Today, we picked up little Kenan and his mother at the Erez crossing point and brought them to Sheba Medical Center for an echo and an ECG.

For now everything seems to be ok. The doctors still have to look over some test results and will decide then if Kenan needs some kind of further treatment.

Kenan was the first child that I picked up at Erez crossing point when I first came to serve at Shevet Achim. I was very happy to see him again today.

Please pray for this little guy and his lovely mother and bless them.

Little Kenan and his mother came to the Sheba hospital for a check up today. He had an echo, ECG and the nurse measured his oxygen. His oxygen was pretty low, but probably because he cried so much.

Everything else was good and the doctor is contend with the results. Kenan and his mother are going to stay over night in the Jerusalem guesthouse, because Kenan is scheduled for a cardiac MRI in two days. We hope for good results as well. The mom is very pleased to be able to stay in Jerusalem, since she asked us many times, if it would be possible to go there and pray.

In the waiting time I saw Kenan keeping try to walk as far as possible without falling and it was incredible to see. He is a very smart and well developed boy. Also his mother had so much fun with him and you can tell that she has much love for her son.

Please pray for a good MRI result and a nice time in Jerusalem.

Cute little Kenan had to return to Sheba hospital today to see the neurologist. He is a really beautiful little boy, smiling a lot and in a happy mood most of the time.

I enjoyed the waiting time with him and his wonderful mother a lot today. The neurologist was really friendly and was happy to tell us that Kenan is doing well from a neurological perspective and there is no need for him to have a follow-up appointment with the neurologist, praise the Lord.

Kenan’s mother, a kind person, was really happy to hear this news and was happy to be able to go back to Gaza for now with her beloved son. They both need to come back in around a month for Kenan to have an MRI and depending on the results, the doctors might be able to determine when Kenan’s next surgery will be.

Thank you for your prayers for little Kenan.

Coworker Amelie and I made our way to Sheba Medical Center  and sat with Kenan’s mother for Kenan’s catheterization today.

Kenan went in around 11:30 am and was done around 2:45. His mother was very calm throughout the waiting period. She knew that we’d been waiting since 9 am with another mom also in hospital, and she shared a sweet treat with us.

Kenan had a successful catheterization, with no complications. Doctors will discuss the plan of treatment for him tomorrow.

When we were able to enter his room, Kenan was already holding the phone and watching Youtube.

Please be praying that Kenan continues recovering well, and that God would give the doctors wisdom for his plan of treatment.

Coworker Bria and I picked up Kenan and his mother from the Erez Border Crossing today and brought him to Sheba Hospital for a checkup.

At first the doctors made an ECG during which Kenan was really agitated, but it was so sweet to see how his mom was with him all the time and tried to calm him down.

After that, they did an echo which he first resisted, so the doctors had to give him some medication to calm him down.

After they finally could do the echo. the doctor told me that Kenan’s oxygen levels are really low and that he has to be admitted to the hospital. The doctors still need to decide whether Kenan will have a catheterisation or a surgery.

It was my first time in the hospital and I am really glad that I got to be with Kenan and his mom. Please pray that everything will go well and that he will be better soon.

We had the pleasureful company of both Kenan’s grandmother and Kenan staying with us in Jaffa for an extra week. Kenan’s grandmother is always so sweet, and would always greet us with a warm smile. She loves singing to Kenan. Her presence lights up the room. We’ve been able to share many laughs together.

Kenan has been steadily gaining weight and the cardiologist has cleared Kenan to return to Gaza for one month. His grandmother is very happy at the prospect of being reunited with her family.

I hope that Kenan will enjoy being held securely by his mother and family. Please pray for Kenan to continue to grow and to adjust to his heart surgery. We look forward to seeing Kenan again soon!

One-month-old Kenan went for a follow-up echo and evaluation today at Sheba Medical Center. While the echo results were good, it did show that the installed shunt is a bit large for him; he needs to “grow into it!”

Kenan’s weight over the past week has increased only in very tiny increments, so the new plan is to help him gain by giving him more formula as well as by increasing the strength of that formula.  The cardiologist would like him to stay in Jaffa during this time, so he can be monitored for his breathing, to be weighed frequently, and to be near the hospital.

His grandmother was very disappointed that she and Kenan were not going back to Gaza today, but after another conversation with the doctor, she agreed that it is in his best interest to stay at least until his next evaluation in little over a week.

Please pray for Kenan to tolerate these increased feedings and to gain weight. Please also pray that his grandmother will be comforted and peaceful in the waiting.  She is such a conscientious and loving caregiver for this fragile infant; we pray that she also feels the love in our Shevet home, that this love and every perfect gift comes from the Father above.

Three-week-old Kenan from Gaza was discharged from Sheba Hospital yesterday (Friday), just before Shabbat. He had entered Israel by ambulance at a few days of age, with critical complex heart disease and very low oxygen levels.

After some discussion, it was decided that Kenan and his grandmother should come to our Jaffa house for some care and observation, as Gaza has had a recent uptick in CoronaVirus cases. The mandatory quarantine upon entry into Gaza is 21 days, and there are special “quarantine houses.” We weren’t sure that Kenan would get the necessary medical follow-up, and Sheba doctors also wanted him to return for follow- up soon. So, Kenan and his Grandmother —both seemingly exhausted— packed into the van (along with the usual bags, cartons, and stroller) for the trip.

As we neared our seaside home and I told his grandmother “just two more minutes,” she suddenly sat up and saw the ocean. Her eyes sparkled and she kept exclaiming, “the sea, the sea!” Such a beautiful, joyful, peaceful demeanor as we pulled in.

Kenan and his grandmother have now settled in, warmly welcomed by the Shevet staff as well as the two other moms in the house. Everyone takes turns holding this cute and snuggly little guy…. he certainly is getting plenty of attention and TLC! It’s fun having a baby in the house, especially one whose oxygen levels are now an acceptable 78-82%. From his appearance, you would never know that Kenan’s list of medical diagnoses contain eight different problems!

Please pray with us for wisdom as we communicate with the doctors in Israel, the authorities in Gaza, and Kenan’s family about the best care for him in the next weeks and months.

Kenan’s grandmother was so kind and welcoming, inviting me into the hospital room to see little one-week old Kenan. Kenan is so tiny and newborn as the photo above clearly indicates.

His grandmother is hopeful Kenan will receive surgery soon. Kenan should have a PDA stent placed in the next few days.

Let’s join his grandmother in hoping and praying in advance of his surgery.

Kenan was born five days ago in the Gaza Strip, turned blue at birth, and was diagnosed to have only a single ventricle of the heart in place of the normal two. He was rushed into the ICU in Gaza City where emergency medication could keep him alive until he could have surgery.

At the same time the first community outbreak of coronavirus brought the Gaza Strip to a standstill, with residents forbidden to leave their homes. Although a hospital in East Jerusalem was prepared to accept Kenan, the authorities in Gaza said they were unable to process his paperwork.

That triggered our community guidelines, which are to never turn away from a dying child who has no other options. Our Gaza coordinator Amar worked to get Kenan out of Gaza without the assistance of the local authorities, and this evening by God’s grace Kenan was on his way to Israel:

He safely reached the Sheba Medical Center, our main partner hospital, where he is now being assessed and God willing prepared for surgery.

We thank God for every such child we see, like Wesley, “a burning stick snatched from the fire.”