Returning to Gaza for a month
Returning home sooner than expected
Hassan had a second Interventional Catheterization today, and thanks be to God, the doctors are optimistic that he can return to Gaza tomorrow. This was surprising because usually he stays for months in the hospital due to various complications with his condition, so this would be his shortest stay ever.
His mother was is so happy with the outcome of the Catheterization, as well as the prospect of returning home so soon.
I pray this is the case for him because you can see how familiar the hospital is to him, although it doesn’t necessarily follow that he’s not afraid of things there, but just the way he is in that environment so frequently, you can tell that he knows it maybe too well.
God willing he will return home to his family, Lord willing tomorrow.
How to move forward
Hassan is staying in the secondary ICU after his Catheterization last Thursday, and given his current condition maybe this week he will need to have another interventional Catheterization.
A successful Catheterization
Hassan was taken into his Catheterization procedure this morning at Sheba Medical Center.
Thank the Lord, it was successful, and thankfully he is recovering well so far, which has not always been the way for this sweet boy. The doctors were able to dilate some of his blood vessels which will help to improve his oxygen levels.
Please pray that he continues to recover safely, and for strength for his mum during the hospital stay.
Not too happy today for Hassan
Today, Hassan and his mother came from The Gaza Strip to Sheba Medical Center, in Tel Aviv. He had a first check-up which showed that his oxygen saturation and his breathing were not very good. My co-worker Carina went with them to the X-ray department where he cried very loudly because his mother had to wait outside. And on top of that, they also had to do a Corona test which was again, an unpleasant thing for Hassan.
As you can see in this picture, he wasn’t very happy much of the time because of these treatments. We gave him a chocolate waffle which calmed him down and allowed them to peaceably wait whilst their room was being made ready to stay in the hospital.
Update on little Hassan
Hassan and his mother had to come to the hospital today because Hassan needed an Echo. Hassan was not very peaceful during the Echo and his lovely mother tried to calm him down with Videos on her phone. He received some Christmas chocolate from the nurses as well which is lovely and made him happy. He ate some chocolate during his Echo which caused him a chocolatey mouth and hands.
The outcome of the Echo is that he needs a catheterisation but for today he and his mother returned back to Gaza because they didn’t did the catheterisation today. Please pray that the cath can be done soon and for strength and peace for his parents.
Attached and loving

Yesterday, I drove to Erez Border Crossing and picked up Hassan and this time, his own mother was with him as his required chaperone. Hassan’s Aunt had called me and asked that I look out for Hassan’s mom, as this is her first time attending Hassan to hospital in Israel.
Soon, however, I saw another side of Hassan who has spent so much time undergoing treatment at Sheba Medical Center. Simply put, he was so attached and loving towards his mother, and she received and reciprocated it. They were just instep with each other in a way that only comes from a time-honoured routine. There was no novelty in their relationship. For Hassan, his mother was a familiar and safe place. It was one of the sweetest things ever.
He had a CT Angio and an Echo today, and we got a really early start. He is not yet ready for the next operation, but his saturation was good. From the Echo-reading, there wasn’t any evidence of blood clots. The CT results will provide clarity into continuing with or stopping the medication he takes to prevent them.
By the end of the day, he was cleared to return to Gaza and come back in two months! I was so happy for this day for Hassan. He has had a few traumatic first years of life, and there are still many hospitalisations in front of him. Today was evidence that his condition isn’t deteriorating and his health is being maintained, thanks be to God. Thank all of you for your continued prayers for this little one.
God provides
Playful Hassan
Happy Hassan
Thank God for the steps of progress and healing in Hassan!
Smile
Please continue to pray for Hassan during his recovery time.
Sweet Hassan
Hassan is even sweeter than his vanilla-flavored yogurt that he was eating today. I treasured the short amount of time I had with him in Sheba Medical Center today, spoon feeding him this yogurt. He always looks at me with his big brown curious eyes, and both he and his aunt are always a pleasure to visit.
Please continue to pray for Hassan as he is still receiving the medication for his blood clot. Please also continue to pray for strength and joy as he continues his recovery in the hospital.
Happy Hassan
The joy of the Lord
It hasn’t been an easy week for Hassan. Recovering from his 3 hour catheterisation on Tuesday, he’s finally off Oxygen support. Since then, he’s also started physiotherapy, which he really dislikes.
Despite all this, Hassan was in a better mood today. It filled me with so much joy to see the cheeky smile return to his face as we played a game with my ID badge and blew kisses at each other (or rather I blew kisses and he blew raspberries in return). He has a great laugh, and a wonderful sense of humor – just like his Aunty. It’s an incredible gift to see God continue to fill them with his joy, even after all these weeks in hospital.
As I was reflecting on my visit, the chorus of a Rend Collective song came to mind:
The joy of the Lord is my strength
In the darkness I’ll dance
In the shadows I’ll sing
The joy of the Lord is my strength
We know Hassan and his Aunt have a long journey ahead of them. He has a very complicated heart and many more long days in hospital await him. In the dark and shadowy moments, I long to see them encounter the joy of the Lord as their strength.
Recovering slowly
Catheterization day for Hassan
Seeking comfort
It was lovely to see Hassan’s big brown eyes interacting with me when I walked into his hospital room.
Hassan has been recovering from his diaphragm placation surgery. The doctors would like to plan an interventional catheterization to widen his pulmonary artery on Tuesday.
Please pray for Hassan and his aunt as they wait for his catheterization. His aunt has been so kind in caring for him.
There was a sweet moment when Hassan reached for his aunt, seeking comfort. I hope that he will learn to seek comfort in God as well.
Praying for health
Hassan had a surgical procedure today on his diaphragm, with the hope that this will allow more space for his lungs to expand as he breathes in.
A smile a day
An apple day keeps the doctor away. And while it doesn’t exactly fit that a smile a day keeps the doctor away, we are seeing that Hassan’s joyful attitude is helping him to endure this long hospital recovery.
The doctors don’t have any new information on why he continues to have low oxygen and recurrent fevers. However, we praise God that he has continued to be stable.
We hope in the next few days to have some answers about another investigation of his oxygen levels and hopefully get some answers. In the meantime, we continue to pray for this sweet boy and his aunt. May God give them peace and comfort during this long wait.
Smiling in difficult times
Ok, let’s begin with the good news: Hassan is extubated again! So he can breath by himself, what is really nice. But otherwise, nothing has else has improved today.
He still has a fever and a very low oxygen level. The maximum value today was 68 in an absolute restful state. The nurses told us that the big PET-CT Scan from yesterday was not successful because of some technical issues. So they have no new information about Hassan’s condition and want to try another one.
But this little fighter is still impressing us: He never loses his unique smile! He takes every situation as she is and starts tackling the problems.
Let’s keep praying that God gives him strength!
Waiting for answers
Shevet co-worker Colin and I saw Hassan today, in a familiar intubated state in the Sheba Medical Pediatric ICU.
Navigating the seas
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
-Isaiah 43:2
Wings like eagles
Last week, Hassan was moved from the Sheba Medical Center general paediatric ward, back to the Intensive Care Unit.
Today his aunt explained this was due to a collapsed lung. He also has a fever today and the doctors will have to wait for this to resolve before he can have his catheterisation.
Despite all this, Hassan and his aunt were in a great mood. It continues to surprise me to see how upbeat and positive they are after such a long hospital stay. Yet again, I left Hassan’s room with a smile on my face, encouraged and refreshed by our visit. The strength and joy of Hassan and his beautiful aunt is yet another reminder that God is at work – His strength goes far beyond our own.
This morning in our meeting we sang a song called Everlasting God and, thinking of Hassan, the lyrics came to mind again, see them below and please pray that God would continue to be the strength of Hassan and his aunt, lifting them up on wings like eagles….
Contagious joy
Strength, endurance, healing
It was a pleasure and a joy for co-worker Alena and I to see Hassan and his happy, faithful auntie today at the Sheba Medical Center. She greeted us with a lot of love, coke and chocolates, and we enjoyed our time together.
Comfort for this little one
Improvement for Hassan

Hassan seems to be doing a bit better today. Although he still has a long way to go and is on various medications, his fever has gone, which is great news.
As I turned to leave, Hassan’s Aunt handed me a box of dates, insisting I take them to share with the rest of the community. I was really touched by her generosity and encouraged that our visits mean so much to her.
Slowly recovering

For the last three days, Hassan has been struggling with fevers. He still requires a high amount of oxygen support and was started on antibiotics because of his fevers. The doctors are not sure of the cause of his fevers and are waiting for some test results, but they suspect it was caused by his heart’s weak pumping ability He is still on a medication to support his heart function, and is going through withdrawal symptoms from his anesthesia/sleeping medications when he was intubated. Please pray for Hassan and his sweet aunt as he slowly recovers.
Upwards
But we want to trust God, and the doctors, that Hassan will recover well. Please pray for this little fighter, his is an upwards fight.
Devoted to him
It was really good to visit his auntie. Shevet head nurse Colin and co-worker Ruth, as well as I all at the Sheba Medical Center today! I told her how the Shevet staff in Jaffa see how hard she works for Hassan, how she’s come for every out-patient check-up appointment, and now as she continues Ramadan fasting, she has given up her home and family to be with Hassan.
“I love him so, so much,” was her response. It’s a gift from God that Hassan has a family who are so devoted to him.
Fighting for his life

Five days after his surgery, Hassan is still struggling and on mechanical ventilation. We pray for the Spirit of God to be life and strength for him, his family, and for the doctors fighting for his life.
Another surgery for Hassan
A good old acquaintance
For many coworkers of Shevet Achim, Hassan isn’t an unknown boy. He spent a loooong time in his earlier days for different treatments in Israel. Meanwhile, he is now two years old and today he came back with his aunt for another surgery at Sheba Medical Center.
When you see him for the first time, you can feel that this young man had to endure a lot before. Now he is a real professional, has no fear about the hospital and was the whole long day very kind and relaxed.
When we entered the security check-in, we had some troubles with the papers and it was difficult to understand each other. Hassan’s aunt didn’t speak Hebrew or English, the guard didn’t speak Arabic and just a little bit of English, and I can’t speak Arabic or Hebrew. So we stood together in a brisk, patched-up multi-lingual discussion around this unhurried and calm boy Hassan, who patiently accepted everything.
Thanks the Lord that coworker and Arabic-speaking Amar was available for translating via phone. So everything went well and Hassan could be admitted. Let`s pray and hope for healing treatments and a good surgery.
He's got the whole world in His hands
Our dear Hassan went to Sheba Medical Center today for an echo. Shevet staff member Joela went to the echo with him, but he knew where he was, and started crying immediately. Joela put on a YouTube video which she simultaneously sang to. He loved Old MacDonald had a Farm. He’s not usually calm during echoes, but when Joela was singing, he managed to calm down a bit.
The doctor said he will need surgery, but because it is not urgent, he will wait until more funding comes towards the 2019 bill for surgeries. Please continue to pray for God to provide for this. Hassan, though he has been with us so often, does not yet have a local leader.
I thought of this past summer, and of his long stay in the hospital because he had many problems, and this was the only way he could receive adequate treatment. I was there the first time he had surgery, and neither his auntie nor I knew how often he would come back to Sheba for check-ups, or that he would need many more surgeries in the future. But he and his auntie are now a part of our family, and we love them so much; please pray for his body to be made well, and please prayerfully consider financially advocating for this precious boy.
As Joela sang today in the echo “He’s got the whole world in His hands, He’s got the whole world in His hands, He’s got you and me in His hands, He’s got the whole world in His hands.” Our Father holds Hassan in His hands, may his future be bright and healthy and filled with love of his Ceator.
Precious Hassan

Hassan came back for an echo today! He was here a few weeks ago for a catheterization, so the echo today was to check up on his health. The doctors will discuss him again in a conference. It’s tricky because he is not very well. His oxygen was at 81 today and often drops below 70, also his lips are frequently blue, even with many previous interventions this past summer. So he is not well without another surgery, but his case is very complex, which is why there is much deliberation over his treatment.

Hassan and his lovely auntie know the hospital so well now. He became fussier as the day went on, and he was very upset during the echo, but thankfully our beautiful Helen was there to help calm him. She took bells that hung on her purse and gave them to Hassan to play with, which he really liked.

They felt like old friends because of the duration of time they spent in the hospital over the summer and also because of frequent appointments for him. But also, the long stay is hard on his auntie, and as the doctors discuss his upcoming operation, we pray for God to be with Hassan and his aunt, and thank Him for the gift that they are.
Hassan returns home to his family
When we arrived at the hospital today, Hassan was already discharged and ready to go home to Gaza.
We are so grateful to God that his procedure went so well, that he recovered quickly, and was discharged speedily so he can return to his family. He was thrilled to receive a lollipop from little Israa’s father, and plopped it right into his mouth wrapper and all. His smile is bright and beautiful and he blew us kisses while loading him in the car.
We took Israa back to the base and picked up a sandwich for his aunt, and headed to Gaza. The trip went very well and Hassan slept most of the way. When we arrived at the border we made sure that they had all their belongings and made it safely into the building before we headed back to Jaffa.
Hassan will be returning to Sheba for a follow up appointment in January to make sure that he is still doing well. Praise Be to God for a quick hospital stay for Hassan this time, and may he continue to work in the lives of this family.
God knows
Hassan returns for the next step

Dear Hassan is back in Israel for a catheterization tomorrow! In his short life he has had many surgeries and caths, and tomorrow will show us what is the next step for his treatment.
I was so happy to see him and his lovely auntie, although it’s much colder since the last time they were here. He was swaddled in a big blanket and many layers of clothes! When we stopped at the Sheba security check and his aunt had to go inside, I got to hold him for that duration of time, which was so sweet because most of the time he was here last time he had wires and cannulas attached to him. We looked at the pine needles of the trees around us and a nearby stray cat that was prancing back and forth on the sidewalk. It was a beautiful moment before we dropped them off at the children’s hospital for his admission.
Of course it is a pleasure to see him and his aunt once again, but I pray it will not be a hard ordeal for either of them. We ask for God’s peace for them and wisdom for the doctors, in Jesus’ name.
Update on Hassan
Hassan came to Sheba today for a follow up apointment after his previous discharge. This was my first time meeting him and his aunt; I was so touched by them both. Hassan’s aunt had the most beautiful smile – the kind that lights up a room and makes everyone else want to smile too. Every time she looked at him, even in his tearful moments, she couldn’t help but smile. Her love for little Hassan was written all over her face.
I only had a short time with Hassan and his aunt today; after the appointment, they returned to Gaza. Yet even in this short encounter, they left an impression – Hassan with his big round eyes, soaking in the world around him, his aunt with her gentleness and love. They are two very special people.
Please continue to pray for Hassan’s health. Pray that God would bless him and his family and that they would know God’s love for them.
A Goodbye Dance for Hassan
Today was a very happy day for our precious Hassan. As I walked into his room there was a bright smile on his beautiful face while his aunt was packing their stuff together. She happily told me they can go back to Gaza. I was very surprised because Hassan still has a bad cough but his heart is doing great so the doctors allowed him to go home after two months and 12 days.

We celebrated his discharge and danced a little bit with Hassan and his aunt. It really touched my heart to see them this happy.
The drive to Gaza was a little bit exhausting because there was so much traffic and Hassan wasn’t amused about it. We arrived in the late afternoon and dropped these two amazing people off.
Now that they are home again please keep on praying for them. Hassan’s cough needs to get better and also pray for the aunt to get strength again at home with her family. Thanks to our great God who has been with them all the time!
Full of Life

Visiting Hassan was probably the best thing of my hospital day today. He is so full of life, so active, constantly moving and clapping and talking. He really enjoyed the songs Helen was singing, swaying back and forth with the rhythm.

After his CT scan last week he had been moved from the 6th floor to the secondary ICU. The nurse said that she is very happy about him, as he has improved a lot since then. His oxygen went from 60% to almost 90%. And the nasty wound on his foot is decreasing more and more. When I saw him two days ago he was quite upset as he was constantly coughing. He almost couldn’t draw breath. Nevertheless I knew that it was good as it helped to free his lungs.
I was just thinking of this song were it says:
“You breathe your life into my lungs
You bring to life these dry bones
I’m coming alive”
God I thank you so much that Hassan is so full of life despite his sickness! Please continue what you’ve been doing and give this energy also to his lovely aunt who is very exhausted as she is always standing next to his bed.
Happy and Smiling

We met a happy and smiling Hassan today. He played with Margarita and loved the attention he was getting. Hassan’s Aunty was also happy to see us and asked after Alena with whom she has been able to form an especially close bond.
Hassan has been recovering well from his surgery with his chest wound healing beautifully and no longer requiring a dressing. He still requires monitoring but we hope to have a full medical report soon and an update as to ongoing treatment. Hassan’s biggest concern at the moment is that one of the intravenous drugs he needed tissues a few days ago and leaked medication into the surrounding area. This led to a wound forming on his ankle as the skin died. Despite the nasty looking sore, Hassan enjoyed us tickling his feet and had no problems moving around his cot like any baby his age.

Please pray for continued healing for Hassan who has had a very long hospital stay in his short life.
Endurance
Another Surgery
Improvement
Long Surgery
Surgery Postponed

Hassan was supposed to have a surgery yesterday but he got postponed again because all beds of the ICU are currently used. Now we can just wait for available beds. In the meantime he is a really happy boy – too happy to sleep- said his aunt who is taking care of him. Both of them are doing well. He was smiling and giggling all the time throughout my visit. In the end I left in the hope he would fall asleep soon
Surgery on Sunday
Long-Awaited Surgery
Little-charmer Hassan from Gaza is scheduled for surgery tomorrow (Thursday). It is expected to be a complicated surgery.

Hassan’s mom’s eyes betray her anxiety, even as Hassan smiles and laughs from his bed, happy to see a visitor that will distract him from pulling at his covered IV hand. Hassan’s oxygen levels are in the 70’s and his breathing is fast. The long-awaited surgery is now almost here.
Please pray for Hassan and his family.
Ready for a Surgery!
Beautiful Hassan

Beautiful Hassan came last night to Sheba hospital. This boy has a very complicated heart, and the doctors are hoping to take him into surgery tomorrow. Already he has had two surgeries and three catheterizations. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors, and for God given peace for his family back in Gaza. As Jesus commands Thomas:
“Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
Let us look to the cross and believe in the sovereignty of God over Hassan’s life.