her sad, even though she is bored being here. I totally understand that she feels bored, waiting for an operation in a foreign country, far away from her beloved family and everything she is familiar with.
But still, no complaining and she seems relaxed. Finally her time has come. Tomorrow morning she is admitted to Hadassah Hospital for all the preparations and tests needed before her heart operation which takes place on Sunday. I told her and her mother that people around the world are praying for a good result, and that the doctors and nurses are very nice and will do everything they can to help her to get well and strong.
So please, lift her and her family up before the Most High, but not only them. Also lift up all the medical staff who are doing an excellent work with all these precious children coming into Israel for their heart surgeries.
Roshna had her CT scan with an angiogram today at Hadassah Hospital. She was afraid, but still very brave, when they were inserting the IV for the contrast injection. She did very well with the rest of the test. She was very happy to be treated to a double scoop ice cream cone afterwards. It is so nice to see her smile!
Praying for good results and a treatment plan soon.
Ten-year-old Roshna arrived Monday night from Kurdistan, northern Iraq, fearful and shy but also with hope in her eyes. After a good night’s sleep and breakfast with the Jerusalem community, she had her first echocardiogram at Hadassah Hospital.
The cardiologist said that while she is healthy now, if her heart condition remains untreated she will eventually not be well. He has scheduled her for a CT exam to further study the anatomy of her heart, before a decision is taken about surgery.
Roshna is a ten year old child from Kurdistan, northern Iraq diagnosed with PAPVR congenital heart defect
Roshna's surgery is sponsored by the Children's Heart Project of Samaritan's Purse, but she does not yet have a local leader to advocate for prayer support for her surgery.
As of right now, Roshna still needs $0 toward surgery and related expenses.
Wednesday marked the day we had to say goodbye to our beautiful Roshna. After staying in our Jerusalem house for the last couple of weeks, she was able to return home to her family in Kurdistan. Let us remember the memories we made with Roshna while she was here.
But most of all, we shared laughter. After being cleared to go home by her cardiologist earlier this week, we had a wonderful farewell party on Tuesday evening.
The small Jerusalem community went out to a Pizzeria and finished off the evening with a delicious cake…
The following day I brought Roshna and her lovely mother to the airport. It was hard to say goodbye but everyone found joy in this farewell because it also meant that Roshna could be reunited with her loved ones.
