Co-worker Elisa and I met Jabal, from Hebron, and his parents on the 8th floor echocardiogram waiting area. Jabal, not at all shy, quickly warmed to us. He was here for his regular heart check up. Soon enough, his number was called and I accompanied him and his parents into the echo room.

It was amazing to see three-year-old Jabal and his mother and father at Sheba Hospital today after last seeing them at the end of February. Jabal had a major surgery involving switching his great arteries. After the surgery, he had many setbacks including a brain hemorrhage, but thank God he recovered.

Now to see him today so healthy and playing like any other child his age, it was a great blessing to all of us. The doctors and nurses also took great joy in seeing him doing so well. Jabal had fun playing on the train in the lobby and eating his peanut butter flavored doodles.

Jabal, handsome as ever, arrived at the Arab Rehabilitation Society near Bethlehem today for his first course of therapy, as he continues his rapid recovery from neurological damage, which came during his difficult recovery from heart surgery.

We found him cheerful, speaking, alert and responsive, thank God. His mother told us he is walking short distances, but still has some trouble maintaining his balance. His older brother Mohammed was on hand to help with the long journey from their home south of Hebron.

Today Jabal had speech therapy as well as physical therapy, and he’s scheduled for two more visits this week, and possibly 20 visits in total. We’ve committed to support the costs, which will amount to a total of about $1600. Support for this lovely and humble family, especially prayer support, is most welcome.

Ben and I delivered sweet little boy Jabal and his parents to the Tarqumiyah checkpoint today after Jabal was discharged from Sheba Hospital.

Let us give all the glory to God, because seeing this precious child in the bad state he’s been in shows that this is an intervention from God. The outcome was not given, but as the Word of God says in Matthew 17:20, “If you have faith as a mustard seed…”

I’m sure I’m not the only one with that kind of faith, we are many! I’m so grateful for all of you prayer warriors that have helped us to fight for this precious little boy of whom I will always refer to as a “miracle boy,” because I truly think he is.

His road isn’t straight yet, so please continue to lift him up in your prayers. They reach heaven as a good aroma before our beloved Father.

With a gentle knock on the door, coworker Ben and I entered the room of Jabal today and he was occupied watching his mother’s phone. It was wonderful to see him sitting up doing that, but as soon as he saw us, he became uneasy and starting groaning. His mother asked us to sit down a bit away from him and I said to Ben, “It seems like Jabal doesn’t like our presence.”

Turned towards Jabal, I said, “Ben and Berith khalas?”(Arabic for done or enough). With a gentle smile the sweet little boy nodded his head. We rose up and laughed together with his mother and while I repeated the word “khalas,” we left the room. I loved the sincerity Jabal showed us, and how can you not obey such a sweet little boy fighting as a bold lion in his healing process.

Kerstin and I reached Jabal’s room at the same time as his care team in the secondary PICU ward at Sheba Hospital today. He did not enjoy the blood draw and administration of his medications and moaned pitifully.

Thankfully, that ordeal was over soon and we got to see little Jabal looking brighter and happier than in recent days.

I mean, he must be doing better if he is playing Spider-Man! We spent some time playing with his Spider-Man action figures and it was a lot of fun.

Pray for Jabal to be discharged soon, and that we could help the family find a rehabilitation center nearer his home to continue his therapy and totally recover his neurological function. We are so grateful to the tremendous staff at Sheba. They’ve done such an amazing job caring for Jabal and his heart condition. We want to give praise and thanks to the almighty El Shaddai, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, YHVH Rafa, that is, our healer.

As coworker Berith and I walked toward Sheba Medical Center’s PICU this morning, we encountered Jabal and his parents. Jabal’s mother was pushing him in a stroller and his face was looking much healthier than when we saw him last. His left eye is fully open now and he was making good eye contact with us.

Jabal’s parents told him to say hi and he was also able to say it. We were greatly encouraged to hear and see this marked improvement in Jabal’s condition. He seems to be more comfortable than last we saw him, when he was groaning from discomfort.

Please pray for Jabal to continue to improve and be able to be discharged soon. We want to thank God for his steady healing.

We are thankful to God for the slow but steady progress we see in Jabal.

Today we saw a video of him clapping his hands. He will require rehabilitation to return to his previous neurological baseline, but we already see small improvements daily, and we ask that you continue to pray and also rejoice with us in these moments that reveal the progress he is making toward a full recovery.

His father recently bought him some new toys to play with, and I admire his act of faith. He believes that God will fully restore the faculties of his mind and body. We also believe; join us in continuing to pray for complete healing of Jabal’s neurological condition and full restoration to his former self.

When coworkers Berith, Elisa, and I visited Jabal at Sheba Hospital today, we found him moaning and groaning due to some discomfort, but we also witnessed him look at his mother and smile. That was a very special moment for all of us because we recognized that he was seeing his mom and was responsive. His parents had been worried about his eyesight post surgery. Praise God, we see that Jabal is healing and that God is working through our prayers.

Another positive development we heard today was that he doesn’t need a pacemaker after all. While we were visiting, Jabal was taken for an ultrasound of his abdomen, and though the results have not been conveyed yet, he returned in much better spirits and was peaceful, no longer in pain.

Please continue to pray for Jabal to heal and make a full recovery.

Jabal made another small step today – he was eating food! As coworker Berith and I walked into his room in Sheba Hospital’s PICU for a visit, it was an encouraging sight to see his mother feeding him with a spoon. He still has a much farther way to go in his healing process, especially as he waits to see an eye doctor and receive further therapy, but to see even small progress is wonderful. May the Lord be praised!

Big miracles are incredible to see when the Lord allows, yet each day a million little miracles can be found that add up to anything greater than we can imagine. To miss such miracles would be a sorrowful thing as they show us God’s faithfulness in the tiniest of instances. Jabal’s healing process is one of “a million little miracles” as day by day his condition improves.

When we arrived at the hospital this morning, coworker Ben received a text message from Jabal’s father that he had left to go buy toys for his little son as he is slowly becoming a little more alert each day. After we waited a bit for his nurses to attend to him and for his mother to help him get comfortable, I entered his room to find him snoozing peacefully.

Jabal’s mother and I chatted a little about her dear boy, how the doctors say his surgery, now two weeks ago, was a success and how it will take some time for him to fully awaken. What a relief to hear that his recent CT scans show nothing abnormal in his brain function after all the difficulties post-surgery. While this is comforting, it is still hard for Jabal’s anxious parents in this waiting period. I can understand how they wish they could do something to hasten his recovery and yet are helpless to do so. The attentive care Jabal is receiving from his medical team at Sheba certainly puts his parents more at ease as they reassure him that it will take time.

Please pray for Jabal as he improves and strengthens and pray for his parents as they patiently wait by his side.

We’re so thankful to see Jabal continuing to improve day by day. This morning we found him sitting up, alert and responsive.

His parents are concerned that he still isn’t understanding them or speaking in return, but take comfort in his recent brain scan which did not reveal concerning findings.

The best word for the day was found on the t-shirt of Jabal’s father:

Born Again. Rise. May it be so Lord.

It was nice to see Jabal opening his eyes and moving his limbs today, it is a sign that he is progressing in his recovery. He has been taken off the anesthesia, and he is still a little groggy, but also becoming more awake and aware of his surroundings.

We are grateful for his life, and answer to prayer, and for the professional medical staff at Sheba Hospital.

Jabal had a CT scan to check his brain function, but we have not heard the results of the testing yet. We ask that you join us in prayer for Jabal to make a full recovery.

It was great to see Jabal awake today! I was surprised and encouraged to see his eyes fluttering open. He was partially awake and his parents were attempting to rouse him. They had his Spider-Man action figures and they were encouraging him to want to play with his toys.

Jabal was still quite groggy, perhaps due to the medications he has been on. We know he has more healing to do, but it was a great consolation to find him awake, breathing on his own, and looking more healthy each day.

Jabal’s dad informed me that Jabal will need another surgery soon for a pacemaker, but his major surgery has been successful and we give thanks to God and to the wonderful team of doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals at Sheba Medical Center.

Please continue to pray for healing of Jabal’s heart and brain, and for him to make a full recovery. Let’s also pray for his upcoming pacemaker surgery.

At the start of the day, Jonathan and Michelle found Jabal’s parents relieved and grateful for his recovery from his extremely-critical condition, and hopeful that later in the day he might be weaned off the ventilator:

Later in the day I found his doctors and nurses indeed succeeded to remove the breathing tube, because he is stronger and able to breathe on his own well. His parents were happy to invite me into his room to see this improvement myself.

Please continue to keep three-year-old Jabal in your prayers, that he would continue to heal and make a full recovery.

When I visited Jabal today his parents said he is doing well. He looks better since the last time I saw him and his face has a healthier tone. Jabal’s parents mentioned that he may have another minor procedure after he has recovered a little more, but right now he is progressing very well.

We are grateful to the staff of doctors and nurses of Sheba Medical Center that give such meticulous care to these precious children. We thank God for everyone praying for Jabal, and we ask that you continue to ask God to heal and strengthen him.

Jabal’s parents have been relaxed and content for the last couple days I’ve visited them, knowing that Jabal has been stable and healing. He has been on a temporary dialysis for his kidney function until his body adjusts to the changes since surgery.

Today the doctors and nurses brought him for a CT scan, which involved pushing the hospital bed into the elevator and transporting Jabal to the other side of the hospital.

We have not yet learned the results of the CT scan, but we are happy that Jabal has been doing well, and appears to be on the road to recovery. Please pray for Jabal to continue to heal and be strengthened.

I was concerned upon my arrival to Sheba Hospital when I heard that Jabal had gone into surgery this morning for some adjustments. Jabal has gone through so many procedures and surgeries in the last week and we want to see him healthy and fully recovered. Thank goodness that before I left today he was doing well. His chest has been closed and he is recovering from the surgery.

His father was happy to show me into his room and I looked at Jabal and then at his parents and said, “Praise God,” and they replied, “Praise God!” He will be on dialysis for his kidneys for the next couple days and then he should be taken off dialysis.

Please pray for Jabal to heal and make a full recovery.

Today Jabal’s doctors expressed concern that he might have the early stages of kidney failure, which might call for dialysis. His fatigued parents seemed dejected when we met them at Sheba Hospital today. We ended up spending quite some time with the family in the waiting room and Jabal’s mom and I found we both love to cook. We shared photos of the cakes we’ve made for our kids’ birthdays and she playfully quizzed me on my knowledge of traditional Arabic dishes.

As we waited, we received the good news that Jabal’s doctors believe this kidney trouble to be temporary and that it will resolve on its own as his heart function improves. Pray for this little guy to steadily improve and to be back running around with his six siblings very soon.

I learned this morning in Sheba Hospital that Jabal was having a surgery and I was able to get to the hospital to sit with his family in the waiting room.

The surgery involved working in the brain where there was a hemorrhage and also involved an adjustment to the heart. This surgery was quite serious and Jabal’s parents were noticeably concerned for their little boy. But praise God, the surgery went smoothly and Jabal was out in an hour. His parents were relieved to hear and see the good news.

Please continue to pray for this dear little boy to heal and recover fully from these major surgeries. We are thankful for everyone praying for Jabal and we ask that you join us in fervently praying for his complete healing.

Please pray for Jabal. His condition was improving yesterday, but the doctors noticed blood in his eye and decided he should have a CT scan today. The CT scan revealed a small hemorrhage and some fluid in his brain. This could be very difficult to remedy with his current condition. His parents are understandably very concerned and he needs your prayers. Let’s also pray for the doctors to have understanding on the best path for healing and recovery for Jabal.

A saw Jabal’s father outside Sheba Hospital’s Pediatric ICU this morning. He told me that Jabal was doing better. This was great news since Jabal went in for an emergency surgery late last night because his left ventricle wasn’t functioning properly and something was blocking it.

Thank God the surgery was successful, his parents were in much better spirits today. Please pray for Jabal’s heart to continue to heal.

I greeted Jamal’s father and he warmly welcomed me into the hospital room. It was seven in the morning and three-year-old Jabal was still peacefully sleeping, his curly mop of hair and gentle snore were comforting, knowing he was free of worry and fear.

What a challenge to us to learn to trust and lay down in peace knowing our Heavenly Father will care for our cares. Jabal’s father brought his own bag of Turkish coffee and his own coffee cups, which he generously shared with me. We talked over coffee and shared about life, and had much in common, although being brought up on opposite sides of the earth. It was a nice start to the long difficult day of surgery that would continue until 9:30 that evening.

The surgeons and doctors came in to the room to greet the family, they were very polite and so gracious to these Arab neighbors. They truly love these, their neighbors, and this we know is the whole law and the prophets. I feel so grateful to God have the privilege to witness these blessed interactions.

Around eight in the morning the doctors started the surgery for Jabal. This surgery involved switching the arteries in his condition known as Transposition of the Great Arteries. It is a major surgery and very dangerous as you can imagine. Jabal’s mother and father needed some time to themselves for a little bit, but I found them later in the day, and we sat together in the waiting room. The surgeons came out two times to explain the progress and comfort the family that Jabal was doing well. The final word was that the surgeon decided that Jabal should not go on ECMO, he wanted to see if his heart would strengthen and he could make it without the machine despite his right ventricle being diminished in size.

Finally, around nine thirty in the evening, Jabal emerged from the operating table on his way to recovery. Everyone was very tired but especially the Israeli doctors and nursing staff, those legendary heroes known for the love, care and hard work they perform everyday for their neighbors.

Please pray for cute little Jabal. Pray for his right ventricle to function well, and for him to be stable and continue to improve and heal.

Three-year-old Jabal and his mother and father, from the West Bank village of Yatta, arrived at the Sheba Medical Center this evening in advance of tomorrow’s big–and complex–surgery to switch his great arteries.

As Jabal was checked into his room, he showed none of the fear we’ve come to expect from children his age.

Part of Jabal’s confidence came from the strong and affectionate presence of his father. His loving mother also put on a cheerful face, but at one point turned away from her son and burst into tears, as she thought of the risk he is facing in the morning.

Let’s do our part in prayer for this lovely, humble family, as they trust their beloved son into the hands of God.