Written by David Willcocks

Gail and I went to Jerusalem to stay in the Shevet guesthouse there for two days over Shabbat. It was there that we met Shahad for the first time. We were immediately touched by her happy and smiling character and beautiful spirit. She seems to melt the heart of anyone she encounters.

On Saturday afternoon, along with Almuth and Johanna we spent the afternoon taking precious Shahad into Jerusalem old city. We first stopped at an Arab shop to buy a walking stick for her aunt Miryam who is struggling to walk with a painful knee and then we stopped at the Christ Church tea room for afternoon tea and cakes which Shahad enjoyed.

We then played hide and seek in the garden of the church. Afterwards we went into another shop nearby to look for gifts to take home. The shop keeper was immediately captivated by Shahad. He had heard about the work that Shevet does. He talked with her about where she was from and how she was. I saw that he was very moved. We tried to buy a multi colouring pen for Shahad but he wouldn’t accept any money from us and instead drew a picture of Donald Duck for her to take and colour in with her new pen. His parting words were, “We love you Shahad.”

On our way back home Shahad was fascinated by some large animal statues inside another shop. Seeing this, the shop owner invited her in to have a better look. She asked about where Shahad was from. We told her she was from Gaza and was here to have her heart fixed. We could see the lady’s heart melting before us. She then insisted that she wanted to buy Shahad something sweet so she immediately locked up the shop and then walked hand in hand with Shahad and us to a nearby shop where she told Shahad to pick whatever she wanted. When Shahad picked a chocolate bar she told her to choose more. She ended up taking Shahad round the shop choosing sweets and chocolates and drink. At the counter the cashier insisted on giving Shahad another pack of sweets. We then went back to the ladies shop where she wanted to know how she could follow and pray for Shahad. She told us she was a Christian and we could see she was almost moved to tears by Shahad’s beautiful spirit and the Father working. Johanna told her about the work of Shevet before we left and she said she would follow Shahad and pray for God to heal her completely.

The whole day with Shahad was a very moving and powerful demonstration of the Father working to change people’s hearts through these children. What a powerful witness to the world Shevet Achim is. God bless Shahad and her kind Aunt.

We have a lovely girl from Gaza, Shahad, staying with us at our Jerusalem guest house as she waits for a catheterisation. She has ended up being with us for quite a bit longer than we initially were expecting and as a result, we have needed to get some more medication for her. We have a wonderful local pharmacist who is always extremely helpful and generous, but on this occasion, it was proving difficult for him to find anywhere which had this specific medicine in stock for Shahad. We tried other pharmacies, but everywhere came back with the same problem as our usual pharmacist: there seems to be a national shortage of this medicine. As there was no date in sight for when Shahad would be called back to the hospital, and the time was running out before we really, really needed the medication, I realized that we had another of what we are fondly coming to know here at Shevet as an “impossible mission.”

Now, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

So, as we had the task of being the last people in the hospital before the medicine would run out, here was an opportunity for me and Alena to receive the gift of faith on this day! Firstly I prayed for favor with…whoever it was who could help us. Within the next minute, I found Shahad’s cardiologist in his office, without any patient, with the door open and ready to help. He (as always) was willing to assist when I explained our situation. He even called our pharmacist to try and organize a different prescription or whatever was necessary, only to come to the same dead end; the medicine is not available in Israel at the moment. I was reminded firmly and without any doubt of the prayer which Diana my lovely friend and our head nurse last year would pray and declare every day in English and Spanish:

Nothing is impossible with God.

For now Shahad is discharged! She has to wait for a special Cath that is supposed to regulate her heart beats. Great for us, since she is enriching our community in Jerusalem with her adorable and lively spirit now! We displayed her creativity for many other volunteers in the hospital by painting pictures and enjoying stickers!

But our little friend can’t sit still for a longer time. She loves to move and to dance. Then her whole face is spreading contagious joy. Also on the playground you can’t stop the seven-year-old. “Schwey schwey” (Arabic for “slow down”) are the words she probably hears the most!

Furthermore our girl is also helping us with cleaning and cooking and shows the great care of a big sister for the 16-month-old named Rahaf, a Syrian refugee from Jordan, who is currently also living with us at the Jerusalem guest house.

Shahad is accompanied by her aunt from Gaza. The aunt is doing ok. She is missing her family and is also a bit upset that she can’t be there for her family at the moment. But she is cooking awesome food for us and gets along quite well with others in our community. Please pray for her that she also receives joy for this service to her niece Shahad and for her help to Shahad’s family! Please also pray for the girl and her aunt that they are allowed to experience God’s love, life and grace in our Jerusalem guest house!
Today we were at the garden tomb and told them the gospel. May the seed grow strong!

Written by Adrienne

It started with a notebook, one that was hastily chosen in an airport bookstore and that was “full” of entirely too much white space…

…and a single, blue highlighter.

A bright-eyed, brown-skinned, beautiful little girl sat cross-legged on her hospital bed as I donned gown and gloves and peeked around the corner. Eyes brimming over with expectation greeted my own then began searching, scanning, patiently waiting for anything that I might have brought that could help her pass the long hours of her confinement.

“Lord, I’ve got nothin’,” I breathed inwardly. But just as He took the loaves and fishes and multiplied them beyond human understanding and expectation, He used a little notebook and a blue highlighter, multiplying their value in ways that only He can.

Her name is Shahad. I don’t speak her language, nor does she speak mine. We live half a world away from one another, our cultures are vastly different, and I know nothing of the challenges of a child with physical abnormalities of the heart.

But God DOES…

With a notebook, a highlighter, and through the whispers of His Spirit, He knit together two hearts from worlds apart.

Simple sketches turned into great works of art as small, creative hands repeatedly reached into her own bag of supplies and gleefully retrieved crayons, a marker, then some dazzling stickers.

We traced our hands side by side, one large and gloved, the other delicate and unprotected—one more aged that offers much guidance, and one that is waiting…waiting…waiting on guidance.

Only HE could have designed such a time of delight and joy as we shared today. Only HE could take such simple tools and make a work of art into a work of heART.

I pray this is a picture that will remain in my memory until He forever takes my hand into His own.

Thank you, Father, and thank you, sweet Shahad.

“That their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’smystery, that is, Christ Himself.” Colossians 2:2

PS Please pray for the doctors as they continue to monitor Shahad’s irregular heart patterns.  They are planning a electrical ablation procedure by catheter which they hope may help her.

There is never a boring moment with Shahad. Her joy fills the room like the light from a candle – you can’t help but smile too. We had so much fun today at the hospital: blowing bubbles, making necklaces together and even decorating a glove. As I looked round the room at Shahad and her mother, both laughing at the glove, I felt the difference God’s presence makes. He was there in a beautiful way, bringing his joy and peace to all three of us.

Shahad’s special spark of creativity, her beaming bright smile, and patient spirit always leave me feeling humbled as I reluctantly say goodbye. Today I was especially touched by this, and reminded of the words of Jesus:

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” – Matthew 19:14.

Jesus places a high value on children – he welcomed them into his presence and spent time with them while on Earth. Shahad is teaching me a lot about the joy of the Lord; I see it in her smile, her laugh – in that excited look she gives me when I first walk into the room.

Please pray that God would continue working in the lives of Shahad and her mother. May they come to know him as the source of their hope and joy. May he continue to give them patience during their long stay in hospital.

When I came to the pediatric ward I didn’t know where I had to look for little Shahad. All I had was a guess that she might be in Room 7. So I started my search there. As I entered the room I was welcomed with a lovely wide smile from this little girl. A smile that was contagious, a smile that was brave and a smile that showed her beautiful heart at this young age. But it wasn’t only Shahad that welcomed me warmly, her mum gave me a very lovely hug as well. Even though the possibility of discharge was mentioned, Shahad has to stay a few days longer due to a new treatment. Little Shahad and her mum didn’t seem discouraged by that, it was quite the contrary because
both kept smiling at me. Shahad is such a beautiful and brave girl and I pray that she will someday get to know Jesus and his love for her. I was reminded of Isaiah 62:3:

“You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.”

My prayer is that little Shahad will encounter this worth that she has in God’s hand. That her beauty will not only shine from the outside but also through what is filling her on the inside which is God’s love for her. Please pray for a good response to the new medication and fast discharge.

Sheba hospital has a new beautiful patient and her name is Shahad. Shahad is a 6 year old girl from Gaza and had to stay for a night at our base in Jaffa. But on Tuesday morning we gave her a ride to the hospital, which wasn’t so easy because she felt very sick but she entered the hospital safely. Therefore she had an appointment for a pacemaker and needed to stay for the night. But that was no problem for our brave Shahad and she is still doing great.

Today we were blessed by Shahad’s beautiful smile. Even though she is very tired and they don’t know what the next step is for her, her joyful heart kept us smiling while she wore funny glasses. We talked about important things in life like whether she likes dogs or cats. It was so good to see how God is giving joy to her even in painful situations. He is great and caring for us all the time. Please pray that the doctors will make a decision about her staying or leaving soon.